Provincial swimmers have Masterful meet

Several unofficial provincial and Canadian records were set over the weekend in Sault Ste. Marie during the 2005 Provincial Masters Swimming Championship.

The three-day event attracted nearly 180 swimmers from 23 clubs across Ontario. Athletes were aged 20 to 75.

Sally O'Brien, treasurer of the Sault Ste. Marie Polar Bears Masters Swim Club and a member of the organizing committee for the meet, was elated with the event.

"I was nervous when we first started, but it turned out to be one of the best provincials ever," says O'Brien, who also managed to find time to swim in two events as part of a 43-member Polar Bear contingent.

"The comments we received were superlative. People totally enjoyed our facility. The organization by the host Sault Ste. Marie Aquatic Club was phenomenal. The operation of the meet was as smooth as you could get. This was a big plus for our city."

The Polar Bears, with the largest team in the meet, had numerous personal bests and top-three finishes.

In addition to the top-flight swimming, the meet was also highlighted by a moving opening ceremony Saturday morning that paid tribute to Dr. Hui Lee, who passed away during the championship in Toronto last year.

The event featured an unveiling of a temporary plaque in honour of the highly respected internist, researcher, swimmer and coach of the Polar Bears.

The permanent bronze plaque will be displayed at the east end of the pool, near Lane 3, Dr. Lee's favored lane for practice and swim meets.

Masters swimming is organized under the auspices of Masters Swimming Ontario whose mission is to contribute to the overall health and fitness of adults in the Province of Ontario through participation in a Masters Swimming program. Its motto is "Fun, Fitness and Friendship".

This is the first time the Championship was held outside Southern Ontario since 1987.

Associated activities included a banquet on Saturday evening, featuring entertainment by the Comedics.

Sue Carson of the Clarington Masters club unofficially shattered the existing Canadian record in the 50-54 age group in the 1,500-metre-freestyle with a time of 21:20.09. She bested the existing best time by an incredible 25 seconds.

She also beat the previous top time in the 200-metre butterfly by five seconds with a time of 3:05.09.

Carson collected golds in each event she raced and is looking forward to competing in the National Masters championships in Etobiocoke in mid May.

"I have been leading my lane in practice," she says. "I knew I had the opportunity to do well here, so I have been focussed on the records and seeing what was possible."

This was just the second 1,500-metre race Carson has participated in since resuming competitive swimming in 1998. She had a swim scholarship from Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, from 1972 to 1976.

"I was entered in one in February and I said, 'I can do that.'"

Carson says the secret to her success in that race was her coach advising her to use the first 500 metres as a warmup and to not get too excited."

She cut about a minute off her previous best time.

Carson is hoping break another record at the upcoming national Masters competition in the 100-metre freestyle, which she did not compete in this weekend.

"This community is very welcoming. It is a lot like Newfoundland with its down-home hospitality."

Sue Weir of the Trillium Y Masters, a Toronto-area team, set unofficial provincial records in the 45-49 age group 50-metre butterfly, with a time of 34:02, beating the previous best time by 11 seconds.

Weir may also have another record in her age group in the 100-metre butterfly by cutting three seconds off the former top time in category.

She credits "lots of nasty kick sets" and taking up weights for her success.

Weir is hoping to beat the 50-metre backstroke and butterfly records at the upcoming nationals event.

"This was a fantastic meet. It was really well done," she says.

Grant Jeffery of the Alderwood Teddy Bares, swimming in the 75-79 year range, set an unofficial provincial time in his age category in the 1,500-metre freestyle with a time of 29:21.89. The time to beat was 29:33.79.

He also unofficially cut three seconds off the provincial time in his age range for the 50-metre freestyle, with a time of 47.01 seconds.

Already the record holder in the 400-metre freestyle in his age range, he cut another 16 seconds off his time.

Jeffery was competing in his 26th provincial Masters meet.

(Story submitted to SooToday.com)