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.
Former Member
I think I heard on the radio that Greg LeMond just turned 41. Didn't he just win a TdF recently?
Oops. I am confusing Lemond and Lance Armstrong.
I don't know how old Lance is, but the guy did beat testicular cancer, which cant make you fell any younger.
Originally posted by Phil Arcuni
don't forget Dennis Bakers 200 LC fly last week of 2:05.84 at the age of 40, only 1.15s off of Nationals qualifying time!
No, I won't forget.
That's amazing.
If I could do it, I would do it myself too, but I don't know how.
Then what is the prime age for women. Dana Torres placing in the olympics at 32 years old and Laura Val swimming some events faster in her forties or 50 years old than she did at 18 or 20 years old. I always think that we women can do things sometimes older than the guys. In the old days people thought that swimmers were over at 22 years old because the elite swimmers couldn't stayin the sporanderfor economic reasons, And also Dennis Baker time could have gotten him 3rd place in the 200 meter fly in 1972 for men or be able to beat Mary T Meagher or Misty Hyman and Susie O'Neil at their primes. As for Don Schollander times are from an earlier generation, soex-national level swimmers in their 40's should be able to do faster than he did at 1964.
Originally posted by cinc310
Then what is the prime age for women. Dana Torres placing in the olympics at 32 years old...
She was 33, almost 34.
However, in the summer of 2000, San Francisco Chronicle had an article about Olympians, one of them being Dara Torres, who were taking legal supplements under medical supervision giving the benefits of illegal products. It was to the tune of products of many hundreds of dollars per month.
Originally posted by cinc310
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and Laura Val swimming some events faster in her forties or 50 years old than she did at 18 or 20 years old.
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I know. That's awesome.
Originally posted by cinc310
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I always think that we women can do things sometimes older than the guys.
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Like what?
Originally posted by cinc310
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As for Don Schollander times are from an earlier generation, soex-national level swimmers in their 40's should be able to do faster than he did at 1964.
Still, it shows a tremendous evolution in performance for pioneers, so that followers can follow to a degree.
Originally posted by cinc310
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Swimming depends less on muscular strength than those sports. That's why you have 12 year old girls that can qualify for nationals being only 5' tall and weighting less than 100 pounds.
Swimming depends mainly on cardiovascular, which in swimming is the ability of the heart to send oxygen from lungs into swimming specific (not weightlifting specific) muscles.
Medical studies rank in order cross-coutry skiiing, swimming and marathon running as the sports developing the most cardiovascular, "...as measured by maximal oxygen uptake tests." writes a paper, amongst all sports.
As to Thorp's kicking so fast...Gosh, it has NOTHING to do with his POWER...it has to do with his size million feet. :D
Heck, I am shocked he has never been disqualified for using flippers (disguised as his feet).
The muscular prime is more 35 years old than 24 years old. In weightlifting and field events in track and field most male and female sports people are into their late 20's to mid 30's. Swimming depends less on muscular strength than those sports. That's why you have 12 year old girls that can qualify for nationals being only 5' tall and weighting less than 100 pounds.
Karolyi Guttler from Hungary, at age 34, just went 1:02.09 in 100 meter breastrke, in a 50 meter pool.
This is worth 970 FINA points, on a scale where 1,000 FINA points is close to a world record at Olympic level.
It is also worth a top 20 ranking in the world, but the year is not finished yet, so it's early to be able to tell.
I think Guttler will push for faster than that, next month in the European championships in Berlin (Ger).
I knew for longtime that people from Hungary, Romania -where I grew- are tough minded, as one can see in Olympic disciplines.
