Fresno Pacific junior Robert Griswold has broken 3 more American Records for S8 swimmers, including taking one event far below a significant barrier.
Swimming last weekend at the Pacific Collegiate Swim Conference Championships in La Mirada, Griswold became the first S8 swimmer to go sub-25 in a 50 yard freestyle, swimming 24.66. That beats his own personal best of 25.02, and is well under the most recently-recognized record for U.S. Paralympics of 26.04 that he set in 2016.
He also split 26.41 leading off FPU’s 200 medley relay, which breaks his own record of 27.83, and later finished 11th in the 400 IM in 4:35.48 in prelims and 4:34.27 in finals to break the SM8 record in the event.
He came up just short of his lifetime bests in the 100 and 200 yard backstrokes, finishing in 56.80 and 2:00.83, respectively.
Griswold competed for Team USA at the 2016 Paralympic Games where he won a bronze medal in the 100 backstroke. He is also the current World Record holder in the S8 200 meter backstroke.
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Congratulations to Robert, his Family and Coaches! A testimony to an amazing person. This guy can swim lights out AND is humble, kind, gracious and unselfish. VERY PROUD OF YOU!
Wow! I remember Robert from our visits to Ocean County, Nj YMCA. Great job Robert! Great job Coach Lou Petto and Coach David Eldridge! Super program at OCY!
Let’s see if he is a S8 after reclassification.
And you were right Sunshine. Re classed in Italy and gone up.
Was inspiring to watch him and the other Paralympic athletes compete!