This is somewhat related to another post I just started (Top Ten conerns). I noticed in the top ten list a number of swimmers (generally very fast swimmers) who swam their first nationals (or any other masters meet) in 5 years due to being in a new age group. I state this by looking at the past few years top ten lists and not seeing their names. Is this a good thing for masters swimming? Swimmers whose only affiliation with masters swimming is showing up to one meet every 5 years to break a record. These records should be owned by people that are true masters swimmers.
What is a true masters swimmers?- Perhaps doing a few meets a year might work. When I swam on an age group team as a child, I know in order to qualify for our championship meet, we had to swim at least 3 regular meets. Perhaps a rule like that for Nationals could begin to fix this problem-
If not, many of our national records will be held by "ringers"
Parents
Former Member
I consider the start of this thread more flame bait than anything else, but I can help:
top ten and records do not always go to the fastest even now. Here are some reasons:
irrelevant-to-speed DQ's. For example, a backstroker who coasts into the wall (on his/her stomach) will not have a time that counts.
not-a-USMS-sanctioned-meet: true for world top ten and records.
dues-not-up-to-date:
not-quite-19-years-old:
touch-pads-broke, not enough hand times:
pool-too-short by 1.e-6 cm:
Then again, a swimmer who takes performance enhancing drugs will have times that *do* count. Events where the S&T judge day-dreamed will count. Also, my meter times next year will count in the 45 - 49 age group, even though my 45th birthday won't be for 10 months later.
I consider the start of this thread more flame bait than anything else, but I can help:
top ten and records do not always go to the fastest even now. Here are some reasons:
irrelevant-to-speed DQ's. For example, a backstroker who coasts into the wall (on his/her stomach) will not have a time that counts.
not-a-USMS-sanctioned-meet: true for world top ten and records.
dues-not-up-to-date:
not-quite-19-years-old:
touch-pads-broke, not enough hand times:
pool-too-short by 1.e-6 cm:
Then again, a swimmer who takes performance enhancing drugs will have times that *do* count. Events where the S&T judge day-dreamed will count. Also, my meter times next year will count in the 45 - 49 age group, even though my 45th birthday won't be for 10 months later.
