ATLANTA, GA – Four Nova swimmers traveled Atlanta GA to compete at USMS Short Course Nationals held May 19-23 held in the 1996 Olympic pool at Georgia Tech University. Competing in the meet were Tom Angell (65-69), Coach Michael Collins (40-44), Megan Hedges (35-39), and Steve West (35-39).
The team had a total of 13 swims and set a total of 10 Nova Team Records and 1 USMS National Record.
Steve West led the way competed in just the 3 breaststroke events but won all 3 with new Nova Team record times. In the 50 Breast he also set the USMS National record at 25.35, which he had to do to win the event, as the 2nd place finisher also broke the old record. In the 100 Breast Steve was just shy of the national record of 55.26 when he went 55.46. However, he crushed his own Nova team record of 57.92. Here is a link to his 100 Breast video http://www.upmygame.com/watchv/3654/0/. Finally West cruised to a 10 second victory in the 200 with a 2:01.42.
“Super Sprinter” Tom Angell traveled all the way to Atlanta for just one event, the 50 Free, but he swam 27.01 for 2nd place in his new 70-74 age group, and blasted the Nova Team Record by 7 seconds! (previous record by William was 34).
Megan Hedges overcame a delayed start due to crowd noise and a quiet beeper to blow away the field in her heat of the 100 Fly with a 1:02.63. She moved up from 16th seed to finishing 6th. Her time also shattered her existing Nova team record of 1:07. See video of her race here:
http://www.upmygame.com/watchv/3646/0/
Nova Masters Head Coach Michael Collins got the team off to a good start with a new team record of 10:43.60 in the 40-44 to place 3rd. His time knocked nearly 8 seconds off the previous record he set last year at Nationals (10:51.25). Collins swam 4:42 in the 400 IM for 14th place and
2:16.51 in the 200 Back for 12th. See video of his 200 Back here:
http://www.upmygame.com/watchv/3648/0/. Collins also nipped Katsuya’s team record of 5:11.37 when he went 5:10.87. Finally, Collins placed 14th in the 200 Fly where his wheels fell off a bit in the final 50. (2:18.01)
NOVA TEAM RESULTS (With Splits)
50 Free
2 Angell, Tom 70 NOVA 27.50 27.04 NOVA TEAM
RECORD
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1000 Free
3 Collins, Michael D 44 NOVA 10:43.60 NOVA TEAM RECORD
29.19 1:00.28 (31.09)
1:32.18 (31.90) 2:04.04 (31.86)
2:35.88 (31.84) 3:08.41 (32.53)
3:40.80 (32.39) 4:13.13 (32.33)
4:45.69 (32.56) 5:18.15 (32.46)
5:50.70 (32.55) 6:23.38 (32.68)
6:56.25 (32.87) 7:28.94 (32.69)
8:01.95 (33.01) 8:34.58 (32.63)
9:07.15 (32.57) 9:39.68 (32.53)
10:12.26 (32.58) 10:43.60 (31.34)
400 IM
14 Collins, Michael D 44 NOVA 4:42.36
29.83 1:03.31 (33.48)
1:41.93 (38.62) 2:18.51 (36.58)
2:59.85 (41.34) 3:39.64 (39.79)
4:11.75 (32.11) 4:42.36 (30.61)
200 Back
13 Collins, Michael D 44 NOVA 2:16.51
32.74 1:07.46 (34.72)
1:42.61 (35.15) 2:16.51 (33.90)
500 Free
10 Collins, Michael D 44 NOVA 5:10.87 NOVA TEAM RECORD
28.53 58.88 (30.35)
1:29.64 (30.76) 2:00.58 (30.94)
2:32.31 (31.73) 3:03.94 (31.63)
3:35.70 (31.76) 4:07.71 (32.01)
4:39.82 (32.11) 5:10.87 (31.05)
200 Fly
14 Collins, Michael D 44 NOVA 2:15.00 2:18.01
29.55 1:03.20 (33.65)
1:37.95 (34.75) 2:18.01 (40.06) NUCLEAR MELTDOWN ON THE LAST
LAP!
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100 Fly
6 Hedges, Megan 37 NOVA 1:12.65 1:02.63 NOVA TEAM
RECORD
29.50 1:02.63 (33.13)
50 Fly
6 Hedges, Megan 37 NOVA 27.81 NOVA TEAM RECORD
50 Back
9 Hedges, Megan 37 NOVA 30.66 NOVA TEAM RECORD
100 IM
13 Hedges, Megan 37 NOVA 1:07.57 NOVA TEAM RECORD
30.44 1:07.57 (37.13)
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50 Breast
1 West, Steve T 38 NOVA 25.50 25.35 NATIONAL
RECORD
100 Breast
1 West, Steve T 38 NOVA 55.46 NOVA TEAM RECORD
25.92 55.46 (29.54)
200 Breast
1 West, Steve T 38 NOVA 2:03.00 2:01.42 NOVA
TEAM RECORD
27.29 58.24 (30.95)
1:30.06 (31.82) 2:01.42 (31.36)
I was out of the water for 19 years. Inspired by the Olympics I found myself back in, competing it and loving it. The Nova Masters's coaches are great. They are knowledgeable and supporting. I'm almost as fast as high-school - but not college. ;)