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?
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...
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...
