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Fastest 100 Freestyle at the Olympics

Posted on August 7, 2012 by swimmerjoe

picture by ibtimes.com

Racing Against History

By KEVIN QUEALY and GRAHAM ROBERTS – NY Times

Nathan Adrian’s 100-meter freestyle won gold. But how would he do against every medalist in this event – ever!

One (imaginary) race with every medalist ever

Based on the athletes’ average speeds, if every Olympic medalist ever raced each other, France’s Alain Bernard (from the 2008 Games) would win, with a wide distribution of Olympians behind him, including Wednesday’s winner, Nathan Adrian. Below, where each swimmer would be when Bernard finishes his race.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/08/01/sports/olympics/racing-against-history.html

Notable winners of the 100-meter freestyle

Hungarian Olympic Committee

Alfréd Hajós

Hungary

Hungary’s first Olympic gold medalist, Hajós swam in 55-degree open water, in the Bay of Zea outside Piraeus, Greece. He also won the 1,200-meter swim.

1896, Athens

1:22.2

I.O.C.

Johnny Weissmuller

United States

The first swimmer to break a minute in the Olympics. Later went on to play Tarzan in “Tarzan the Ape Man,” which made him internationally famous.

1924, Paris	59.0	OR
1928, Amsterdam	58.6	OR

Associated Press

Mark Spitz

United States

Won seven gold medals in the 1972 Games in Munich; nearly withdrew from the 100-meter event because he wasn’t sure if he would win. (He did, setting a world record.)

1968, Mexico City	53.0
1972, Munich	51.22	WR

Lyndon Mechielsen/Associated Press

Alexander Popov

Russia

One of only three athletes with three medals in this event; the first person in 68 years to win back-to-back golds after Weismuller did it in 1928.

1992, Barcelona	49.02
1996, Atlanta	48.74
2000, Sydney	48.69

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Mind Over Matter

Posted on July 18, 2012 by swimmerjoe

By SwimmerJoe

“A lot of people run a race to see who is the fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into an exhausting pace and then at the end, punish himself even more. Nobody is going to win a 5,000 meter race after running an easy two miles. Not with me. If I lose forcing the pace all the way, at least I can live with myself.”
Steve Prefontaine – Distance Runner

The ability to lay it on the line every time you get on the block is paramount to your existence as a swimmer. Do not leave anything out there that you can look back on and say, “Well, I could have gone faster; I should have done this.”

Leave nothing, I will pull you out, I will be there.

“Mental toughness is many things. It is humility because it behooves all of us to remember that simplicity is the sign of greatness and meekness is the sign of true strength. Mental toughness is spartanism with the qualities of sacrifices, self-denial, dedication. It is fearless, and it is love.”
Vince Lombardi – NFL Coach

The person who is dead-tired even coming home in a 100 or 200, the person that digs deeper and knows that he or she is tougher mentally and physically than their counterpart, will win every time. Mental toughness comes from within and you have it; will yourself to do it and do it now.

“Yes, the pain shot through me like a knife. It brought tears to my eyes. But now I have a gold medal, and the pain is gone.”
Shun Fujimoto – Gymnast, Olympic Gold Medalist, after performing in the 1976 Montreal Olympics with a broken leg.

Um… I don’t have anything to say in response to Shun Fujimoto. Putting on a gold medal performance with a broken leg… That’s bad to the bone. Geez, I want to meet that guy! Pain is only temporary…especially only the last lap. It’s only 50 meters.

Get your mind right, for your mind is your special escort to speed!

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Believe in the Impossible

Posted on July 16, 2012 by swimmerjoe

Guest post By Bess Auer….Thanks Bess and so true! SwimmerJoe

As I am watching the Tour de France and gearing up for the London Olympics, I am saddened to see the Twitter and Blogosphere light up with doping allegations. Current Tour leader Bradley Wiggins is dominating the race, putting in the ride of a lifetime and eclipsing his main rival, Cadel Evans, last year’s winner. Well, this can’t be possible! Wiggins must be cheating!

I don’t blame the doubters, as we’ve seen too many athletes, ranging from cyclists to baseball players, get caught. However, it is not the fact that cheaters exist that bother me, as they seem to get caught eventually. What bothers me is what these charlatans have robbed from us, the sports lovers, the dreamers, the wishers. These cheaters have stolen our willingness to believe in the impossible, our belief in athletic superiority.

When we see a man win the Tour de France seven times, well then, he must be doping. There is simply no other explanation because humans can’t be capable of surpassing normal human boundaries. Forget the fact that he fought back from the very edge of death, experiencing pain far worse than cycling up an 14% grade mountainside. The mountain only lasts a few hours, but surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, lasts for months on end. Seven times? Incredible! Impossible! A human can’t do that!

After we lose our belief in the incredible (Seven times? Impossible!), we also begin to doubt those sports performances that are well within the realm of normal human ability, such as Wiggins in the Tour this year. (He’s good but not particularly extraordinary.)

Growing up I believed in the impossible. Nadia Comaneci scoring a perfect 10 seven times (Seven times? Impossible!) and the1980 Miracle on Ice (Unthinkable!). Throughout modern history there are many superhuman performances: Jesse Owens debunking the Nazi’s Aryan Myth by winning 4 gold medals in the Berlin Olympics. Roger Banister breaking the 4 minute barrier. Wilt Chamberlain scoring 100 points in a single NBA game. Michael Phelps winning 8 gold medals. (Inconceivable!)

Cheaters, I refuse to allow you to take away my willingness to believe in the impossible. I want to watch the Olympics this year and be amazed as the human body reaches incredible new heights. We may not truly be able to fly, but as I watch videos of Bob Beamon’s world record 29+ foot jump, I feel like maybe we can. Believe.

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Swimmers Compete in Olympic Qualifying Tuneup

Posted on May 29, 2012 by swimmerjoe

by Jeff Metcalfe on May. 28, 2012, under Arizona Republic Sports

There were autographs to sign and small checks to collect for elite swimmers at the low-key Arizona Invitational.

But just beneath the surface lurks the extreme highs and low soon to come. First at the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials, beginning in four weeks in Omaha, Neb., and for those who succeed there at the London Olympics, July 27-Aug. 12.

“The U.S. trials is such an action-packed meet, and there is so much pressure involved,” said South African sprinter Roland Schoeman, already qualified for his fourth Olympics. “I’m just glad we don’t have that pressure, because going to the Olympics is enough pressure for us. It’s a challenge to see what these guys (Americans) go through. You’ve got to be one of the best on any given day, and that’s hard. We train our lifetime for one opportunity, and those 48 seconds can make or break your career.”

Schoeman, training at Phoenix Swim Club since last August, won the 100-meter freestyle super final Monday night at in 49.161 seconds. It’ll take a time perhaps under 48 seconds to finish in the top two at the U.S. trials and qualify for London. The top six in the U.S. 100 free are candidates for the 4×100 relay, which is among Nick Brunelli’s goals.

The 30-year-old Brunelli was back at Mona Plummer Aquatic Center, where he was a multiple All-America for Arizona State from 2001 to 2004, to prepare for his final try at becoming an Olympian. He and his wife Jennifer will become parents of twin boys in October.

“There are so many great memories here,” said Brunelli, third in the 100 free and in the 50 free on Saturday. “It’s always good to come back. I really love this pool. In a twisted way, it’s kind of some closure. I don’t know if I’ll be back swimming in this pool again. Maybe in a masters meet years down the road. It’s nice to race Roland,” a rival at the University of Arizona when Brunelli was at ASU.

There are 50 swimmers from Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics and UA qualified for the trials, June 25-July 2 in Omaha, Neb. Headliners include Amanda Beard, trying to make her fifth Olympic team, and Matt Grevers, 2008 Olympic silver medalist in the 100 backstroke.

Grevers won the 100 back at the Arizona Invitational on Sunday but opted not to stay for Monday finals. Beard, 30, did swim in a 200 breaststroke final that included a swimmer half her age and won by more than eight seconds in 2:27.331.

“This was a fun chance for me to stay in Arizona with everyone that I love and do a good training meet,” Beard said. “I’m in the perfect spot for the next month of training. I’m very happy with where I am. To make the U.S. team, you have to be out of your mind fast. I predict you’re going to have to go 2:23 to make the team in that race.”

Others open winners Monday were Kate Flederbach in the women’s 100 free super final, Alyssa Anderson and Darian Townsend in the 200 IM, Maggie Meyer and Ellis Miller in the 200 back and Carl Mickelson in the men’s 200 breast.

Anderson finished with four firsts while South African Townsend had three wins.

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Watch the Austin Grand Prix!

Posted on January 15, 2011 by swimmerjoe

For April 14 – 16, 2011 –

You guys want to watch some great racing? You guys should tune in tonight for finals, tomorrow a.m. for prelims and tomorrow night for finals. Phelps and Lochte should meet head to a few times. Enjoy!

Click here: http://www.usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=2022&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en

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If You’re Big Star Bound, Let Me Warn Ya, It’s a Long Hard Ride

Posted on October 27, 2010 by swimmerjoe

So I was sitting around thinking about random stuff, and decided if Ryan Lochte were to ever hitchhike, I’m pretty sure this is the type of experience he might have:

Well, I was thumbin’ from Liverpool
I had my swim bag on my back
When a stranger stopped beside me in an wacked out Cadillac
Well he was dressed like worn out swimmer
Half asleep and hollow-eyed
He said “It’s a long walk to London
Would you like a ride, bud?”
And well I sat down in the front seat, he turned on the stereo
Them bad rap songs comin’ out of them 16 inch speaks were solid mutha gold
And I noticed the stranger was ghost-white pale
When he asked me for a break
And I knew there was something strange about this ride

He said, “Swimmer can ya make folks cry when you swim and win?
Have you paid your dues, can you win the jewels?
Can you win them US golds?”
He said, “Boy, can you take massive strokes from the depths inside?
Cause if you’re big star bound let me warn ya, it’s a long, hard ride.”

Then he cried just north of London
And he turned that car around
He said, “This is where you get off boy,
Cause I’m goin’ back to the ‘pool.’”
As I stepped out of that Cadillac
I said, “Mister, thank you for the help.”
He said, “You don’t have to call me Mister, Mister.,
The whole world calls me Phelps.”

And, if you’re big star bound
Let me warn ya its a long, hard ride!

Watch out world, America is coming in 2012!

This is a parody from one of my favorite country singers, David Allan Coe, and his song, The Ride.

Peace out!

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