I was able to watch some of the swimming from the Olympics while attending the Long Course Nationals in Savannah - GREAT meet by the way- and although I was impressed by many of the swims, I couldn't help but wonder if the trials were held too close to the Games and as a result compromised the taper of the US swimmers?
The competition at the trials was fierce. Many world records were set. Many had the swim of their lives at trials (I was lucky enough to attend several sessions). But there was only one month after trials until the games. For that elite level it seems to me that many of the swimmers would be into a four week taper following the trials. But inorder to swim their best to make the team in Long Beach, they would have had to taper for trials. Look at Brendan Hansen with two world records or come from nowhere Katie Hoff.
My understanding is that if you hit your taper you can expect (about) a 2% drop in time. Did anyone do that in Athens? My question is why do we have trials so close to the Games? Seems to me we should have had trials two or three months before the Games.
Any comments?:)
Parents
Former Member
As I remember in 2000 we had early trials & in general we did better than expected.
Trials were pretty much exactly the same in 2000. We swam about the same dominated both Olympiads. Just b/c not many records were broken and they might have been a bit slower, from what I hear the pool/weather/atmosphere were nothing like Syndney or Long Beach for that matter.
In 1996 we had trials much earlier, some people said we didn't have the team unity we had in 2000/2004 since they broke after trials and did not come back together until months later. This way right after trials they go into training camp and don't break until after the Olympics. You have to admit the team looked like a team ex Gary Hall.
I always think having trials so close to the Olypimcs might not be a good thing, but you can't argue the results. Yes some people did not swim as well but look at the other countries.
We dominated again no questions asked.
As I remember in 2000 we had early trials & in general we did better than expected.
Trials were pretty much exactly the same in 2000. We swam about the same dominated both Olympiads. Just b/c not many records were broken and they might have been a bit slower, from what I hear the pool/weather/atmosphere were nothing like Syndney or Long Beach for that matter.
In 1996 we had trials much earlier, some people said we didn't have the team unity we had in 2000/2004 since they broke after trials and did not come back together until months later. This way right after trials they go into training camp and don't break until after the Olympics. You have to admit the team looked like a team ex Gary Hall.
I always think having trials so close to the Olypimcs might not be a good thing, but you can't argue the results. Yes some people did not swim as well but look at the other countries.
We dominated again no questions asked.
