Last week I analyzed the Men’s 200 Freestyle in light of Ian Thorpe’s comments (see here). This week I’m looking at the Women’s elite 200 Freestylers. Briefly, Thorpe said that if swimmers can’t go out hard and match his impressive last 50 speed, then they have to go out very hard and survive that last… Continue reading Do Ian Thorpe’s Comments Also Apply to Women’s 200 Freestyle
Tag: 2012 Olympics
200 Freestyle Analysis in Light of Ian Thorpe’s Comments
It’s a little daunting to analyze a statement from one of the best swimmers the world has ever seen. But here goes. A few months ago, Ian Thorpe assessed the world of 200 freestyle, and declared that the everyone was swimming it wrong. Basically, he says that if swimmers don’t have his incredible last 50… Continue reading 200 Freestyle Analysis in Light of Ian Thorpe’s Comments
Are Swimming Performances Starting to Stagnate?
This is not a question that comes up much with our sport. In fact, we're so used to continuous improvement that it almost seems disloyal to even ask it. Are we starting to see a plateau in swimming performances? Track and field has been plagued with stagnating performances for a long time. Despite the publicity… Continue reading Are Swimming Performances Starting to Stagnate?
Age Analysis of Rio Swimming Finalists: Breakdown by Event
Swimming World Magazine has published the second in a series of my articles analyzing Rio swimming performances. This one is "Age Analysis of Rio Swimming Finalists: The Older The Better!", and involves a breakdown of ages by distance and stroke (see here). This post provides additional information on the age range of swimmers as broken… Continue reading Age Analysis of Rio Swimming Finalists: Breakdown by Event
What the McLaren Report Means for Swimming
By now, most of you will have heard of the McLaren report. This is the report requested by WADA and prepared by Richard McLaren, a Canadian law professor, to look into the state-run Russian doping allegations. However, none of the articles I've read have really looked into what it specifically means for swimming. McLaren… Continue reading What the McLaren Report Means for Swimming
Swimming By The Numbers: How Strong is the US Olympic Team?
There's no question that the US Swimming Olympic Trials is one of the most exciting swim meets on the planet. The depth of talent, and the fierce competition between truly world class swimmers is staggering. Add to that the heartbreak of watching previous champions miss the team, and the sheer joy of watching new Olympians… Continue reading Swimming By The Numbers: How Strong is the US Olympic Team?
My Favourite Swim Race Videos of 2014-2015 (and Some Earlier Years)
The 2014-2015 season is basically behind us now. Below are some of my favourite racing videos from the year. Since this is my first time doing this annual review, I've also added some of my favourites from the past as well. Unfortunately, some of the races I watched during the World Championships feed are not… Continue reading My Favourite Swim Race Videos of 2014-2015 (and Some Earlier Years)
Elite 50 Freestyle: Are We Swimming This Wrong?
I have to admit, it took me a long time to figure out how to analyze the Long Course 50 Freestyle. After all, it's basically a maximum effort sprint with no turns. That's not a lot to work with. I actually got my break while I was analyzing underwater speeds (Underwater Kicking: Some Numbers) and… Continue reading Elite 50 Freestyle: Are We Swimming This Wrong?
Underwater Kicking: Some Numbers
These days everybody knows about that underwater kicking is a fast and necessary aspect of swimming. And we all know that the fastest swimmers generally have incredible underwater kick speeds and distances. But what surprises me over and over is the general lack of numbers involved with this knowledge. How fast is it? How long… Continue reading Underwater Kicking: Some Numbers
6 Things I Don’t Miss About Swimming in the 1970s
There is no doubt that swimming in the 1970s was exciting. Goggles had just been introduced in the late 1960s, and this allowed swimmers to train as hard as their bodies would allow, instead of training as hard as their eyes would let them. As a result, swimming records of every kind were broken on… Continue reading 6 Things I Don’t Miss About Swimming in the 1970s
Coach Rick - Mighty Tritons Swimming 