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.
Parents
Former Member
So, you learn that late to swim. I got to learn a little from my dad at 6 years old at the mobile home park pool and then every summer until 11 years old I learn at the municipal pool. Then at 11 years old I learned butterfly at a private swim school, and working out on a novice team just before my 12th birthday. Anyway, I didn't end up being the swimmer my dad wanted as a kid. He tried when I was 14 years old switching to a team like Huntington Beach that had elite age group swimmers like Shirley Babashoff. The last AAU team I was on was in-between the novice and elite team. The last two years I only workout during the community college season. So late starters shouldn't be that discouarge, there are a lot of ex-age groupers that never qualified for either senior nationals and even JR nationals. The last team I was on wanted to put a relay together for JR nationals but the coach stated that my Fly had to be a couple seconds faster for us to go, so we didn't go.
So, you learn that late to swim. I got to learn a little from my dad at 6 years old at the mobile home park pool and then every summer until 11 years old I learn at the municipal pool. Then at 11 years old I learned butterfly at a private swim school, and working out on a novice team just before my 12th birthday. Anyway, I didn't end up being the swimmer my dad wanted as a kid. He tried when I was 14 years old switching to a team like Huntington Beach that had elite age group swimmers like Shirley Babashoff. The last AAU team I was on was in-between the novice and elite team. The last two years I only workout during the community college season. So late starters shouldn't be that discouarge, there are a lot of ex-age groupers that never qualified for either senior nationals and even JR nationals. The last team I was on wanted to put a relay together for JR nationals but the coach stated that my Fly had to be a couple seconds faster for us to go, so we didn't go.
