Ok - I am swim "nerd" - I look at times - I look at records and I wanted to see why these current times are sooo much faster these days ... sorry, I am Freestyler - did not look at strokes.
So here are 2 facts that do make me think and actually question how much faster the actual swimming is these days ...
200 Free - yards vs meters ...
Yards - Luke Hobson 1:28.3 vs back in the day pre underwater Matt Biondi 1:33.0. - 4.7 seconds
Meters - same swimmers 1:44.7 vs I would give Biondi 1:47mid - he did 1:46sth in 800 free relay in 88 - less than 3 seconds ... 2 seconds less difference in the long course vs short course - 4 less turns and underwater...
500 / 400 Free -
Yards - Marchand 4:02 vs record in 1990 record - 4:12 Wojdat - 10 seconds
Meters - I would say 3:43sh for best swimmer that has done also yards vs 3:47 times - maybe 4 seconds ... 6 seconds less difference when 12 less underwaters ....
More turns = much higher time drops = underwater kick is a BIG BIG part of difference ... that math would equal about 0.4s per turn or more. Add the suit and the blocks which leads me to the "question" is this new generation really much "faster" in real swimming terms - no underwater / no funky suits / no weird blocks and it may be "race on" :)
