99-year-old Australian swimmer breaks freestyle world record

Australian swimmer George Corones did just that on Wednesday night, breaking the world record in the
50 metre freestyle in his age bracket at the Commonwealth Games swimming trials on the Gold Coast.

The 99-year-old clocked in with a time of 56.12 seconds, and was the only competitor in the 100-104 age group. 

Organisers of the trials had given Corones a chance to break the world record, which was previously set by the late Canadian swimmer Jaring Timmerman in 2009 with a time of 1 minute and 16.92 seconds. 

In masters competitions, athletes compete in the age group they turn that year. Corones will turn 100 in April.

"We have just witnessed history in the making!" the Australian Dolphins swim team posted on Facebook.

Corones told Quest Newspapers back in January he only took up swimming at the age of 80, and would be surprised if he didn't at least have a good shot at the record.

"I’d be surprised if I can’t break the minute. I’m aiming to swim 58 (seconds)," Corones said. Well, he well and truly smashed it, and would probably lap most of us, let's face it.