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 cinc310
...
Yet, Jenny is still performing at a higher level than Chad is. She won the 50 meter freestyle at the pan-pacfics, while Chad only placed on the relay. So, is it possible that some woman especially at the masters level can compete at a higher level than men, just look at Laura Val who is over 50 years old.
This "...higher level..." is relative to the range of what are good performances by women.
In absolute times, the top men do swim faster than the top women.
For example, at Pan Pacific Games, 29 years old Jenny Thompson just swam a lifetime best of 25.15 -I think- in 50 meter free, which as an absolute time for international competition for men, is so-so.
A Master swimmer, Paul Smith (US), age 43, last year did 24.74 in 50 meter free, while first holding a family and full time work, then part-time swimming.
A top time for an older man, scoring more FINA points in the men category than Jenny Thompson's 25.15 does in the women category, is 1:01.3x -I think, worth about 990 FINA points- in 100 meter breastroke Long Course, by Karoly Guttler (Hun), age 34, in this month' European Championships.
That's way more FINA points, than 25.15 in women does, and he is age 34, not 29.
His performance and the 3:57.74 in 400 meter free by Jure Bucar (Slo) in 2000 at age 34, are the highest international level attained by older people, that I am aware of.
At Masters level, in distance, Jim McConica (US), just swam 17.27.xx in 1500 meter free.
Other Masters men's times are in this range.
These absolute Masters men times, overtake women's Masters times.
Men and women have different hormones, different performances, and different races to do.
Originally posted by cinc310
...
Yet, Jenny is still performing at a higher level than Chad is. She won the 50 meter freestyle at the pan-pacfics, while Chad only placed on the relay. So, is it possible that some woman especially at the masters level can compete at a higher level than men, just look at Laura Val who is over 50 years old.
This "...higher level..." is relative to the range of what are good performances by women.
In absolute times, the top men do swim faster than the top women.
For example, at Pan Pacific Games, 29 years old Jenny Thompson just swam a lifetime best of 25.15 -I think- in 50 meter free, which as an absolute time for international competition for men, is so-so.
A Master swimmer, Paul Smith (US), age 43, last year did 24.74 in 50 meter free, while first holding a family and full time work, then part-time swimming.
A top time for an older man, scoring more FINA points in the men category than Jenny Thompson's 25.15 does in the women category, is 1:01.3x -I think, worth about 990 FINA points- in 100 meter breastroke Long Course, by Karoly Guttler (Hun), age 34, in this month' European Championships.
That's way more FINA points, than 25.15 in women does, and he is age 34, not 29.
His performance and the 3:57.74 in 400 meter free by Jure Bucar (Slo) in 2000 at age 34, are the highest international level attained by older people, that I am aware of.
At Masters level, in distance, Jim McConica (US), just swam 17.27.xx in 1500 meter free.
Other Masters men's times are in this range.
These absolute Masters men times, overtake women's Masters times.
Men and women have different hormones, different performances, and different races to do.
