Former KU Men’s Swimmer Dominates at U.S. Masters Nationals

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Former Kansas men’s swimmer Jim Sauer won four of the five events he entered at the U.S. Masters Swimming Summer Nationals, Aug. 7-11, at Mission Viejo, Calif.

Sauer, 56, won the 55-59 division in the 200 individual medley (IM) with a time of 2:24.99 defeating 15 other competitors. He outdistanced 10 swimmers to win the 200 backstroke with a 2:29.84. His 5:11.50 time was better than 12 other entrants in the 400 IM and in the 200 butterfly (2:27.62) he finish first ahead of 16 opponents. Sauer placed second in the 100 butterfly with a 1:03.38 in the seven-competitor race.

Sauer, who lives in Austin, Texas, and competes for Longhorn Aquatics, entered the 2013 national meet as a five-time U.S. Masters Swimming All-American.

Sauer was a captain on the KU swim team in 1979 and 1980. The Jayhawks won the 1979 Big Eight Conference title and finished runner-up in the league meet in 1980. Sauer was a three-time Big Eight champion while at KU, winning the 100 butterfly in 1979 and as a member of the 1979 and 1980 KU medley relay winning teams.

U.S. Masters Swimming holds two national championships each year with the summer championships contested in a long course venue. For 2013 the event was held at the Marguerite Aquatic Center in Mission Viejo. Many Olympians and former world record holders compete at the U.S. Masters Swimming national championships.

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