If two swimmers break the National Record in a race, do they both get credit for breaking the record, or only the one who finished first? I know for World Records it is only the one who finishes first, but I am not sure for USMS records.
I guess this may just be my opinion. But as I see it, the instant that the winner of the event touches the wall in their record-breaking performance, their performance/time becomes the new record/time...
Dan
I would certainly agree. You have to win to break the record. If you touch the wall second, there is already a new record, albeit one that is extremely new, and you didn't break that new one because you swam slower than the person who holds it. (Caveats about DQ etc. as above of course.)
Taking this to the logical extreme, let's suppose two meets are going on in different cities. You and your rival both swim faster than a record that stood as of the start of the day, but do so in different heats in different meets. There are 3 scenarios:
1) You go first. Your rival swims later and swims faster than the old record but not faster than you. You now are the record holder and your rival never was.
2) You go second and swim slower than you rival. Your rival is the new record holder and you ever were,
3) You go second and swim faster than your rival. Your rival was the record holder immediately upon completion of his/her swim, but you became the new record holder upon completion of your swim. Your rival didn't hold the record very long, but was, briefly, the record holder.
I guess this may just be my opinion. But as I see it, the instant that the winner of the event touches the wall in their record-breaking performance, their performance/time becomes the new record/time...
Dan
I would certainly agree. You have to win to break the record. If you touch the wall second, there is already a new record, albeit one that is extremely new, and you didn't break that new one because you swam slower than the person who holds it. (Caveats about DQ etc. as above of course.)
Taking this to the logical extreme, let's suppose two meets are going on in different cities. You and your rival both swim faster than a record that stood as of the start of the day, but do so in different heats in different meets. There are 3 scenarios:
1) You go first. Your rival swims later and swims faster than the old record but not faster than you. You now are the record holder and your rival never was.
2) You go second and swim slower than you rival. Your rival is the new record holder and you ever were,
3) You go second and swim faster than your rival. Your rival was the record holder immediately upon completion of his/her swim, but you became the new record holder upon completion of your swim. Your rival didn't hold the record very long, but was, briefly, the record holder.
