What Have Been the Biggest Moments in Swimming?

RE: What Have Been the Biggest Moments in Swimming?

Karl_S — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 21:23:20 GMT

Trudy Ederle becoming the first woman to swim the English Channel and beating the men's record by more than 2 hours.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gertrude_Ederle

Mary T's 200 fly is #2 on my list. These swims were generations ahead of their time.

Sometimes a swimmer will put up a new time that shows everyone else what is possible, but these swims were just so unbelievable that it took ages for other swimmers to even seriously challenge them.

Addendum: Actually, the current women's 200 LCM fly record is also such a swim. It's a shame that it is widely considered suspect.

RE: What Have Been the Biggest Moments in Swimming?

67King — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 15:09:52 GMT

In that case, the "Berkoff Blastoff."

RE: What Have Been the Biggest Moments in Swimming?

Daniel Paulling — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 12:11:04 GMT

That's a question I hadn't considered. I was thinking moments as in competition results, but you raise a good point. Charlie Daniels "inventing" American crawl might be another because it gave us the freestyle stroke we know today.

RE: What Have Been the Biggest Moments in Swimming?

ForceDJ — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 00:35:50 GMT

Are you talking about competition results, competitive careers, and the like? Are are you looking for things like the advent of the flip turn (tumble turn)? I think that was a big ‘moment’ in the history of swimming.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumble_turn

I’d think the development of the various strokes would be considered “big moments” too.

Dan

RE: What Have Been the Biggest Moments in Swimming?

Allen Stark — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 21:39:53 GMT

Also don't forget Mary T Meagher 200 fly world record. A time that lasted for decades.

RE: What Have Been the Biggest Moments in Swimming?

Allen Stark — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 19:26:12 GMT

I think this is the greatest relay in swimming history https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4dPLZko5wc 1976 US Women defeating the cheaters (this seems to be the Canadian video, but still good.)

RE: What Have Been the Biggest Moments in Swimming?

Elaine Krugman — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 20:49:30 GMT

Oh yeah... DEFINITELY! That was third on my list!

RE: What Have Been the Biggest Moments in Swimming?

Jay Eckert — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 15:22:27 GMT

U-S-A! U-S-A!

www.youtube.com/watch

RE: What Have Been the Biggest Moments in Swimming?

Daniel Paulling — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 12:51:52 GMT

Let's hear 'em!

RE: What Have Been the Biggest Moments in Swimming?

67King — Sun, 19 Mar 2023 14:35:14 GMT

This is a slow build, but when Todd DeSorbo started using Ken Ono in his math-based analysis of his swimmers at UVA. And we are now seeing it with probably the most dominant program in a generation. Individual moment? Kate Douglass dropping a 1:48.37 in the 200IM......nearly 2 seconds faster than the previous NCAA record. Yes, I'm biased, 67Princess is a collegiate swimmer (though not at UVA!), and swam against the Walsh sisters in high school.

RE: What Have Been the Biggest Moments in Swimming?

Elaine Krugman — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 21:12:08 GMT

The first one that come to mind was Michael Phelps winning his 28th Olympic medal, making him the most decorated athlete in the history of the Summer Olympics.

Diana Nyad's 110-mile swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage for protection. She was 64!

There are SO MANY more, but these are two of my favorites.