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Former Clearwater High swimmer sets a new record

Robert Margalis shaves 1.47 seconds off the 1,000-yard freestyle record set in 2001 by a U.S. Olympic bronze medalist.

By BOB PUTNAM
Published March 3, 2007

Former Clearwater High standout Robert Margalis swims with boundless energy and single-mindedness.

On Thursday, he turned those assets into an American record during the Florida Spring Swimming Senior Championships at the Long Center in Clearwater.

Margalis led the 1,000-yard freestyle from the start. No one doubted he would win easily. The only question was how fast he would swim.

Midway through the race, the meet announcer stirred the crowd by announcing how far ahead of American-record pace Margalis was.

From then on, a new roar greeted Margalis every time he turned for another lap.

Margalis smashed the American record with a time of 8 minutes, 42.64 seconds.

He will compete in the meet today and Sunday.

When he touched the wall, Margalis immediately spotted the clock and raised his fists in the air, an unusual display for someone who handles success so mildly.

"Everyone was standing at the end of the pool, cheering," Margalis said. "It was a real exciting moment."

Margalis shaved a hefty 1.47 seconds off the record set in 2001 by Chris Thompson, a former University of Michigan swimmer and bronze medalist in the 1,500-meter freestyle at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

Normally, swimming records are lowered by hundredths of seconds, not chunks of seconds.

"(Margalis' record) really is a great accomplishment," USA Swimming national team director Lindsay Mintenko said. "Anytime you can take down a former Olympic medalist, it shows you are on the right track with your training."

Margalis started zeroing in on the record after coming within two-tenths of a second of breaking it at a meet in December.

"I had a sinus infection and I didn't feel well during that meet," said Margalis, who lives in St. Petersburg and is training for the 2008 Olympics. "But I did well, so I knew the record was within reach."

[Last modified March 3, 2007, 00:36:10]