Down syndrome swimmer, 38, breaks freestyle 200m world record without realising

An Australian swimmer smashed a world record for the 200m freestyle by more than six seconds and then left the event not realising her accomplishment. 

Tahnee Afuhaamango was swimming at the Darwin competition on February 6 and went home after her events – only realising after returning later that day with her mum, Donna Rousham, that she had clocked a time of 3:38:72. 

The 38-year-old’s mother realised the time was special – in fact 6.64 seconds faster than the Down syndrome masters world record for swimmers over 35 – and began scrambling to get the result officially recognised. 

Tahnee Afuhaamango, 38, (pictured) smashed the Down’s syndrome masters 200m freestyle record by more than six seconds in February 

Ms Afuhaamango (pictured with her parents) is a well known athlete in NT swimming circles having broken a number of other records 

The paperwork needed to be signed off on immediately by officials at the NT Long Course Qualifier who witnessed the race.

‘I got a hell of a shock … you don’t hear of those times,’ Ms Rousham told the ABC. 

Her daughter’s signed paperwork had to travel first to Australian sporting officials and then to the international authority in the UK. 

Afuhaamango’s record was then confirmed via email just over a month after the race. 

However, breaking records is not something new for the swimmer who is well known in NT swimming circles as a spectacular athlete. 

According to counts by her mother, she has obliterated more than 35 records over her career in the pool. 

‘[This one] came out of the blue and Tahnee’s a lot older than her heydays. That’s pretty amazing for a 38-year-old, especially with Down syndrome,’ Ms Rousham said. 

She said there was no intense preparation for the record-breaking swim and that it may have been just because her daughter was relaxed. 

‘[When] you start telling her we’re looking for world records, she tenses up.’ 

Margaret Cahill from Down Syndrome Swimming Australia congratulated Afuhaamango on her achievement saying it was ‘delighted’ she was striving to achieve new personal bests. 

The swimmer has left the Darwin event without realising she had broken the world record