I was reading some of the times at masters nationals. Laura Val under 10:00 she can beat many of the men. And in my age group Melinda Mann won the 100 meter breastroke in a 1:21. Back in the 1970's I think she would have made consideration for nationals for AAU. Also, her doing a 3:02 for 200 meter breastroke just as fast as the winner for 200 meter butterfly. And the German swimmer-sorry forgot name that set the record in the 200 meter breastroke for the 50 to 54 year old for women at 3:04. Both of these women swam faster than when I was 17 years old. I think I did a somewhere between a 3:07 to 3:09 back then. Anyway, USA nationals was interesting too. I really did think that Natalie Couglin would break the 1:00 barrier for backstroke since she did 49 in yards. And Phillps and Vegt in the 400 meter IM in both world record time way to go. Both nationals were interesting and it shows how swimming in both have improved with younger generations breaking old records over the past 30 years.
