www.swiminfo.com, in an article about 27-years old Olympic Algerian sprinter Salim Iles who two days ago in France set a new African record in 100 meter freestyle in a 50 meter pool at :49.00, claims that age 29 is now considered the "prime years for male swimming".
One day ago, Franck Esposito (Fra.), age 31, swam 1:54.62 in 200 meter butterfly in a 50 meter pool, second fastest time in history, marginally behind Michael Phelps (US) 1:54.58, age 17.
(As a side note, Esposito is not a giant like 6' 7" Tom Malchow (US), or tall like Phelps' 6' 3", he is 5' 11").
Alex. Popov (Rus.), Mark Foster (GBR), John Miranda (US), Ron Karnaugh (US), Sven Lodziewski (Ger) are clear Olympic-level calibers for male swimmers past the age of 30.
So, age 29 is now considered within the "prime years for male swimming" in this sport that is physically fitness-driven.
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Originally posted by SupaFly
29 seems a little old... If you look at the competitors in the Olympics there are very few that old, and probably only a couple are actually setting records (I just know of Mark Foster). I thought that the peak of muscular power in men is on average at 24 years of age.
Supa,
Josh Davis (US) born in 1972, Alex Popov (Rus) born in 1971, Mark Foster (GBR) born in 1970, and Franck Esposito (Fra) born in 1971 set records at ages 28, almost 29, 30, and 31.
Others like John Miranda (US), Ron Karnaugh (US), Sven Lodziewski (Ger), Zoltan Szilagyi (Hun, born in 1967, he swam in 2000 at age 33, a 400 meter in a 50 meter pool in 3:57.66, good for rank 95 in the world), Jure Bucar (Slo, born in 1966, he swam in 2000 at age 34, a 400 meter in a 50 meter pool in 3:57.74, good for rank 96 in the world) keep up with top world-class competition while in their mid thirties.
This is a ground-breaking trend: supported by money allowing them to avoid jobs, these full-time swimmers push the limits of peak physical maturity at an age close to 30; new knowledge is driven from them.
The tendency for physical maturity happens in Masters Swimming also, albeit it is hampered by the fact that the adults in Masters Swimming have jobs to support their lives since competitions in Masters Swimming don't pay anything yet: for example, last year in a 50 meter competition for the 200 meter free-style, Paul Smith (US) age 42 swam 1:58.61 and Paul Carter (US) age 44 swam 1:59.36. Even though these are not their lifetime bests, it is worth noticing that these age records were done by people with full-time jobs, family, training in their forties, while it took Donald Schollander (US) of age 18 in 1964 a full-time training to set the then World Record of just under 2:00.
It is a ground-breaking trend indeed, the pushing of physical maturity limits...
Originally posted by SupaFly
29 seems a little old... If you look at the competitors in the Olympics there are very few that old, and probably only a couple are actually setting records (I just know of Mark Foster). I thought that the peak of muscular power in men is on average at 24 years of age.
Supa,
Josh Davis (US) born in 1972, Alex Popov (Rus) born in 1971, Mark Foster (GBR) born in 1970, and Franck Esposito (Fra) born in 1971 set records at ages 28, almost 29, 30, and 31.
Others like John Miranda (US), Ron Karnaugh (US), Sven Lodziewski (Ger), Zoltan Szilagyi (Hun, born in 1967, he swam in 2000 at age 33, a 400 meter in a 50 meter pool in 3:57.66, good for rank 95 in the world), Jure Bucar (Slo, born in 1966, he swam in 2000 at age 34, a 400 meter in a 50 meter pool in 3:57.74, good for rank 96 in the world) keep up with top world-class competition while in their mid thirties.
This is a ground-breaking trend: supported by money allowing them to avoid jobs, these full-time swimmers push the limits of peak physical maturity at an age close to 30; new knowledge is driven from them.
The tendency for physical maturity happens in Masters Swimming also, albeit it is hampered by the fact that the adults in Masters Swimming have jobs to support their lives since competitions in Masters Swimming don't pay anything yet: for example, last year in a 50 meter competition for the 200 meter free-style, Paul Smith (US) age 42 swam 1:58.61 and Paul Carter (US) age 44 swam 1:59.36. Even though these are not their lifetime bests, it is worth noticing that these age records were done by people with full-time jobs, family, training in their forties, while it took Donald Schollander (US) of age 18 in 1964 a full-time training to set the then World Record of just under 2:00.
It is a ground-breaking trend indeed, the pushing of physical maturity limits...
