I am looking for a list of Olympian Masters and what Olympics and events they particpated in. If you have such a list or know where one is, please let me know. Individual anecdotes are OK too.
Background:
I want to write to "Splash" magazine and ask them to feature some of the people on such a list when they write about great swimmers. I'm tired of reading (and having my kids read) about so-and-so great swimmer, who got to the Olympics, did great, and now swimming is behind them (i.e. they don't swim anymore). On the "mission statement" of Splash, they give lip service to a lifelong involvement with swimming, but they never seem to come up with an example of such a person.
wiredknight
I heard that Mark Spitz beat some of his old times during his comeback! Although he got faster it was not quite fast enough for qualifying for the Olympics again.
Not True. Mark Spitz did a :58.03 in the 100 Meter Fly during his comeback which was a far cry from the :55.59 Olympic qualifing time and the :54.27 he did at the 1972 Olympics. I explained this in post 42 of this thread. However, Mark's time would have broke the 40-44 World Record by 4 seconds of 1:02.05 by Lance Larson set in 1983 if he was a registered masters swimmer at that time. Back then you did not need to do the swim in a masters meet, which is a FINA requirement today.
Bill Specht did a :57.79 in 1999 to break the record of 1:02.05 by Lance Larson. Today the record is :57.57 by Paul Carter. The swim by Mark took 2 years to accomplish after a 17 year lay off from competition.
I heard that Mark Spitz beat some of his old times during his comeback! Although he got faster it was not quite fast enough for qualifying for the Olympics again.
Not True. Mark Spitz did a :58.03 in the 100 Meter Fly during his comeback which was a far cry from the :55.59 Olympic qualifing time and the :54.27 he did at the 1972 Olympics. I explained this in post 42 of this thread. However, Mark's time would have broke the 40-44 World Record by 4 seconds of 1:02.05 by Lance Larson set in 1983 if he was a registered masters swimmer at that time. Back then you did not need to do the swim in a masters meet, which is a FINA requirement today.
Bill Specht did a :57.79 in 1999 to break the record of 1:02.05 by Lance Larson. Today the record is :57.57 by Paul Carter. The swim by Mark took 2 years to accomplish after a 17 year lay off from competition.
