Richard Burns Takes 7 Seconds Off His 80-84 Record in 200 Back to Close USMS Spring Nationals

USMS SPRING NATIONALS

• June 20-24, 2024
• IU Natatorium
  • Indianapolis, Indiana
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results
• Day 1 Recap
• Day 2 Recap
• Day 3 Recap

Five national records fell during the fourth and final session of the U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) Spring Nationals in Indianapolis on Sunday, highlighted by International Swimming Hall of Fame member Richard Burns obliterating his own 80-84 age record in the men’s 200-yard backstroke.

Burns stopped the clock at 2:36.94, dropping more than seven seconds off his own standard of 2:44.23 from April. The Tamalpais Aquatic Masters (TAM) 80-year-old also owns the 75-59 record at 2:27.48 from 2019.

TAM teammate Laura Val broke another 70-74 record in the 200 back during her victory in 2:25.22. The versatile 72-year-old shaved almost a second off her own standard of 2:26.12 from last April.

New England Masters Swim Club (NEM) 47-year-old Jennifer Brooks Crozier got the record-breaking spree started in the 50 butterfly, taking down her own 45-49 standard of 25.49 from last April with a winning time of 25.27.

The youngest record breaker of the weekend was NYAC 28-year-old Ally Howe, who brought the 25.29 record in the women’s 200 back down from 1:56.74 last April to 1:55.90 on Sunday. The former Junior National Team member and Stanford standout (2014-18) has been as fast as 1:50.05 back at the 2018 Pac-12 Championships.

Sarasota Sharks Masters (SHARK) posted an impressive 75+ record in the mixed 200 medley relay en route to the win in 2:28.25. Diann Uustal (37.05 backstroke), Bob Couch (40.22 breaststroke), Lee Childs (29.50 butterfly), and Susan Meyers (41.48 freestyle) combined to break Oregon Masters’ mark of 2:29.65 from April.