Couch 7th in first two events
- Updated: August 4, 2014
Anniston swimmer competes in 3 more events at World Masters Championship
By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
Bob Couch is steadily getting accustomed to his surroundings. It may have impacted the times in his early events, but this already has been a better showing from a finish perspective than his last trip to the World Championships.
Couch has finished seventh in each of his first two races at the World Masters Swimming Championships in Montreal.
The Anniston jeweler swam a 1:07.40 in the men’s 65-69 100-meter freestyle in the main pool Monday and an 11:02.78 in the 800 freestyle at the remote pool Sunday. He has three more events to go.
His best finish among four events in the World Masters Championships eight years ago at Stanford was a 10th.
“I wasn’t too surprised (with the times),” he said. “Basically what I’ve done is worn myself out walking (getting around the city).
“I am feeling good about placing better (this year). Tomorrow I’ll be happier if I improve on my time a little bit.”
Couch’s 800 time Sunday matched the one he posted at a meet in Sarasota in June, but was off the second-place time he posted in the Pan-American meet there in June 2013. His 100 time was 1.2 seconds off the time he posted at the Bumpy Jones Meet in Sarasota earlier this summer.
“This summer I’ve been doing more for the 400 and 200,” he said. “I thought the training might bleed over to the 800, but it didn’t. I’m pretty confident about my 200 and one 400 coming up.”
The 67-year-old swims the 400 individual medley and 200 freestyle today at the remote pool some 800 yards from the main facility, then wraps up his trip with the 200 IM on Wednesday.
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