17 World Records Fall at IGLA Championships -- August 27, 2003

By Michael W. Moore

STANFORD, Calif., August 27. SEVENTEEN Masters world records were broken at the International Gay and Lesbian (IGLA) Aquatic Championships. The championships were held in the very fast Berladi pool in the Avery Pool Complex on the Stanford University campus, August 22-24.

While these are the International Gay Lesbian Aquatic Championships, any USMS swimmer could swim in the Pacific Masters sanctioned meet.

Led by Tod Spieker who broke five were broken at the meet swimmers from the Pacific LMSC assaulted 12 of the 17 records that were broken.

The very fast outdoor pool saw Tod Spieker, who aged up this year into the 55-59 break the short course meter standard in the 200 Free (2:06.20), 400 Free (4:28.73); 800 Free (9:13.15), 1500 Free (17:35.21), and 200 back (2:21.80). Breaking these records came the week after breaking two world records at the USMS Long Course Championships in New Jersey. After finishing the 1500, Tod looked at the results on the results board and said "fantastic."

In his freshman year in the 60-64 age group Rich Burns broke the records in all the backstroke events Rich Burns 200 Back (2:34.17), 100 Back (1:08.85) and 50 Back (31.65); while Ed Cazalet broke the records in the Ed Cazalet broke the 1500 Free (19:40.62) 200 IM
(2:35.95) and 400 IM (5:34.43) in the same age group.

Laura Val broke her own 200 Free (2:14.66).

Other World Records broken include Jeff Commings 25-29 100 IM 56.65, 50 Breast 28.60, 100 Breast 1:02.83; James Ballard 45-49 200 Back 2:16.48. 100 Fly 1:00.01.

Ginger Pierson came to the San Francisco suburb with the goal to beat her personal best and maybe get the American 100 breaststroke record. She broke the American record, coming in at 1:27.95, but she came in
second to Dale Barnhard who finished at 1:26.53. Dale also set a new American standard in the 50 Breaststoke 39.35 and 200 Breaststoke at 3:12.18.

The District of Columbia Athletic Club 160-199 team set a USMS record in the 4x100 Men's Relay at 4:13.69.

The IGLA meet is held in the years that the Gay Games are not held. Next years IGLA championship will be held at the International Hall of Fame Swim Center, Ft Lauderdale, FL.

Full results are at: http://www.igla2003.org/swim/apps_results.asp