Although everyone goes to a swim meet for fun and competition, you sometimes don’t know what else might happen that goes beyond swimming your best times. Two of our Michigan LMSC swimmers discovered this last spring during the 2024 State Meet Championship.
During the first heat of the 1650 Freestyle, Lindsey McFarlane began swimming along with the other seven swimmers in her heat. One of those swimmers that we’ll refer to as “John Doe” swam alongside her. John started out strong, but toward the end of the race, he faded and fell way back. When the heat was over, John and Lindsey headed to the diving well to cool down. As they walked to the diving well to cool down, John was kind of stumbling as he walked toward the pool. Lindsey reached over, offered a hand and suggested that he sit down. He was struggling to catch his breath, was very wobbly, and could barely keep his eyes open. His daughter was on the pool deck and came over, at which time Lindsey then asked her if he used an inhaler, or if he had other health issues. Despite his condition, John insisted on getting into the diving well to cool down.
Another Michigan swimmer, Denise Brown was already in the diving well warming up and hung on the wall with John to make sure he didn’t let go. Lindsey then asked the lifeguard for her tube to slide under his arms so he could float and help out Denise so she wouldn’t didn’t have to worry about him as much. John continued to press that he needed to swim down and get the lactic acid out of his legs. Lindsey then told Denise to continue with her warm-up that Lindsey would swim with John, knowing Denise still had her mile to swim. They all floated around for a bit and John slowly got his breath a little more under control and was able to swim a little more. Lindsey swam some ½ laps, then whole laps with John and stayed with him until her and Denise could talk him into getting out of the water. The lifeguard then brought over a nursing student who began monitoring him from the deck and eventually called for the paramedics to take John to the hospital, where he was treated for a heart condition and underwent emergency surgery.
So, for all their quick thinking and action, we would like to present Lindsey McFarlane and Denise Brown with a Michigan Masters 2024 Special Services award.
Greg Robinson is a lifelong competitive Swimmer. He attended and swam at Detroit’s Northwestern High School and then competed at Tennessee State University from 1975-1978. In 1976 Greg formed and coached the Detroit Swim Club, an inner-city based age group swim team that ran from 1976 to 1984. In 1980, he led them to an “Inner-City” National Title held in Philadelphia, PA. In 1990, Greg also organized and hosted a “Masters Swimming Black Nationals” that was held in Detroit. Over the years, Greg has coached several Detroit area swim teams including the Detroit Recreation Department, Hamtramck Recreation, University of Detroit High School, Centerline Swim Club, and the Birmingham Bloomfield Atlantics Swim Club. Over the past two decades, Greg has won four Michigan Masters State Meet titles in his signature event, the 200 butterfly, including this year’s 2024 State meet. He is a former United States Masters swimming, and YMCA Masters Swimming “All American”.
And most recently, Greg took the lead role in organizing current and former Detroit swimmers from all over the United States for this year’s 2024 State Meet Championship, which was the first ever held in the city of Detroit at Wayne State University. Greg assembled a team of 75 swimmers and coached them all to a first-place finish. His dedication and perseverance to take the Detroit Masters Swim Club over the finish line to a first-place victory is one of his crowning achievements.
So, for all of Greg’s efforts organizing the Detroit Masters Swim Club team’s win, we are pleased to award Greg the 2024 Coach of the Year award.
June 20-24rd, 2024, 99 Michigan Masters swimmers headed to Indianapolis to swim at IU Natatorium along with many watching the Olympic trials. Indianapolis was full of swimming and many celebrations to be had. The Michigan Masters team placed 3rd in the regional division in the combined, men and women categories. Illinois brought 147 athletes and was top finisher in the Regional division. High point winner for our Michigan Masters team for women, Corrin Buck with 57 points and for men, Jens Kristensen with 47 points.
Gaard Arneson 3rd 500 free and 200 Back, Sarah Bednarcik 1000 free 3rd, Ali Blondell 2nd 200 fly, Corrin Buck 200 IM 2nd, 100 IM 3rd, Jordan Craig 3rd 500 free, Kevin Doak 3rd 50, 100 back and 50 fly, Aaron Helander 200 Back 3rd, Megan Kowalske 50 breast 3rd, Jens Kristensen 3rd 50 back, 200 free, Stephen McKenna 1,650 free 3rd, Ido Meron 100 back 2nd, Kathleen Milliken 2nd 100, 200 breast, 3rd 200 IM, 50 breast, 400 IM, Chuck Olson 200 free 2nd, Ashley Pearson 100 back 2nd, 200 free and 50 back 3rd, Charles Roddis 200 back 3rd, Christian Vanderkaay 50 breast 2nd, 18+ Mixed free Relay 2nd, 35+ women’s free relay 2nd, 55+ Men’s free relay 2nd 65+ Women’s free relay 2nd.
Monica Andrei 200 IM, Gaard Arneson 100 back and 200 free, Jeff Bailey in the 50, 100, 200 free and 50 and 100 fly, Emily Ball 50 fly 100 breast, Lorajo Beccari 50, 100, 200 breast, Sarah Bednarcik 200, 500 Free and 100 and 200 breast, Ali Blondell 50 free, 100 IM and 50 fly, Denise Brown 1650 free, 200 IM, 200 back and 400 IM, Corrin Buck 50 fly, Kate Burns-Jager 100 and 200 breast, Kurt Christensen 50 free, 50 back and 50 fly, Trey Conner 50 and 100 fly, Jordan Craig 50 ,100, 200 breast, 100, 200 free, Kathryn Crow 50 breast, Michael Daley 100 breast, Lou Ann Dixon 50, 100, 200 breast, 500 free and 100 IM, Kevin Doak 100 fly, 100 free, Emily Gunderson 50 back, 50 fly, Susan Harris 50, 100 back, 50 free, Aaron Helander 500 free, 200 IM and 200 fly, John Humphrey 200 IM, Dana Hunter 200 breast, Mary-Chris Kay 50, 100 free, 50 fly, Megan Kowalske 100, 200 IM, 100, 200 breast, David Kraff 200 free, 200, 400 IM, Jens Kristensen 50, 100 free, 200 IM, Fares Ksebati 50, 100 breast, Liane Kufchock 400 IM, Danielle Lerch 200 breast, Julie Master 100, 200 breast, Andrew McFee 50, 100, 200 back, 400 IM, Allison McKenna 1000 free, Stephen McKenna 200, 500 free, 200 fly, 400 IM, Thomas Melgar 50 breast, Ido Meron 200 IM, 200 back, Daniel Miller 50, 100 free, 100 fly, Greg Milliken 100 back, Ayinde Mitchell 50, 100 fly, Emily Murphy 1650 free, Ramon Nayar 100 back, James Nitkiewicz 1000 free, Kaylie Noll 200 back, Chuck Olson 50,100, 500 free and 50 back, Randy Parker 50 breast, Ashley Pearson 200 IM and 50 fly, Robert Peel 50 free, Katlyn Purcell 100, 200 breast, 400 IM, Charles Roddis 50, 100 back, 200 breast, 50 fly, Hannah Schroeder-Larkins 50, 100 breast, Chad Steed 50, 100, 200 fly, 100 breast, Tamara Steil 200 fly, 200 IM, 100, 200 breast and 400 IM, Tim Straub 400 IM, 50, 500 free, Wendy Szymczak 50 breast, 50, 100 free, 50 fly, 50 back, 50 breast, Frank Thompson 1000 free, Coady Torio 50 fly, Christian Vanderkaay 50 100, 200, 500 free, 200 fly, Elizabeth VandeWege 200 IM, 100 breast, Jon Vos 200 breast, Sue Weir 100 back, 50 free, 100 fly, Clare Wieland 50 and 200 back, Lucas Womack 50 back, Matt Wuchte 200 Fly, 200 breast, 400 IM, and Lena Yang 50 free.
Are You a Member of USMS? Do You Need to Renew Your USMS Membership? Please visit the USMS website to register or renew. For detailed information, please visit the MI Masters Registation page.
