I think that Johnny Weissmuller was better for his time than Mark Spitz because he was a natural. He workout not that much compared to Spitz who workout several times more yardage. Granted, Spitz did have the ideal olympics that porbably no other swimmer will do again. There is too much competition today compared to 1972 and there are few freestylers who can also won butterfly at the international level these days. This is for fun.
Parents
Former Member
Personally I rely on today's world records because they involve the biggest number of swimming participants ever:
today's competitions include the largest pool ever of the gifted to draw winners from, while in the past, champions might have won by default.
By this token, I believe that Tom Dolan (US), winner of 400 meter IM -which is the swimming equivalent of track's decathlon- in 1996 Altanta Olympics, and 2000 Sydney Olympics, a world record holder in 1994 and again in 2000 (with a 4:11.xx), is the greatest.
However his streak might come soon to a halt, given recent performances by youngsters Erik Vendt (US, who swam a 1500 meter free in 14:59.xx in 2000, a 15:06.xx untapered in 2002, and swam 400 meter IM in 4:13.xx in 2000 and again a 4:13.xx in 2002 but untapered this time) and Michael Phelps (US, who swam a 400 meter IM in 4:15.xx untapered in 2002).
If Tom Dolan overcomes another Olympics, the 2004 in Greece, then it will become even more obvious to non swimmers that he is great.
Personally I rely on today's world records because they involve the biggest number of swimming participants ever:
today's competitions include the largest pool ever of the gifted to draw winners from, while in the past, champions might have won by default.
By this token, I believe that Tom Dolan (US), winner of 400 meter IM -which is the swimming equivalent of track's decathlon- in 1996 Altanta Olympics, and 2000 Sydney Olympics, a world record holder in 1994 and again in 2000 (with a 4:11.xx), is the greatest.
However his streak might come soon to a halt, given recent performances by youngsters Erik Vendt (US, who swam a 1500 meter free in 14:59.xx in 2000, a 15:06.xx untapered in 2002, and swam 400 meter IM in 4:13.xx in 2000 and again a 4:13.xx in 2002 but untapered this time) and Michael Phelps (US, who swam a 400 meter IM in 4:15.xx untapered in 2002).
If Tom Dolan overcomes another Olympics, the 2004 in Greece, then it will become even more obvious to non swimmers that he is great.
