Here's a thread where we can share exceptional swims and the swimmer stories. they might or might not be records, they be fast or not, but when you consider to swim and the swimmer there's something about it that makes it exceptional, feel free to explain why you feel it is exceptional.
Like Sarah Henry Becomes 2nd Fastest Collegian in History at Phil Hansel Invitational (in the 500 free)
Here's text from the article:
"Fellow U.S. National Teamers Sarah Henry and Cammile Adams, both sharing the maroon and white in this race, were locked in a great battle for about the first 350 yards of this race. Adams was swimming from out-front, and every time Henry challenged her, Adams would absorb it and push a little bit ahead again.
Then, suddenly, the responses slowed, and Henry blew past her teammate. Henry swam the last 100 in a 53.4 – faster than her first 100 yards as she nearly-perfectly descended each 50 of the swim. The final result was a 4:33.07. That’s the best time in the country by 5 seconds, and a full second-and-a-half faster than the time that Haley Anderson won NCAA’s with in 2012. That’s within three-tenths of a second of Allison Schmitt’s NCAA Record. After missing last year with a redshirt, Henry was absolutely spectacular in this swim, and now ranks 5th all-time in the 500 free at any level (2nd-fastest among those who ever swam a race in college)."
Swimmers usually redshirt because of an injury. It means they trained with the team but didn't compete for the team. Sometimes athletes redshirt because they might not get to play in games or be used by the team during a particular season. Usually when there's a starter, 2nd string and 3rd string player, it gives them a year to practice improve and get stronger. Sometimes if the 1st or 2nd string players in a position get injured, a red shirted athlete might get called out of redshirt to play out the season. Athletes have 5 years to complete their eligibility unless they they qualify for an exception.
(sorry for the redshirt tangent)
Jeff Farrells swims in 1960 days after his appendectomy to qualify for the Olympic trials were exceptional swims
Please share exceptional swims you know about.
With all due credit to Ms. Mann, the exceptional swim I want to highlight is the one that occurred 31 years ago by none other than distance legend Tiffany Cohen. A 31 year old record? Incredible.
Fro swimswam's Grand Prix coverage (swimswam.com/.../)
Women’s 1650 Freestyle...Clearwater Aquatic Team’s Becca Mann finally broke through in perhaps the most challenging of them all.
Mann swam a 15:54.46 that broke Tiffany Cohen’s record of 15:54.86 by just four-tenths of a second. That record was the second-oldest yards record left on the books: having been swum April 1, 1981, only Mary T. Meagher’s 13-14 200 fly record (which Mann came within shouting distance of on Saturday) from 1979 is older. That’s no surprise given the late-80′s revolution in underwater dolphin kicked that revolutionized all swimming, but especially short course swimming where there’s more walls.
Here are two from this summer's Paralympic Games:
Women's S6 400 free:
Two teenagers, Great Britain's Ellie Simmonds (Paralympic record holder) and the US's Victoria Arlen (world record holder), battle it out before a capacity crowd, which I believe included Prince William and Kate Middleton. I love this race because every time I think Arlen has pulled away, Simmonds fights back. The last 100 meters are fantastic.
Swimming - Women's 400m Freestyle - S6 Final - London 2012 Paralympic Games - YouTube (race starts about 3:40)
Men's S11 400 free:
One year *to the day* after losing both his eyes to an IED in Afghanistan, Navy Lt. Bradley Snyder wins the gold in the 400 free at the London Paralympics.
Snyder was captain of the swim team at the Naval Academy. He started swimming several months after his injury to give himself a sense of normalcy and to reassure his family that he would be okay. In his classification, swimmers wear blackout goggles so any residual sight is eliminated (he has two prosthetic eyes, but others in the category may not). They have "tappers" at the ends of the pool who indicate when they should begin their turns.
Swimming - Men's 400m Freestyle - S11 Final - London 2012 Paralympic Games - YouTube (race starts about 3:00)
Two of my favorites from the London Paralympics:
Women's 4x100m Medley Relay - 34pts Final... watch the race right to the end. It's extraordinary.
6otD-eapfOo
Swimming - Women's 100m Backstroke - S6 Final
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From an "exceptional Masters swimmers with disabilities" perspective, there are two W40-44 swimmers currently breaking IPC World Records - Mirjam de Koning-Peper (S6) and Kirsten Bruhn (S7, SB5). Both won gold medals in London. Sebastian Rodriguez (S5) won 2 silver and a bronze at age 55 :eek:. Then there's US swimmer Curtis Lovejoy (S2, SB1, SM2), also 55 - he made finals in London. He currently holds 3 IPC WRs - set at age 44, 46 and 52. There were at least 15 swimmers at the 2012 Paralympics aged 40+, and at least 5 40+ medalists. Yes, I was taking notice :)
