SWIMMING JUNIOR LONG COURSE : Larson Joins His Dad as Minute Men

The swimming careers of Gary and Lance Larson are separated by 30 years, yet they merged Friday during the U.S. Swimming Junior Olympic West Long Course Championships at Heritage Aquatic Complex in Irvine.

For the first time, Gary Larson broke the one-minute mark in the 100-meter backstroke. Not only was his 56.97 fast enough to win the event for the host Irvine Novas, it enabled Gary to join his father, Lance, in the Under One-Minute Club. Lance Larson, a gold and silver medalist in the 1960 Olympic Games, was the first to go under one minute in the 100-meter butterfly.

“I’ve wanted to get under that barrier for a long time,” Gary Larson said. “By the time I hit the 75, I was on empty. I was hurting, but I got my arms going as quickly as I could and concentrated on winning.”

Larson, 18, will follow his father and his brother, Greg, to USC next month.

In the 100 butterfly, Concord’s Mike Williams celebrated his 16th birthday with his first victory ever over his rival and friend, Aaron Dennis of Walnut Creek. Williams won in 56.63 to edge Dennis for the gold medal by two one-hundredths of a second.

“It was just luck,” Williams said. “He got short-stroked and had to kick into the wall longer.”

Lisa Jacob of Mission Viejo won her third gold medal of the meet when she rallied the Nadadores’ 800 freestyle relay to victory. Jacobs also won the 100 and 200 freestyles.

Penny Pecastaing of Albuquerque, N.M., won her second event with a 1:05.71 in the 100 backstroke. On Wednesday, Pecastaing set a Junior Olympic National record in the 200 backstroke.

Teresa Mauck, 13, of the Kansas City Blazers became the youngest event winner when she clocked 4:20.06 in the 400 freestyle. Thursday, Mauck was runner-up in the 200 freestyle to Jacob.

More than 1,000 swimmers met the qualifying standards for the meet, which is one tier below the highest national level.