Barnes, Oberg Set Records at Summer Nationals

Chuck Barnes felt great coming into the 2023 U.S. Masters Swimming Summer National Championship in Sarasota, Florida. His results certainly proved that.

The New England Masters Swim Club member set a World Aquatics world Masters record in the 100 backstroke with a time of 59.57 and two USMS records, in the 50 backstroke (27.72) and in the 200 backstroke (2:12.67).

To top it off, Barnes, 47, also won the men’s 45-49 50 and 100 freestyle with times of 24.51 and 54.19, giving him five national championships in his five swims.

“I had been doing best times in practice and other meets unshaved, so I knew I was swimming fast,” says Barnes, who credits his previous month doing lots of backstroke in a long course pool for his fast swimming.

“The highlight was the world record, which was my second swim of the meet,” says Barnes, an appraiser who swims four or five days a week at noon with a group of swimmers who have become good friends. “I took a full second off my previous personal best since coming out of retirement five years ago.

Barnes returned to swimming in 2018 after an 18-year break. He says he didn’t plan to start swimming again, but he heard that some of his former competitors from his days at Brown University were swimming Masters and posting fast times.

That motivated him to get back in the water and see if still had the speed that led him to set five school records at Brown, including the 100 and 200 backstroke.

“I wasn't happy with my [individual] 50 backstroke—especially since I had to swim it very early in the morning—and I had to psych myself up for the 100,” Barnes says. “I got a second chance to swim the 50 back in the relay and broke the national record there. The other highlights were winning two relays with my NEM teammates.”

Oberg Swims to Five USMS Records

Colorado Masters Swimming member Jane Oberg doesn’t remember exactly how she got involved with the only swim team in Omaha as a child.

“My mom had us take lessons when my twin and I were about 10,” she says. “At the end of one of the lesson programs, there was a swim meet and I think I swam a 25-yard backstroke and breaststroke, but I have no recollection of how I did.”

Now, more than 70 years since those races, Oberg, 85, continues to display her love for the sport. She set five new USMS records records at Summer Nationals.

In addition to establishing a new mark in the 1500 freestyle (31:29.52) in the 85-89 age group, she also set a record in the 800 freestyle (16:34.35) during an extremely fast first 800 meters of the 1500 freestyle on the first day of competition.

During the last three days of the meet, she also set a new record in the 50 butterfly (54.45), as well as the 200 (4:36.36) and 400 (10:17.34) IM.

These records give her nine USMS records since joining the 85-89 age group.

“I was thrilled to get both the 800 and 1500 in one swim, and it felt great,” she says. “The downfall was the next day in the 100 fly, which I finished, but it hurt a bunch.

“Since I won five events and set five national records, I have to say I am extremely happy with my results. My hope was those results, but since I have not been to nationals for 11 years and I came from Denver at 5,000-foot altitude, I didn’t know what to expect.”

Oberg says she stayed involved with swimming as a lifeguard and instructor after ceasing competing shortly before becoming a mom.

Once she had her children—a daughter and three sons—she returned to the sport as a coach in 1971 when they began swimming. Then, she was hired as an aquatics director for a recreation district in 1976 and set up a Masters club and started competing in Colorado. She returned to competing in 1979 with her twin. 

“I did high school boys coaching for my three sons, and then coached all three grandchildren during summer club teams and my granddaughter for her high school from about 2012 to 2016,” Oberg says.

Oberg says swimming continues to help keep her young and feeling healthy despite a few obstacles along the way.

“I’ve had two bouts of cancer and a hip replacement, but I feel swimming has helped keep me fairly healthy,” she says.