Swimming Finals at the World Championships in Barcelona, Spain
Former Member
The finals of the first day, show:
.) in the men 400 meter free final, Thorpe (Aus.) went 3:42.58 for #1, Hackett (Aus.) went 3:45.17 for #2, and Coman (Rom.) went 3:46.8x for #3;
Coman -who is my fellow countryman, and I was telling you about him for years-, defeated Rossolini (Ita.) of the 2000 Olympics fame, Keller (U.S.) and Carvin (U.S.);
.) in the women 400 meter free final, Simona Paduraru (Rom.) finished #7, with a fast time;
.) in the 4x100 men free relay, Russia won;
the fastest split was by Frenchman Frederic Bousquet at 47.03 -which is the second fastest split in history-, and fast splits (in the 47s) were recorded by Alex. Popov (Rus.) and Jason Lezak (U.S.);
.) in the 4x100 women free relay, U.S. won, anchored by an ace 53.xx from Jenny Thompson (U.S.).
He! he! he! :D ho! ho! ho!
I post this, ahead of www.swiminfo.com and www.swimnews.com who are sandbagging...
Originally posted by nyswim
i really can't figure out why you don't like Biondi except for the fact that he left swimming before you thought he should.
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That's it:
you got it.
Originally posted by nyswim
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to me he seems to have the numbers to back up his greatness.
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He has "...the numbers...".
Like Mark Spitz has "...the numbers...".
Did he defend them?
No.
When going got tough in 1992, then the 'tough' run away...
Originally posted by nyswim
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how do you think Popov will do in 2004?
I root for anyone who achieves as much as it appears on this list:
Originally posted by Ion Beza
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Winners that confirmed themselves on top at the Olympics, are in descending order:
1.) Dawn Fraser (Aus.);
2.) Alex. Popov (Rus.) and Kieren Perkins (Aus.);
3.) Vladimir Salnikov (Rus.), Tom Dolan (U.S.) and Johnny Weissmuller (U.S.).
Dolan retired last year.
Fraser, Salnikov, and Perkins are retired.
Wiessmuller died years ago.
Popov, kicks some rear, right now.
The only one active on this list, and going strong, it's Popov.
That's why I call him the Michael Jordan or the Pete Sampras of sprint swimming.
I don't know about 2004.
He needs 21.xx in 50 free and 47.xx in 100 free, to win.
He lives in Switzerland now and travels shorter distances, and I hope that he wins in 2004.
I have a competition this weekend, so I will rest now.
I will talk to you later...
Well, I would add Shirley Babashoff as one of the greats. Matt Blondi didn't qualify in as many events as Shirley did in the 1976 olympics. She could swim all freestyles from 100 to 800 meters and with the East Geman ladies cheating, she still manage to get many seconds. Also, in olympic trials, she won the 400 IM. Actually, I think Thrope is better than Blondi. Thrope just placed 3rd in the 100 meter freestyle and 2nd in the 200 meter Im. Blondi could never placed 3rd in the world in the 400 meter freestyle. Blondi was a great swimmer but like Jenny Thompson, alot of medals his were earn thru relays.
Hackett- win, no WR
Phelps- win, sub 4:10
Coughlin- best female in the world now. would take the chance using her sick.
A team - betters WR by 1.5 sec +
Signed,
Jack:D
Cynthia,
by my criterion of who wins the biggest swimming competition, the Olympics, then who repeats winning in the next Olympics, then who wins for a third time in a third Olympics,
Shirley Babashoff (U.S.) didn't win the Olympics, not because of the steroid enhanced East Germans in two cases, but because she got defeated fair and square in the Olympics by competition in these two cases:
1.) in 1972, in the 100 free, Sandra Neilson (U.S.) defeated Babashoff;
2.) in 1972, in the 200 free, Shane Gould (Aus.) defeated Babashoff.
In fact, Shane Gould is the only person in swimming who got all the world records in freestyle.
From 100 up until 1500.
In the early 70s.
In 1976, in the 200 free, Kornelia Ender (GDR.) defeated Babashoff, and here indeed is a case of a steroid enhanced East German taking the gold away from Babashoff, but only in this case.
The 1980 Olympics were boycotted by U.S., and this denied Babashoff to have a reaction to the 1976 Olympics.
The best world champs I can remember, full of exceptional performances and unexpected results. Some oldsters (ha-ha, not compared to us, eh?) came through & some young pups showed their bite. But- what about the Olympics in 2004? Does anyone think it will be this fast overall? I doubt it; they always seem to be possessed of drama but not the sheer reckless breakthrough speed we saw this past week. Nevertheless, I'm already looking forward to them (esp. 'cause they're on TV), whether the "legends" or the "flashes-in-the-pan" dominate.
