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"
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Sure, there are some navy seals and tri-atheltes that could make the top ten. But as Ion stated how many of them could beat Paul Carter in 100 meter butterfly. Also,many masters that are not that young anymore don't have that bad of times. In my age group the top time for a women in short course 100yard breastroke was 1:11.0 and this was in the 45 to 49 age group. Back when this woman was swimming in the early 1970's, a 1:09 would have quaified for nationals in 100 yard breastsroke. And how many women in their 50's besides Laura Val can do a 100 yard butterfly in times ranging from 59 to 1:01. When Laura try out for the olympics in 1968, the american record was probably only 57 for 100 yard butterfly. Let's see if Barb Lindquist the world class tri-athlete, can swim freestyle and butterfly when she is in her 50's like Laura Val does.
Sure, there are some navy seals and tri-atheltes that could make the top ten. But as Ion stated how many of them could beat Paul Carter in 100 meter butterfly. Also,many masters that are not that young anymore don't have that bad of times. In my age group the top time for a women in short course 100yard breastroke was 1:11.0 and this was in the 45 to 49 age group. Back when this woman was swimming in the early 1970's, a 1:09 would have quaified for nationals in 100 yard breastsroke. And how many women in their 50's besides Laura Val can do a 100 yard butterfly in times ranging from 59 to 1:01. When Laura try out for the olympics in 1968, the american record was probably only 57 for 100 yard butterfly. Let's see if Barb Lindquist the world class tri-athlete, can swim freestyle and butterfly when she is in her 50's like Laura Val does.
