Swimming treated unfairly compared to Track & Field
Former Member
We have had this discussion before, but I've been watching US Trials in Track and getting indignant all over again over 3 competitors qualifying for Olys in Track compared to Swimming. Yes, I know the history of the limitation to 2 in Swimming, but the world has changed and there are certainly other countries that could send 3 world class competitors...anyway, compared to Track, we as a sport, are getting jobbed!
1. Lochte and Franklin want attention and money, so they do a lot of events, so Rowdy Gaines can scream about how tough they are on national television.
2. Swimming has way too many events. For example, there is a swimming-backwards competition at the Olympic level, at two different distances. There is not a running-backwards competition, so they have more slots in the running competition, or as event-overloaded swimmers would call it, "freestyle."
Track has running,running over hurdles,running over hurdles and a water jump,throwing weights,throwing weights with chains,throwing javelins,throwing discus,high jump,long jump,triple jump,pole vault etc.That is many more esoteric practices than swimming.
In a reasonable world there would be time standards to make the olympics and if you make it,you make it.If the entire finals of the100m free is Australian,so be it.Let the best compete and get politics out of it.
1. Lochte and Franklin want attention and money, so they do a lot of events, so Rowdy Gaines can scream about how tough they are on national television.
2. Swimming has way too many events. For example, there is a swimming-backwards competition at the Olympic level, at two different distances. There is not a running-backwards competition, so they have more slots in the running competition, or as event-overloaded swimmers would call it, "freestyle."
Track has running,running over hurdles,running over hurdles and a water jump,throwing weights,throwing weights with chains,throwing javelins,throwing discus,high jump,long jump,triple jump,pole vault etc.That is many more esoteric practices than swimming.
In a reasonable world there would be time standards to make the olympics and if you make it,you make it.If the entire finals of the100m free is Australian,so be it.Let the best compete and get politics out of it.
