Who is your fav swimmer?

Alecia 'GreenHair', who is 12 years old, 5'4" 1/2" tall, and who is outswam in her club by five 12 years olds 4'7" tall: 'my favorite swimmer' is all swimmers who try hard to improve. I guess people are dazzled by the looks and performances of Aaron Peirsol and Lenny Krayzelburg. Right now I am impressed with Michael Phelps (US) (51.9 in 100 meters butterfly in Long Course, and a World Record in 400 meters IM in Long Course), Eric Vendt (US) (14:59.xx in 1500 meters Long Course in 2001, and a second fastest ever 400 meters IM in Long Course), Jason Lezak (US) in 100 meters free, Coman (Rom) in 400 meters free, Popov (Rus) in 50 and 100 meters free, Nate Dusing (US) in 200 meters free who positions himself for the 2004 Olympic Trials, Thomas Ruprath (Ger) 51.8 in 100 meters butterfly Long Course, Anthony Ervin (US) in sprints, Pieter van den Hoogenband (Ned) in sprints, Ian Thorpe (Aus) in sprints and middle distance, Grant Hackett (Aus) in middle and long distance, and many, many more who work hard in order to improve their times. At the Masters Swim level, where people are over the age of 19, I am impressed with Graham Johnston (ex-RSA and now US) in distance, Richard Abrahams (US) in sprints, Jim McConica (US) in distance, 'Tall Paul' Smith (US) in sprints -who is in the process of changing his technique in order to increase the arms turnover, I guess for out touching another tough-as-nails sprinter named John Smith-, Fritz Lehman (US) in sprints backstroke, William Specht (US) in 200 meters butterfly Long Course, and many, many more who work with passion to improve their times. In November 2002, I took technique lessons with Mickey Murad (US), age 21, who in 2001 swam a 800 meters freestyle Long Course in 8:05 -ranked 28 in the world, in a ranking starting with Ian Thorpe (Aus)-, and I was watching workouts by Aram Kevorkian (US), age 20, who in 2002 swam 200 meters freestyle Long Course in 1:51. Being in the midst of this, that's my favorite adventure.

Don't forget the other swimming Tarzan, Buster Crabbe. He outswam *and* wrestled crocodiles.

:mad: I'm not just dazzled by Lenny and Aaron's looks, Ion Beza, I think Lenny and Aaron are good swimmers! What do you have against them? If you want to know who is cute it's Anthony Ervin,O.K.!:p :eek: ;)

Originally posted by greenhairchica :mad: I'm not just dazzled by Lenny and Aaron's looks, Ion Beza, I think Lenny and Aaron are good swimmers! What do you have against them? ... Lenny and Aaron are very good swimmers, they are easily recognizable, and there is nothing against them.

:( Sorry Ion, I wasnt trying to be mean! I do agree with you though I do like swimmers who work hard!:( :)

Because you like Anthony Ervin (US) too, I have this little story: in the year 2000, a few months before the Olympics there was a forum - www.nbcolympics.com -, with a swimming section in it; before the US Olympic Trials, I predicted that Anthony Ervin will qualify in 50 meters free (and not in the 100 meters free); he was little-known then at the NCAA level, as a yards tough sprinter; other posters were stunned by my prediction; when he qualified, with what is today the third fastest time in history for the 50 meters free, the other posters were thinking that I must be a wizard; I also predicted that van den Hoogenband (Ned) was going to be during the Olympics in the same class as Thorpe (Aus) in the 200 meters free, at a time when van den Hoogenband was at best -once so far- close to a second behind Thorpe's average of five best times; in the Olympics, van den Hoogenband raised himself in the same class as Thorpe like I predicted, and won gold over Thorpe by a small margin; one of the posters in www.nbcolympics.com, was Dan Kowalski (Aus) who won silver (in 1500 meters free) and bronze (in the 200 meters free) in the 1996 Olympics, and gold (in the 4 x 200 meters free relay) in the 2000 Olympics. This is a fun little story of lucky predictions...

Johnny Wiesmuller- No one else I know could outswim a crocodile! - and be able to do it with his head out of the water the whole time.

My favorite swimmers are Ed Moses and (like Ion) right now, I'm very impressed with Michael Phelps.

I think Ion was talking about a certain look, Aaron Perisol fits the blond upper middle classs surfer look from southern Orange County California. I like his looks but I think his main strength is the 200 meter backstroke and not the 100 meter backstroke. Lenny has the eastern European look and has a slight accent that appeals to some women. Lenny I think now has a better chance in the 100 meter since Aaron is weaker there but there is Mr Welsh from Australia another top backstroker that could give both of them trouble. As for Mr Ervin, he's the first swimmer with a minorty background from the United States since Pablo Morales to win gold at the olympics. Anthony is a 1/4 Afro-American and Mr Pablo Morales is Latin from Cuba. Swimming is a sport that at the top level has been dominated by people from a european ancestorial background in the United States. Swimmers like Anthony Ervin and Pablo Morales in the past broke thru the barrier and swam well without coming from the usual background of top american swimmers. On the international level there are many top latin swimmers and swimmmers like a afro-background and asian swimmers.

Shirley Babashoff. No one work out harder than she did. I know this since I once was on a team with her during 1971 to 1973 season before she went to Mission Viejo. Her mother was sort of a stage mom but Shirley had a drive. Also, her brother Jack was a top swimmer too, he place second in the 100 meter freestyle in 1976 at the olympics and brother Billy made nationals and very younger sister Debbie went to Olympic trials in 1988.