Californian Laura Val is a Masters Swimmer who has clocked up some 360 world records, which is more than any other Master Swimmer. In one race meet when she turned 60 in 2011, she broke six World Records; the 50m,100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m and became the first woman ever to do so. In 1984 she joined a Masters Swimming Team and went to her first nationals in 1987 where she broke five national records. In 2016 Laura broke the World Record in the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyles on her way to the World Record in the 1500m at a meet at the San Francisco Olympic Club. Laura has been inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the International Masters Swimming Hall of Fame. She has also graced the cover of numerous magazines including Swimming World Magazine, Swimmer Magazine and SWIM Magazine. “I started as a kid at a local team. When I was about 10 years old, my mom got my four sisters and me into swimming. I instantly fell in love with it and was pretty successful from the start. I just loved it – everything about it,” said Laura who thanks her mom for leading her to the sport.
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