Darian Townsend entered a masters meet in Mesa over the weekend and broke five world records in the 25-29 age group. This was Townsend's first masters meet. For those of you who are not familiar with him, Townend is a three-time Olympian and gold medalist from South Africa.
Swimswam.com posted a story about Townend's incredible meet. Here's the link: swimswam.com/.../
I found the comments quite interesting especially this one by "HMMM":
I have no problem with athletes making money off of Masters but why have a separate division called Masters if there are no rules or restrictions? None of the sponsored people you mention in their 50′s are training for Rio are they?. Most people in Masters believe they are swimming against recreational swimmers which is why there is a separate Masters division and those records are set by recreational/retired swimmers. If Phelps remains retired and wants to swim Masters, well there goes a few records in his age group but none of us in our club would have a problem with it. We discussed that very subject this morning after practice and Phelps, like Rowdy Gaines is retired and would welcome him. Many of us have swam against and met Rowdy and it is a true honor to share the pool with him in a Masters meet. But our entire team would have a huge problem if Lochte decides to swim a Masters meet while he is still fully training for the Olympics and blows all the records out of the water. If Lochte swims 12 events, he is going to walk away with 12 records. Why have a separate record book? If he can do that, you might as well just call us all USA swimmers and do away with the Masters division. There are meets where fully training pros swim and they are called Grand Prix’s, Nationals, and Worlds. Call us old fashioned, call us Masters swimmers, but we all think Masters should be separate from the training pros..
So I'm curious what the rest of you think. Should someone like Darian Townend or Ryan Lochte be allowed to swim in masters meets when they are professional swimmers who are training full-time? And maybe "allowed" is a poor choice or word. The bottom line is do you think they have any business swimming masters meets?
I agree with most here that anyone who wishes to swim at a masters meet should be allowed to do so, regardless of who they are, their background, how they're training, professional status, etc.
Yes, anyone should be able to set masters records. Eligibility to set masters records should only be determined by age, not by how much you train.
Just cuz they a from another world in time & talent, they are swimmers just like us.
Sure , their records will be on the books till Y3K -but let them swim.
I agree with most here that anyone who wishes to swim at a masters meet should be allowed to do so, regardless of who they are, their background, how they're training, professional status, etc.
I fully agree with these points. I realize guys like him swimming Masters while still in their full-time pro training are going to make it hard for the next crop of 'mere mortal' Masters to have a chance at those records, but I still think this is a great thing for Masters swimming. I'd love to see more cross-pollination while these guys are in their prime so that they see how much fun Masters is and they continue with it throughout their lives. I love seeing Olympians of all ages race at Masters meets; if getting them engaged in Masters when they're younger keeps them in it longer, that's a win for all of us swim fans.
are going to make it hard for the next crop of 'mere mortal' Masters to have a chance at those recordsI’m not sure how many mere mortals had a shot at the previous records…
Personally I’m thrilled that elite athletes are competing in Maters Swimming. In this case Townsend, who trains in Tucson drives to a meet in Mesa instead of flying to a FINA World Cup event. It sounds like a great idea, if it fits his training plan.
And it would have been great if others from Tucson Ford could have showed up. Townsend, Grevers, Burnett and Ritter could have a shot a t a couple of relay records.
Should someone like Darian Townend or Ryan Lochte be allowed to swim in masters meets?
The bottom line is do you think they have any business swimming masters meets?
Sure
Why not
It's already happened.
if you wanted to exclude elites, how should we word it?
USMS is for sucky self deluded swimmers who must have jobs and train part time?
NO
All are invited
All are welcome
USMS is a family and a celebration of swimming. No matter where one happens to be on the spectrum of ability and accomplishment.
Should USMS recognize performances of swimmers of various ages who are not USMS or fina members?
Should USMS recognize performances of swimmers of various ages who are not USMS or fina members?
since FINA *IS* the governing body of all things aquatic and usms is a member of fina. if you are not, then you dont. period.
if you go faster than an existing WR and its not sanctioned by usms or fina...then it dont count!
The past five years I have been at meets with members of our Team Elite. The excitement and enthusiasm they bring to a meet is awesome. I've never heard a single complaint, or whine. In fact, it draws greater attention to Masters swimming.
Here's an example, last week I walked into our training room and two members of our pro team were in there. One stood up, came over and then introduced me to the other as the Masters coach. These are both very famous swimmers.
That dude HMMM is a whiner.
Meeting Cullen Jones at Georgia Tech Nationals, and seeing him again at Greensboro Nationals was one of the highlights for me. It made watching him in the last Olympics even more exciting, because he is a great guy who brings a lot to USMS.
8067
One of my best moments in swimming was getting crushed by Megan Jendrick in a 100 BR.It was so cool just to be on the blocks near her.Every time I have been at a meet with the "elites" everyone stops what they are doing to watch them.If anything,having elites in the sport adds to the legitimacy of Masters.
If you are in the age group and registered,you are a Masters swimmer,period,end of discussion.
In order to achieve a Master's record, wouldn't the swimmer have to be a registered USMS member? I fail to see how you could exclude them if they are a member of our organization, and I think that it's great when elite swimmers are at Master's meets.
One of my best moments in swimming was getting crushed by Megan Jendrick in a 100 BR.It was so cool just to be on the blocks near her.Every time I have been at a meet with the "elites" everyone stops what they are doing to watch them.If anything,having elites in the sport adds to the legitimacy of Masters.
If you are in the age group and registered,you are a Masters swimmer,period,end of discussion.
I've been obliterated by Megan several times. Swimming against her and other elites is very cool. I look forward to the next time I take the blocks next to an Olympian. One thing I think of when I race elites is the non-swimmers who tell me I'm like Phelps just because I can swim butterfly...
