Fowler seeks records

When Jamie Fowler watched the great performances by Michael Phelps and the Americans last year at the Olympics he became inspired.

A fire that once burned during his college years seemed to be lit again for the Newport Beach resident who is 49 years old. He went back to the pool, started training and competing in the masters division. Now, he’s one of the top swimmers breaking world records in the 50-54 age group.

Today, he’ll compete in the U.S. Masters Swim National Championships in Indianapolis looking to break more age-group world records.

It was only a week ago, he broke world records at the Regional and Zone Championships in Thousand Oaks. He broke the world record in the 200-meter individual medley, in 2 minutes, 18.05 seconds and also the 50 backstroke in 29.43. He settled for a new national record in the 400 IM, finishing in 5:04.32.

Now, he’s aiming for world records in the 100 and 200 back races, his specialty when he was in his prime competing for USC in 1980.

“I believe I do have a shot,” said Fowler, whose son, Ryan, plays for the boys’ water polo team at Newport Harbor High.

Ryan’s the reason Fowler’s solely competing in the backstroke races at the national meet. Fowler knew his son would have some time off during this week from water polo. So Fowler only scheduled himself to compete in two events.

He’s going solo to Indianapolis and then coming back to spend time with his family.

“The national meet is right in the middle of the summer and it’s our only vacation time of the summer,” said Fowler, who works in the commercial real estate business. “I didn’t want to drag my family over there.”

But Fowler knows what it’s like to be away from family. Just before he was a senior in high school at Apple Valley, he transferred to San Marino High so he could gain a better experience of swim competition. It was there he became a top national swimmer and gained attraction from USC.

With the Trojans, he became an NCAA champion in the 200 back in 1980.

However when he knew the U.S. would boycott the 1980 Olympics he said he didn’t train hard enough for the trials.

He ended up No. 8 in the nation in the 100 and 200 back.

But he’s inspired once again and swimming against athletes he once raced when he was in college. Only now they are at a different age.

Fowler will try to make the best of his new opportunity. He’ll turn 50 next month. He’s allowed to compete in the 50-54 division since he becomes 50 by December. But he was winning in the fall in the 45-49 division too.

Now, he’ll be aiming for gold and more world records.