Efficient release of energy during a race results in great splits, almost invariably negative splits and even descending sections of a whole race. My favourite of all time was Janet Evans' winning effort on the 400m Freestyle at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games:0:59.99 - 2:02.14 - 3:03.40 - 4:03.85
That's 60 - 62 - 61 - 60
In the infamous words of one of my countrymen, 'It just doesn't get any better than that.'
It gets faster than that of course; Evans' world record stood from 22 September 1988 until 6 August 2006 but Laura Manaudou's 57-61-62-61, although faster, just doesn't sit in the same league as far as 'all-time-greatest-swims' are concerned.
You can view the 1988 race on youtube here. Her characteristically high stroke rate averages around 55 for the whole race. It's difficult from the film to check accurately but measurements I've taken indicate she used a faster SR on the second 25 of each 50 than she did on the first 25 - the hallmark of REALLY great swimming. If you weren't there to watch it live you'll be surprised how close Heike Friedrich was until the last 50m - Evans did not have it all her own way but check out her face at the end; total disbelief that she'd gone 4:03 against her previous best of 4:05.45.
Other great swims that spring to mind:
Kornelia Ender's 200m Freestyle in 1976
David Wilkie's 200m Breaststroke in 1972
Duncan Armstrong's 200m Freestyle in 1988
Kieren Perkins' 400m Freestyle in 1994
Any 1,500 by Vladimir Salnikov
And not forgetting Henry Taylor's 1,500 in 1908
What's your favourite?
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