The Second Comeback of Dara Torres

First Masters Meet

Ft. Lauderdale, FL
February 25, 2007
The Test Run

• She broke 2 masters records in the 50 and 100 yard (in a shortcourse – 25 yard pool) free.
  
  
• Beat her college time in the 50 free.

Second Masters Meet

St. Petersburg, FL
April 13, 2007
Turning 40 and Breaking Records

• 50 yd – 21.91 – her best time ever. New masters record.
  
  
• 100 yd free – (on her 40th birthday) – 48.34 – her best time ever. New masters record.
  
  
• So far, so good…Now onto her first international competition in 8 years.

First International Meet

Rome, Italy – Sette Colli
June 9-10, 2007
Letting the World Know

• 2nd in the 50m Free to Swedens T. Alshammar, current world champion.

• Her time of 24.93 was 3 tenths of a second off her American record time of 24.63.

• Her time is currently the 2nd fastest by an American swimmer this year.

• 1st in the 100m free (beating T. Alshammar).

• Her time of 54.63 was a meet record and 2 tenths of a second off of her fastest time ever.

Second International Meet

Monaco – Mare Nostrum
June 16-17, 2007
Proving That Age is Just a Number

• Won the gold a ‘race’ style 50m free where they start with 20 swimmers, go to 16, then 8, then 4, then the final 2 who swim in a head-to-head race.

• Her finals time of 25.00 set a new meet record, beating the almost half her age, 22 year old Australian swimmer, Alice Mil.

Speedo Championship Series
Sectional Meet

Ft. Lauderdale, FL
July 12-15, 2007
Getting Closer...

• Won the 50m free in a time of 24.81 - shattering the meet record.
  
  
• Her 2nd fastest of all time, behind her american Record of 24.63.
  
  
• 6th fastest time in the world this year.
  
  
• Broke the meet record and easily won the 100m free.
  
  
• Coral Springs 400m medley relay with Dara anchoring crushed the meet record.
  
  
• Video from this meet - Watch Dara get Resistance Stretched and swim!

Photo by Rhonda Vanover

ConocoPhillips US
National Championships

Indianapolis, IN
July 31 - August 4, 2007
Making a HUGE statement...

• Dara won the 100m in 54.45. This was .02 off her best ever.
• Seeded 5th entering the finals, she emerged as the US national champion over a field of more than 100 women.
• Her split (first 50 meters) was 25.79 - under world record time!!
• Dara Torres also won the 50m national title in a *NEW* American record (breaking her old one from 2000) 24.53.
• Dara Torres' 24.53 also broke the previous US Nationals meet record.
• The time posted by Dara Torres is the 2nd fastest time in the world this year and the fastest time by an American swimmer!!
• These were Dara Torres' 14th and 15th national titles. Her first came more than 25 years ago, at the age of 14.
• Dara Torres is the oldest US national champion EVER!

FINA World Cup 2007

Berlin, Germany
November 17-18, 2007
Breaking More Records...

• Dara Torres set a new American Record in the 50M Short Course with a time of 23.82 - the only American in history to swim a sub-24.
  
  
• Her time is good for 4th fastest all-time - only 5 women have swam sub-24.
  
  
• Dara Torres also broke the American Record in the 100M Short Course with a time of 52.79.
  
  
• Her time is good for 5th fastest all-time.