I have a theoretical question. What do you think is the absolute fastest time possible for a human being in the 100 yard freestyle. One way I was looking at it was to start at 1.00 second and say, will anyone ever be able to swim it in 1.00 sec. No. Will anyone ever be able to swim it in 2.00 seconds. No...so on and so on. At what time do you stop and say, hmmm, maybe someday someone would be able to swim that fast.
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Jim it was not Ryan it was Roger Bannister I watched his race in 1954 The Miracle mile when for the first time 2 guys broke the 4 minute barrier in the same race, Roger Bannister and Australia's John Landy en.wikipedia.org/.../Roger_Bannister It is amazing that times keep dropping. In the 50 yard free, for instance, that one guy broke 19 a couple years ago, then last year, 3 guys in the final heat at NCAAs did it. There's that psychological aspect too--like the first runner who broke the 4 minute mile (Jim Ryan?) opening it up as a possibility for the myriad sub-4 minute milers to come.
at some point, times won't be able to drop anymore. what's amazing to me is that we haven't reached that point yet. I think suit technology and better strokes and nutrition and training have all improved light years since Johnny Weismuller's day. Thanks to body suits and streamlining and lower head position, I was able--at age 49--to beat my own high school time in the 200 free. Still, it's hard to believe peak swimming improvement can continue much longer--even as it shows no sign of stopping. At some point, we've gotta hit the Tiger Woods of swimming (maybe it's Phelps?), and then there will necessarily be a lapse before the next Great One takes up swimming (as opposed to some sport that pays more handsomely).
It kind of makes you wonder if pharmaceutical assistance has entered the picture.
Jim it was not Ryan it was Roger Bannister I watched his race in 1954 The Miracle mile when for the first time 2 guys broke the 4 minute barrier in the same race, Roger Bannister and Australia's John Landy en.wikipedia.org/.../Roger_Bannister It is amazing that times keep dropping. In the 50 yard free, for instance, that one guy broke 19 a couple years ago, then last year, 3 guys in the final heat at NCAAs did it. There's that psychological aspect too--like the first runner who broke the 4 minute mile (Jim Ryan?) opening it up as a possibility for the myriad sub-4 minute milers to come.
at some point, times won't be able to drop anymore. what's amazing to me is that we haven't reached that point yet. I think suit technology and better strokes and nutrition and training have all improved light years since Johnny Weismuller's day. Thanks to body suits and streamlining and lower head position, I was able--at age 49--to beat my own high school time in the 200 free. Still, it's hard to believe peak swimming improvement can continue much longer--even as it shows no sign of stopping. At some point, we've gotta hit the Tiger Woods of swimming (maybe it's Phelps?), and then there will necessarily be a lapse before the next Great One takes up swimming (as opposed to some sport that pays more handsomely).
It kind of makes you wonder if pharmaceutical assistance has entered the picture.
