Friday, August 22, 2008
Confirmation that Short Course is Bad for You
This article on Michael Phelps in the revered web journal The Onion confirms many coaches' suspicion about the value of short course training.
Good as Gold
Being as I'm in Canada you get a Canadian view of the world. Here's a good article about the Men's Triathlon.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
TIME magazine
Two letters published in the NZ edition of TIME 18 August:
From Mississippi:
Your cover photo of swimmer Dara Torres would also make a great cover for Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition. Best of luck to her in Beijing!
From Israel:
I showed my sweet little daughters your cover photo of Dara Torres and asked them to promise never to take up competitive swimming.
From Mississippi:
Your cover photo of swimmer Dara Torres would also make a great cover for Sports Illustrated's swimsuit edition. Best of luck to her in Beijing!
From Israel:
I showed my sweet little daughters your cover photo of Dara Torres and asked them to promise never to take up competitive swimming.
Monday, August 18, 2008
The Price of Success
In popular opinion SNZ seems to have been the beneficiary of a lot of money from SPARC over the past four years. It has amounted to around $1.2m per year which sounds an awful lot of money BUT, compared to our competitiors, it is derisory:
check out the article at sportsceience.com
http://www.sportsscientists.com/2008/08/beijing-olympic-medal-price.html
It is very objective: 'each bronze medal will set you back a cool Aus$15 million, while gold and silver will cost you about Aus $40 million!'
check out the article at sportsceience.com
http://www.sportsscientists.com/2008/08/beijing-olympic-medal-price.html
It is very objective: 'each bronze medal will set you back a cool Aus$15 million, while gold and silver will cost you about Aus $40 million!'
Further Thoughts
An interesting non-swimming view of the results from Beijing:
'So the records continue to fall in the pool, including the women's 200 m freestyle and 200 m IM, where Frederica Pellegrini (ITA) and Stephaine Rice (AUS), respectively, took gold. The reality is that when a gold is won and the record is not broken, we feel disappointed. Swimming finds itself in something of an "artificial" situation, where world records are meaningless "tokens", though of course swimmers will not see it that way! However, it's worth looking at the difference between swimming and other world record sports, and that's an analysis for later today.'
'So the records continue to fall in the pool, including the women's 200 m freestyle and 200 m IM, where Frederica Pellegrini (ITA) and Stephaine Rice (AUS), respectively, took gold. The reality is that when a gold is won and the record is not broken, we feel disappointed. Swimming finds itself in something of an "artificial" situation, where world records are meaningless "tokens", though of course swimmers will not see it that way! However, it's worth looking at the difference between swimming and other world record sports, and that's an analysis for later today.'
Post-meet Thoughts & Lessons
Technique and streamlining were outstanding across the board.
Underwater kick has come a long way.
It's never over till it's over - Lezak, Adlington (400) and Mister P.
If at first you don't succeed ... Pellegrini.
Stroke length - Phelps, espacially the left-hand upsweep on freestyle; truly outstanding.
Expectations are a stimulus not a pressure - Michael P.
Overwhelming superiority means zip in the Olympic cauldron - Liesel J.
There are no 'gimmees' for the world record-holder - men's and women's 50 and 100 freestyle.
Short course doeasn't count.
Australia - up and down.
USA - supreme but not invincible.
GBR - ten's of million of their British pounds but their success came from a 'regular' club.
Cameron Gibson - you never know how good you are until you forget how good you think you are and just go for it.
Underwater kick has come a long way.
It's never over till it's over - Lezak, Adlington (400) and Mister P.
If at first you don't succeed ... Pellegrini.
Stroke length - Phelps, espacially the left-hand upsweep on freestyle; truly outstanding.
Expectations are a stimulus not a pressure - Michael P.
Overwhelming superiority means zip in the Olympic cauldron - Liesel J.
There are no 'gimmees' for the world record-holder - men's and women's 50 and 100 freestyle.
Short course doeasn't count.
Australia - up and down.
USA - supreme but not invincible.
GBR - ten's of million of their British pounds but their success came from a 'regular' club.
Cameron Gibson - you never know how good you are until you forget how good you think you are and just go for it.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Post-Games Thoughts (1)
What were the IOC and FINA thinking by deliberately NOT inviting Mark Spitz to present the seventh gold to Michael Phelps?
How difficult was that for a sensible decision? I don't know what went on in the background but it was a HUGE mistake.
How difficult was that for a sensible decision? I don't know what went on in the background but it was a HUGE mistake.
Projected Standards
These are the projected FINA 2008 standards after Beijing. I take no responsibility for their absolute accuracy until I've double-checked them against 'official' lists and they may change between now and 31 December as FINA use end-of-year rankings.On March 2 I looked at the historical data back to 1988 and projected a 35 point increase for men and a 31 point increase for women by the end of 2012. The straight-line increase in standards had stretched across the DDR doping regime and the introduction of full body-suits in 2000.
We have a 35 point increase NOW! if anyone tells you the new suits make no difference, tell them to go jump in a lake.
Points Update; Final Answer!
Women's 50 freestyle - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,046 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,034.7
Men's 1500 freestyle - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,021 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,034.2
Women's 100 backstroke after the medley relay - the all-time top 10 average was 'monstered' and is now 1,056 to take the record of records. The average points across the board for events completed so far is at 1,035.
The men's medley relay didn't change the 100 backstroke which remains at whatever it was the other day.
So, a 35 point increase in standards.
Men's 1500 freestyle - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,021 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,034.2
Women's 100 backstroke after the medley relay - the all-time top 10 average was 'monstered' and is now 1,056 to take the record of records. The average points across the board for events completed so far is at 1,035.
The men's medley relay didn't change the 100 backstroke which remains at whatever it was the other day.
So, a 35 point increase in standards.
First Man on Mars
That was Mark Spitz' assessment when asked what it weould be like to win eight.
There's an interesting article on Phelps on stuff which looks at physical and genetic differences in the big man.
It also points out, 'In his quest for an unprecedented eight gold medals, he will swim a total of 38.1 kilometres in heats, semis and finals in his nine-day Games program.' I have no idea where the author, Alex Brown of the Sydney Morning Herald, got the figure from but I calculate it at 3.1 kilometres of races plus around 1.5-2k warm-up and 1.5-2k swim down for each race (to keep going over nine days at that level there would have been no scrimping on either) that could be up to 70k over the nine days.
Remember that next time you're planning taper!
There's an interesting article on Phelps on stuff which looks at physical and genetic differences in the big man.
It also points out, 'In his quest for an unprecedented eight gold medals, he will swim a total of 38.1 kilometres in heats, semis and finals in his nine-day Games program.' I have no idea where the author, Alex Brown of the Sydney Morning Herald, got the figure from but I calculate it at 3.1 kilometres of races plus around 1.5-2k warm-up and 1.5-2k swim down for each race (to keep going over nine days at that level there would have been no scrimping on either) that could be up to 70k over the nine days.
Remember that next time you're planning taper!
One Hundredth of a Second
The BBC website has a video titled 'Discovery of a new fish species.' I thought it was a spoof on Michael P but it's not; they really do seem to have discovered a new species.
Let's examine one one hundredth of a second. In 1988, at the Seoul Games, Adrian Moorhouse won the 100m breaststroke gold by 1/100th. after lying sixth at the 50m. I've watched the video hundreds of times and I still haven't seen him touch first. But he has the gold.
There's a film called One Hundredth of a Second but it's nothing to do with sport.Light travels 1,156km or 1,860 miles in one one hundredth of a second.
Valerie's shot travels around 11cm.
Ursain Bolt (great name!) travels 10cm.
A relay swimmer travels 5cm off the blocks.
The Twins travel 4.7cm.
A butterfly swimmer travels 1.8cm into the touchpad.
A computer screen refreshes once.
That's how 'long' it takes.
The howstuffworks website defines it as:1 centisecond (one-hundredth of a second) - The length of time it takes for a stroke of lightning to strike.
Never give in, never; never; never; never.
“Never give in, never give in, never; never; never; never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense” Winston Churchill, 29 October, 1941.Watch incredible underwater video of the finish here.
This by email from Jerry Cosgrove at lactate.com:
'Phelps also must have inherited the lucky gene. He certainly needed it for the 4 x 100 free and the 100 fly. What are the odds of those two situations happening and favoring the same swimmer in the same meet?'
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Points update
Women's 200 backstroke - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,034 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.5
Men's 100 butterfly - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,036 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.6
Women's 800 freestyle - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,019 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.0
Men's 50 freestyle - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,055! and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.9
Women's 50 freestyle after the semi's - 1,043.
Men's 100 butterfly - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,036 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.6
Women's 800 freestyle - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,019 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.0
Men's 50 freestyle - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,055! and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.9
Women's 50 freestyle after the semi's - 1,043.
Second Man on the Moon
OMG!
What a finish.
To quote Mark Spitz when asked what it would be like if Michael Phelps won seven? 'Like the second man on the moon.'
Wait until tomorrow.
Of course, he didn't break the world record so, if the USA don't win the medley relay (DQ?) he won't really beat Spitz because Spitz had seven golds in seven world records.
What a finish.
To quote Mark Spitz when asked what it would be like if Michael Phelps won seven? 'Like the second man on the moon.'
Wait until tomorrow.
Of course, he didn't break the world record so, if the USA don't win the medley relay (DQ?) he won't really beat Spitz because Spitz had seven golds in seven world records.
Points update
Women's 50 freestyle after the heats - 1,043.
Men's 1,500 freestyel after the amazing heats (14:50 not good enough for the final!) - 1,019.
Women's 100 backstroke (1,050) and men's 100 backstroke (1,051) don't change after the heats of the medley relay which see NZL go through for the first time in Olympic relay history.
Men's 1,500 freestyel after the amazing heats (14:50 not good enough for the final!) - 1,019.
Women's 100 backstroke (1,050) and men's 100 backstroke (1,051) don't change after the heats of the medley relay which see NZL go through for the first time in Olympic relay history.
Olympic spirit
My favourite restaurant critic, AA Gill of the Sunday Times, has this to say:
'The Olympics are missing an element of frivolity. It's all too much sport and not enough games. They should bring back extinct events. Cricket, for instance. This was first contested olympically in Paris in 1900. The French team included TH Jordan, R Horne, H Terry, W Anderson, D Robinson, WT Attrill, W Browning, A McAvoy, P Tomalin and J Braid. The more astute of you will have noticed that these names are not typically French. The entire Frog team was made up of Englishmen. What greater evidence of the spirit of the ancient Olympiad, and our own innate fair play, than to actually field a team for the opposition because they're useless. The final was between Britain and France, and for the first and possibly last time in all the Olympic games, all 24 players (yes, it was a 12-a-side game) came from the same country. Britain won by 262 runs to 104.'
'The Olympics are missing an element of frivolity. It's all too much sport and not enough games. They should bring back extinct events. Cricket, for instance. This was first contested olympically in Paris in 1900. The French team included TH Jordan, R Horne, H Terry, W Anderson, D Robinson, WT Attrill, W Browning, A McAvoy, P Tomalin and J Braid. The more astute of you will have noticed that these names are not typically French. The entire Frog team was made up of Englishmen. What greater evidence of the spirit of the ancient Olympiad, and our own innate fair play, than to actually field a team for the opposition because they're useless. The final was between Britain and France, and for the first and possibly last time in all the Olympic games, all 24 players (yes, it was a 12-a-side game) came from the same country. Britain won by 262 runs to 104.'
Medley Relay
I sent this to Tom on 9 August:
.... the real dark horse is the M4x100MR, I think they could go 3:33.5!
54.5
59.0
51.5
48.5
not quite right but pretty close, eh?
Better than my apparent prediction for the women's 200 breaststroke; according to Luke Clark I said Jones was 'unbeatable' and I'd never heard of Rebecca Soni! I need to study swimming some more :)
.... the real dark horse is the M4x100MR, I think they could go 3:33.5!
54.5
59.0
51.5
48.5
not quite right but pretty close, eh?
Better than my apparent prediction for the women's 200 breaststroke; according to Luke Clark I said Jones was 'unbeatable' and I'd never heard of Rebecca Soni! I need to study swimming some more :)
Friday, August 15, 2008
Points update
Men's 50 freestyle after the semis - 1,052.
Women's 200 breaststroke - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,023 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.1
Women's 200 backstroke after the semis - 1,029.
Men's 200 backstroke - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,036 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.3
Men's 200 IM - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,039 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.6
Women's 100 freestyle - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,031 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.5
Men's 100 butterfly - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,035 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.5
Women's 200 breaststroke - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,023 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.1
Women's 200 backstroke after the semis - 1,029.
Men's 200 backstroke - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,036 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.3
Men's 200 IM - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,039 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.6
Women's 100 freestyle - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,031 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.5
Men's 100 butterfly - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,035 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.5
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Greatest Ever
This from the Beijing website page on Michael Phelps:'Due to the especially long list of major performances for this athlete, some of the results are not displayed.'
FINA/swimnews - M200BF
FINA and swimnews reports here on Moss' incredible 200 buterfly final.
swimnews
The 200m butterfly, one of Michael Phelps’ favourite events, not only meant business as usual for him - winning the gold medal in a world record time.
It meant also something transcendent: in fact with this gold medal, the 11th he has won individually at the Olympics, Phelps became the most individual gold medal winner with 11 (no one has done better than nine), a tally that he is likely to increase through the rest of this week.
Phelps managed to win in 1:52.03, a new world record by 0.06 seconds. This was the 7th world record set by Phelps in this event in seven years. He could have swum faster if he had not experienced problems with goggles. He explained: “I couldn’t see anything for the last 100, my goggles pretty much filled up with water; it just kept getting worse through the race. I wanted to go 1:51 or better but for the circumstances I guess it’s not too bad”.
Image
Michael Phelps (USA)
Both the silver and the bronze medallists, respectively Laszlo Cseh of Hungary and Takeshi Matsuda of Japan swam an amazing race, under 1:53 and well under the Olympic record set twice (in both the preliminaries and the semi-finals) from Phelps here in Beijing with 1:53.70.
Cseh took the silver in 1:52.70, Matsuda the bronze in 1:52.97 setting respectively a European and an Asian record. Moss Burmester, of New Zealand, and Peng Wu, of China, dead-heated for the 4th place in 1:54.35: a new Oceanian record for Burmester. Pawel Korzeniowski (POL, 6th in 1:54.60) and Kaio Almeida (BRA, 7th 1:54.71) also swam under 1:55, confirming the excellent level of this final.
Cseh, who had been competing in this event only for the second time, was very happy with his achievements (“I’m surprised, I’m happy, I enjoyed it. I’m still lacking the experience but I had a good time and a good result. I believe I am reducing the gap between me and Phelps”).
Record breakout and comparison (in bracket Phelps’ former world record splits from Melbourne 2007):
- Phelps: 25.36 (25.26), 53.53 (53.62), 1:22.75 (1.22.87), 1:52.03 (1.52.09)
- Cseh: 25.58, 54.59, 1:23.39, 1:52.70
- Matsuda: 25.58, 54.41, 1:23.58, 1:52.79
swimnews
The 200m butterfly, one of Michael Phelps’ favourite events, not only meant business as usual for him - winning the gold medal in a world record time.
It meant also something transcendent: in fact with this gold medal, the 11th he has won individually at the Olympics, Phelps became the most individual gold medal winner with 11 (no one has done better than nine), a tally that he is likely to increase through the rest of this week.
Phelps managed to win in 1:52.03, a new world record by 0.06 seconds. This was the 7th world record set by Phelps in this event in seven years. He could have swum faster if he had not experienced problems with goggles. He explained: “I couldn’t see anything for the last 100, my goggles pretty much filled up with water; it just kept getting worse through the race. I wanted to go 1:51 or better but for the circumstances I guess it’s not too bad”.
Image
Michael Phelps (USA)
Both the silver and the bronze medallists, respectively Laszlo Cseh of Hungary and Takeshi Matsuda of Japan swam an amazing race, under 1:53 and well under the Olympic record set twice (in both the preliminaries and the semi-finals) from Phelps here in Beijing with 1:53.70.
Cseh took the silver in 1:52.70, Matsuda the bronze in 1:52.97 setting respectively a European and an Asian record. Moss Burmester, of New Zealand, and Peng Wu, of China, dead-heated for the 4th place in 1:54.35: a new Oceanian record for Burmester. Pawel Korzeniowski (POL, 6th in 1:54.60) and Kaio Almeida (BRA, 7th 1:54.71) also swam under 1:55, confirming the excellent level of this final.
Cseh, who had been competing in this event only for the second time, was very happy with his achievements (“I’m surprised, I’m happy, I enjoyed it. I’m still lacking the experience but I had a good time and a good result. I believe I am reducing the gap between me and Phelps”).
Record breakout and comparison (in bracket Phelps’ former world record splits from Melbourne 2007):
- Phelps: 25.36 (25.26), 53.53 (53.62), 1:22.75 (1.22.87), 1:52.03 (1.52.09)
- Cseh: 25.58, 54.59, 1:23.39, 1:52.70
- Matsuda: 25.58, 54.41, 1:23.58, 1:52.79
Pellegrini -2 suits (update)
From swimnews:
'Federica Pellegrini (ITA), who wore two suits in the final and probably in the rounds too, settled the matter with a world recortd of 1:55.45. The suit underneath the bodysuit was more beach-wear/training suit than race suit. It was there for two reasons: in case her bodysuit split and all would be revealed; and because neoprene makes her skin blotchy so she wanted a barrier to her bodysuit.'
'Federica Pellegrini (ITA), who wore two suits in the final and probably in the rounds too, settled the matter with a world recortd of 1:55.45. The suit underneath the bodysuit was more beach-wear/training suit than race suit. It was there for two reasons: in case her bodysuit split and all would be revealed; and because neoprene makes her skin blotchy so she wanted a barrier to her bodysuit.'
Points update
Men's 200 breaststroke - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,034 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.5
Women's 200 butterfly - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,023 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,032.8
Men's 100 freestyle - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,047 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.7
Women's 200 freestyle - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,042 after the relay and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.8
Women's 100 freestyle after the semi's - 1,031
Men's 200 backstroke after the semi's - 1,033
Women's 200 breaststroke after the semi's - only 1,015
Men's 200 IM after the semi's - 1,036
Women's 200 butterfly - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,023 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,032.8
Men's 100 freestyle - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,047 and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.7
Women's 200 freestyle - the all-time top 10 average is now 1,042 after the relay and the across the board events completed so far is at 1,033.8
Women's 100 freestyle after the semi's - 1,031
Men's 200 backstroke after the semi's - 1,033
Women's 200 breaststroke after the semi's - only 1,015
Men's 200 IM after the semi's - 1,036
M = C + \alpha \ln N + \beta \ln \frac{Y}{N} + Host + Soviet + Planned
OK, I know everyone is frightened of mathematical equations but this one predicts how many medals each country will win at a Games. Check out the article here.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Points update
The last results have now been posted on the Beijing site:
Women's 200 IM - the all-time top 10 average is 1,034 and the across the board so far results is now 1,033.5
Men's 200 FR is 1,025 after the 4x200 relay (6:58.56! That's silly). Patrick Murphy moved himself into the top 10 but it wasn't a big enough drop to change the top 10 average.
Women's 200 IM - the all-time top 10 average is 1,034 and the across the board so far results is now 1,033.5
Men's 200 FR is 1,025 after the 4x200 relay (6:58.56! That's silly). Patrick Murphy moved himself into the top 10 but it wasn't a big enough drop to change the top 10 average.
TV NONE!
Believe this or believe it not! All the TV's in the Sports House crashed just before the 200 Fly final!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Points update
Women's 200 Freestyle - 1,041 is now the average of the all-time top 10. Across the completed events so far 1,033.3
Men's 200 Buterfly - 1,035 is now the average of the all-time top 10. Across the completed events so far 1,033.4
The official results aren't yet up for the W 200 IM or the M 4x200.
Men's 100 Freestyle 1,046 after semis.
Women's 200 Butterfly 'only' 1,014 after the semi's.
Men's 200 Breaststroke 1,031 after the semi's.
Men's 200 Buterfly - 1,035 is now the average of the all-time top 10. Across the completed events so far 1,033.4
The official results aren't yet up for the W 200 IM or the M 4x200.
Men's 100 Freestyle 1,046 after semis.
Women's 200 Butterfly 'only' 1,014 after the semi's.
Men's 200 Breaststroke 1,031 after the semi's.
The Perfect Race
Mike Barrowman's 2:10.16 'perfect race' from 1992 was bumped off the all-time top 10 list in the 200 breaststroke heats in Beijing.
Questions, Questions, Questions
The Los Angeles Times has an article questioning how the swimming performances have advanced so far and so fast. It shows an interesting graphic illustrating the new suits and another analysing what's likely to happen in the M200BF. Their advice that Phelps should 'contend for a medal' seems solid enough to be trusted!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Bouyant Pellegrini
Laurel is pretty sure Pellegrini is wearing two suits. I'm sure Manaudou did that in Melbourne last year as her body position was so high. If you look at the video of Ziegler's 1,500 world record she may have been also.
Points update
Men's 200 Freestyle - 1,025 is now the average of the all-time top 10. Across the completed events so far 1,027.7.
Women's 100 Backstroke - 1,050!! Across the completed events so far 1,030.5
Men's 100 Backstroke - 1,051!! Across the completed events so far 1,032.8
Women's 100 Breaststroke- 1,030. Across the completed events so far 1,032.5
Men's 200 BF after semis - 1027
Women's 200 IM after semis - 1031
Women's 100 Backstroke - 1,050!! Across the completed events so far 1,030.5
Men's 100 Backstroke - 1,051!! Across the completed events so far 1,032.8
Women's 100 Breaststroke- 1,030. Across the completed events so far 1,032.5
Men's 200 BF after semis - 1027
Women's 200 IM after semis - 1031
Zipper Malfunction
The Sydney Morning Herald has a good article here about the trials and tribulations of the 'ready room', and a follow-up article here.
US 4x100m Freestyle
Here's the video of that US 4x100m Freestyle.
Jason Lezak comment - "when I saw how far I was behind and he was the world's fastest I thought I am not going to make it - then in a flash thought, this is for America and this is the Olympic Games and I don't care how much it hurts"
Jason Lezak comment - "when I saw how far I was behind and he was the world's fastest I thought I am not going to make it - then in a flash thought, this is for America and this is the Olympic Games and I don't care how much it hurts"
Monday, August 11, 2008
Bringing it home
Last 50m splits from the women's 400 freestyle:
Now here's a little story - Joanne Jackson's sister, Nichola, was probably the most talented female swimmer I have ever seen. She was a member of the GBR women's 4 x 200 which won World gold and broke the World SC record. About nine years ago I was driving both sisters to training across the north Yorkshire moors in winter and remember saying to Joanne that she could be better than her big sister and she'd better start believing it.
- Adlington 29.18
- Hoff 30.71
- Jackson 29.86
- Balmy 29.88
Now here's a little story - Joanne Jackson's sister, Nichola, was probably the most talented female swimmer I have ever seen. She was a member of the GBR women's 4 x 200 which won World gold and broke the World SC record. About nine years ago I was driving both sisters to training across the north Yorkshire moors in winter and remember saying to Joanne that she could be better than her big sister and she'd better start believing it.
TVONE commentary
John and Anthony have been rather 'overwhelmed' at times I think but John nailed the men's freestyle relay: 'The world record has been monstered!'
Points update
Women's 100 Butterfly - 1,022 is now the average of the all-time top 10. Across the completed events so far 1,027.5.
Men's 100 Breaststroke - 1,028, all completed events 1,027.6
Women's 400 freestyle - 1,031, all completed events 1,028.2
... and, beware; both the women's 100 back and the men's 100 back are already 1,048 and we haven't had the final yet!
Women's 100 bresatstroke after semis - 1,029 (no change in semis)
Men's 200 freestyle after semis- 1,018
Men's 100 freestyle, after THAT relay - 1,039
Men's 100 Breaststroke - 1,028, all completed events 1,027.6
Women's 400 freestyle - 1,031, all completed events 1,028.2
... and, beware; both the women's 100 back and the men's 100 back are already 1,048 and we haven't had the final yet!
Women's 100 bresatstroke after semis - 1,029 (no change in semis)
Men's 200 freestyle after semis- 1,018
Men's 100 freestyle, after THAT relay - 1,039
Everyone agrees that a major contributer to such impressive improvements worldwide is technology... so why not use it...
Which reminds me of something Sebastian Coe said in Auckland recently; he was watching the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch on TV and after the legendary 1,500 between Filbert Bayi and John Walker, his father/coach said, 'What you have just seen has changed middle-distance running forever.'
(1500 starts at 2'10" in the video)
Relay, Relay, Relay, Oi! Oi! Oi!
Craig Lord from Beijing on swimnews on the swims from last night: 'Suit? What suit? Anyone seen a suit fly by? No, me neither.'Men's 4 x 100 freestyle relay.
Time to make the final in Beijing, Melbourne and Athens:
* 2008: 3:13.69
* 2007: 3:18.15
* 2004: 3:17.97
Impact of the Beijing heats on all-time top 20 - new entries 2008 time compared to nation's best in 2007:
* 1 3:12.23 USA 3:12.72
* 2 3:12.36 FRA 3:14.68
* 3 3:12.41 AUS 3:14.26
* 4 3:12.65 ITA 3:14.04
* 5 3:12.73 SWE 3:16.09
* 6 3:13.06 RSA 3:14.77
* 7 3:13.68 CAN 3:16.91
* 8 3:13.69 GBR 3:18.96
* 10 3:14.36 NED 3:19.36
* 12 3:15.41 NZL 3:21.73
* 15 3:16.16 CHN 3:18.94
* 16 3:16.80 SUI 3:19.22
* 19 3:17.28 JPN 3:18.83
That's 12th fastest all -time! After qualifying in 16th place on the last chance with an Olympic Trials time-trial, then having to wait until early June when William Benson hit his 'B' time, then nailbitingly waiting again until the final FINA deadline to ensure no-one else had bumped them off, the quartet excelled themselves last night by finishing 11th and breaking the NZ record by over 2 seconds.
Mark Herring 23.73, 49.73 (2007 flat start best 50.69)
Cameron Gibson 22.76, 48.07 (2007 flat start best 49.88)
William Benson 22.89, 48.65 (2007 flat start best 51.58)
Orinoco F-B 22.97, 48.96 (2007 flat start best 51.73)
Truly terrific. Cam's time was the 6th fastest from any team and bodes well for the medley relay.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Finals Day 1
Well, no Kiwi's swimming on the first morning of finals and semi's :(Phelps is one for one and how! 4:03! Grandma Torres split 52.44! Quite fast really.
FINA points - here you go; for today's completed events the all-time top 10 average and the points score using the current tables is as follows:
- Men's 400 IM - old average 4:12.18, new 4:09.29, 1,035 pts.
- Men's 400 FR - old average 3:44.31, new 3:42.69, 1,022 pts.
- Women's 400 IM - old average 4:35.83, new 4:33.00, 1,031 pts.
So a 29 point shift across the three events; better look to some serious training plans and sets for the next 12 months.
Just hanging on at number 10 in the 400 FR is Kieren Perkins' world record from the Rome World Championships in 1994 - 3:43.80. Still on my list of all-time greatest swims, it changed the way people looked at 400 FR. Which reminds me of something Sebastian Coe said in Auckland recentle; he was watching the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch on TV and after the legendary 1,500 between Filbert Bayi and John Walker, his father/coach said, 'What you have just seen has changed middle-distance running forever.'
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Friday, August 1, 2008
Worst Pools in the World
swimwatch, a creation of David Wright and regularly updated by daughter Jane, has a current article on the worst pools in the world. Four out of the published five are in New Zealand! Everyone to their opinion I guess, but why is the top listed one called Clive?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)