SWIMMING NATIONAL MEET : Barrowman, Zubero Get World Marks
Martin Zubero shattered the oldest men’s world record and Mike Barrowman lowered his world mark at the Phillips 66 National Swimming Championships on Tuesday.
Zubero, 22, of Spain, had a time of 1:57.30 in the 200-meter backstroke, breaking the record of 1:58.14 set by Igor Poliansky of the Soviet Union in 1985.
Barrowman, the world champion, posted his fifth world record in the final of the 200-meter breaststroke at 2:10.60, surpassing his mark of 2:11.23.
“I’m just in another world right now,” Zubero said after learning his time in the preliminary heat. “I’ve had my sights set on this for two years. This makes it all worthwhile.”
In the final, Zubero won in 1:58.85. He took advantage of a rule change which allows swimmers in a backstroke race to use a freestyle turn. FINA, the international swimming federation, in January changed the rule, which required swimmers to touch each wall with their hand before executing a turn.
Zubero lives in Jacksonville, Fla., and holds dual Spanish and U.S. citizenship but is representing Spain this summer.
Melvin Stewart, the world record holder in the 200 butterfly, won the event in 1:56.69, but missed his world mark by one second.
Paige Zemina won the women’s 100-meter freestyle in 56.09, edging Dara Torres one-tenth of a second.
Other winners were Megan Kleine in the 200 breaststroke (2:33.71), Paige Wilson in the 200 backstroke (2:14.68), Julie Kole in the 200 butterfly (2:11.70) and Doug Gjertsen in the 100 freestyle (50.48).
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