Sixteen national masters swimming records were smashed in less than three hours in Hamilton’s 50m pool at Waterworld on Saturday June 19th. Based on this it's a good indication that many fast times will be set at the upcoming National Long Course championships

Former Kiwi Olympic swimmer Mark Weldon, from Auckland’s Roskill club, broke four national records in the men’s 40-44 age group in spectacular displays of liquidity not often seen on the NZAX. Weldon, now chief executive of the NZX, swam 100m freestyle in 56.77sec, 50m butterfly in 27.30sec, 100m butterfly in 1min 01.22sec and 200m medley in 2min 24.79sec.

Hamilton swimmer Eleanor Pinfold broke four records in the women’s 60-64 age group in the pool she trains in. Pinfold, best known as organiser of Hamilton’s Five Bridges River Swim, swam 50m freestyle in 34.36sec, 200m freestyle in 2min 47.53sec, 400m freestyle in 6min 02.84sec and 50m butterfly in 39.13sec. Earlier this year, the freestyle specialist also broke the 100m and 1500m records.

The swimmer who broke a national record by the greatest amount on Saturday was Sidney Salek, who took more than 20 seconds off the men’s 80-84 years record for 400m freestyle. Salek, who celebrated his 80th birthday three months ago, swam the eight lengths in 8min 02.79sec. He also broke the record for 200m freestyle in 3min 39.40sec. Salek, from Mount Maunganui, will be leaving next month for the world masters swimming championships in Sweden.

Barry Young, multiple world record holder and 2010 New Zealand Masters Swimming’s swimmer of the year, broke another two national records in the men’s 70-74 age group. Young, from the North Shore club, swam 200m breaststroke in 3min 29.47sec and 100m freestyle in 1min 10.10sec (notably less than 71 seconds for a 71 year old).

Richard Smith, from the Manukau club, broke two backstroke records in the men’s 40-44 age group. He swam the 100m in 1min 09.89sec and the 200m in 2min 33.86sec.

Lynette Hines, from Tauranga, broke the 100m butterfly in the women’s 65-69 age group in 1min 57.07sec while Jo Matthews, from Masterton, broke the 200m butterfly in the women’s 55-59 age group in 3min 20.20sec.

All 16 long-course records are provisional, until the paperwork has been completed. Hamilton’s Waterworld will be the venue for next year’s New Zealand Long-Course Masters Swimming Championships, on March 25 to 27. The weekend’s competition was a chance for many of the North Island’s top masters swimmers to check out the pool before next year’s battle for national titles.