Fritz Bedford Collects Two Masters World Records in Vermont

Fritz Bedford of New England Masters Swim Club raced his way to two new Masters World Record marks over the weekend while competing in White River Junction, Vermont.

Fritz Bedford, courtesy of Barbara Hummel

Swimming in the 7th Annual UVAC Leaf Peepers Masters Mini Meet, 52-year-old Bedford registered a new men’s 50-54 age group World Record in the 100 backstroke, finishing in a time of 58.47.  Beford’s sub-59 swim knocked more than a second off of the previous world record time of 59.79 held by Japan’s Hiroyoshi Maetoge.

Bedford’s next victim was the 100 IM event, where the Masters swimmer clocked a winning time of 1:01.58, a mark which registers as the 5th-fastest ever in the men’s 50-54 age group. Next in his path was the 50 backstroke, an event in which Bedford would set his 2nd Masters World Record, touching in a time of 26.69. Bedford’s performance shaved more than half of a second off of his own world record time of 27.28. In fact, Bedford’s 26.69 is even swifter than the current men’s 45-49 age group world record of 27.02, held by Chris Stevenson since 2009.

A Masters member since 2009, Bedford currently holds 7 National USMS Records, including the 50 free (SCM), 50 fly (SCM), 50 back (SCY), 100 back (SCY), 50 back (SCM), 100 back (SCM) and 50 fly (SCM). He also has been awarded 6 individual All American honors and 2 relay All American honors over the course of his Masters career.