PanAm Masters Championship Provides USMS Members Connection

The 2024 PanAm Masters Championship brought athletes from across the Americas to Trinidad & Tobago in July to compete in a variety of aquatic sports, including pool swimming and open water swimming. U.S. Masters Swimming members stood out as a shining example of camaraderie, sportsmanship, and family spirit.

“It was a beautiful thing to see swimmers from around the Americas all come together to cheer each other on,” says Bonnie Adams, who competes for and coaches SWIM OZ in Bentonville, Arkansas, and served as the coach for the USMS members at the meet. “Making friends, having fun, being healthy – all because swimming has brought us together. Some of these connections will last a lifetime!”

Throughout the PanAm Masters Championship, the family atmosphere surrounding the USMS community was palpable, whether it was parents cheering on their children, siblings competing together, or spouses celebrating great performances. 

Among the many highlights:

• A group of competitors from Costa Mesa Aquatics Club set a new relay record. Their team ranged from new swimmers to Olympic trials qualifiers. 
• Husband and wife, Heather Frees and Axel Sondermann, competed and rooted for each other. “Heather is a beast and brought home gold in all her events, while Axel had multiple podium finishes and made sure to get photos of all the swimmers,” Adams says.
• Another husband and wife, Patricia and Marshall Campbell, set records. Patricia is from Trinidad and Tobago, so she competed for her home country. She finished first in all of her individual events and set records in most of them, and Marshall placed second in two events and first in three events. They also competed in the open water competition, and she finished first in her age group. Marshall was second.
• Marvin Schwartz, of Little Rock Masters, brought his wife so they could adventure together around the island. “The meet itself was a celebration of life in many languages,” Schwartz says. “It was a delight to meet my doppelganger, a Peruvian in my age group, and to feel the excitement of a one-to-one race. I credit Bonnie Adams, our USMS coach, for establishing a vibrant team presence and spirit. She was always there for our races.”
• Dan Phillips brought his wife, Kelly, along for his record-setting swims and some bird watching, something they do together for a lot of international swim meets. During the meet, he reconnected with a high school teammate, Allen Marsh, who now lives in Jamaica. They hadn’t seen each other in 40 years.
• Mark Beatty, of Georgia Masters, brought his wife and two teenagers for a family vacation and to watch dad set some records.
• Adams and her father, William Brandecker, were able to compete together for the first time in almost 30 years. She says it was “pretty special for the daughter to be the father's coach.” Even though he hadn’t trained regularly and consistently for almost two years because of health issues, Brandecker brought home gold medals in both of his events (200 and 800 freestyle), and Adams brought home one gold (50 backstroke), three silvers (50 butterfly, 100 backstroke, and 200 backstroke), and a bronze (200 backstroke). “Having the opportunity to go to a swim meet with my father where we can both participate was so fun,” Adams says. “Add to that the fact that we hadn't been to a swim meet together where either of us were swimming in over 30 years, let alone where the roles could be reversed where I got to be my dad's coach. When I was growing up, he would coach me. As an age-group swimmer, we would go to the pool a few times a month on Sundays and work on technique, especially starts and turns. The ability to switch roles and give my dad feedback on his starts is something very few people have the opportunity to do. Such a special experience to share the PanAm Masters Championship with my dad!”