Swimming Finals at the World Championships in Barcelona, Spain

Originally posted by Matt S Some people here are looking to pounce on you for any reason or no reason. Hey Matt, I can't speak for anyone else, but I think Ion did give a reason for people to pounce on him. :D He brought up a very good point about how remarkable Popov's longevity is. But then he decided to put Biondi down by calling him a "flash in the pan". If a three-time Olympian like Biondi is a "flash", then Ion is setting an unreasonable standard that almost every swimmer would fail (except for a handful like Popov and Jenny Thompson). I can understand why Ion might feel disappointed that Biondi turned away from swimming after '92, but you don't have to trash Biondi to celebrate the greatness of Popov. As for why he retired... I turned to the web, source of indisputable truth. ;) After Seoul, Biondi switched to water polo and made the national team. About a year later, he decided that he had just enough in the tank to switch back and try one more Olympics.

Hey Matt! This musician the rescue. Cindy, can you help me out here with the latin phrase that translates: there is no disputing matters of taste. De gustibus non est disputandem. This also roughly translates into To each, his own. See? Lots of good things come from Baltimore. (See my previous post, of course, about this place! :D ) All the best to everyone. Mark

Well it looks as if Mark Foster has made me eat my words with his performance,but I still doubt his dedication!As for Graeme Smith,he was attacked and beaten up a few weeks ago,so I think that he has a plausible reason for not being at the peak of his performance.But what about the performance of Katy Sexton in the backstroke.That was a truly remarkable come-back.

Originally posted by Ion Beza for the third time now -and I have patience in your special case for a few more thousands times-, it is stated Bond for the 1984 U.S. 4x100 freestyle relay in the Guinness book; I didn't write the Guinness book; I swear, I didn't write the Guinness book; I am saying here what the Guinness book writes. Ion, It is not uncommon for published works to have misprints. In fact, there are very few published works that DON'T have misprints. Other almanacs correctly spell Matt's name as BIONDI (check www.infoplease.com/.../A0114836.html for example). Don't assume that because Guinness misspelled his name that that means he began his Olympic swimming career under an assumed name! Meg

Katy Sexton did great, I was impressed. it looks like the increase in training that Sweetenham imposed on the British team, ( 60,000 metres a week min ) is paying off as we are starting to show an ability to compete in the final 30 metres of a race. BTW Thorpe and Hackett train 120,000 metres per week. Mark Foster and Zoe Baker have refused to commit to 60k/week which is why they can only enter 50m events. I don't question Grahame Smiths work ethic, I am mad at his coach for leaving him with a sloppy technique. I saw David Davies in the 1500m ( our new hope! ) but he also has poor technique and will not get far. His coach ' David Haller ' coached some of my family in the Welsh squad in the 70's. He said to them " Don't worry about form just try to keep up with the workouts ". I don't think he has changed and the talent of David Davies will be wasted. At this level every swimmer (except Foster & Baker ) is very well trained. But you can only swim up to the level of your Technique, and we in the UK still have not figured this out. The ethos is still "Train Hard" but you need to "Train Smart & Hard". The coaches are not challenging themselves to change and learn from the best and until they do, Gold medals will not appear.

Regarding this: Originally posted by Matt S Ion, ... You have stated your criteria for judging Popov better than Biondi. ... Matt what I assert is not whose career is "...better than...", but the criterion of the 'flash-in-the-pan' winning. Whose career is "...better than...", could be done after making an evaluation of such criteria as: 1.) 'better' times, 2.) 'versatile' career (brought up earlier in this thread), 3.) 'flash-in-the-pan' career as a winner in one Olympics, 4.) not a 'flash-in-the-pan' career as a winner in many Olympics, 5.) how many world records one competitor set in one Olympics, 6.) etc.. These criteria bring different angles to analyze a career, each with its supporting data. It is based on criteria like 1.) thru 6.) that one asserts whose career is "...better...", Biondi's, Popov's, or somone's else. I don't do it in this thread. In another thread, I stated that there is no set of criteria accepted in a standard form establishing whose career is "...better...". My comparison of Biondi with Popov, is mainly in the 'flash-in-the-pan' and the not a 'flash-in-the-pan' domain. Otherwise known as longevity on the top of the world.

Originally posted by mark_varney47 Well it looks as if Mark Foster has made me eat my words with his performance,but I still doubt his dedication! ... He was threatened by Bill Sweetenham that if he doesn't medal in these 2003 World Championships, then he is not going to the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Originally posted by MegSmath Ion, It is not uncommon for published works to have misprints. In fact, there are very few published works that DON'T have misprints. ... Don't assume that because Guinness misspelled his name that that means he began his Olympic swimming career under an assumed name! Meg Point taken. My inclination (when not being sure of what to think) was to trust the information in the Guinness book since it seemed to know how to write Biondi for 1988 and 1992, and Bond for 1984.

This is true: Originally posted by kaelonj Ion, I think its kind of sad how you once considered Biondi a great swimmer (idol, hero - whatever you choose) only to turn on this because he decided to retire rather than defend his title. Why he retired, don't know, I would expect he wanted to move along with his life (maybe there was a pact with his now wife that she would support his swimming to a point and then he would support her to finish law school - whatever its all speculation,... ... Jeff Man, I make an effort to come to the U.S., where my hero -who showed character in winning repeatedly- is living. But what does my hero do then? He quits, shortly after Popov beats him in 1992. With no more character in winning repeatedly, than a flake. Since 1990, he was paid by U.S. Swimming, $50,000 per year to stay in swimming and win.

Originally posted by mattson ... If a three-time Olympian like Biondi is a "flash", then Ion is setting an unreasonable standard that almost every swimmer would fail (except for a handful like Popov and Jenny Thompson). I can understand why Ion might feel disappointed that Biondi turned away from swimming after '92,... ... The standard that I set for the not a 'flash-in-the-pan' winner in Olympics, is updated here: Originally posted by Ion Beza ... Winners that confirmed themselves on top at the Olympics, are in descending order: ............................................................ 1.) Dawn Fraser (Aus.), winner of the 100 free in 1956, 1960 and 1964; 2.) Alex. Popov (Rus.) winner of the 50 and 100 free in 1992, winner of the 50 and 100 free in 1996, second in the 100 free in 2000, Kieren Perkins (Aus.) winner in the 1500 free in 1992, winner in the 1500 free in 1996, second in the 1500 free in 2000; Tamas Darnyi (Hun.) winner of the 200 and 400 I.M. in 1988, winner of the 200 and 400 I.M. in 1992; 3.) Vladimir Salnikov (Rus.), winner of the 1500 free in 1980, winner of the 1500 free in 1988; (Russia boycotted the 1984 Olympics); Tom Dolan (U.S.) winner of the 400 I.M. in 1996 and winner of the 400 I.M. in 2000; Johnny Weissmuller (U.S.) winner of the 100 free in 1924 and winner of the 100 free in 1928. ............................................................ Dolan retired last year. Fraser, Salnikov, Darnyi and Perkins are retired. Weissmuller died years ago. Popov, kicks some rear, right now.