Let's take a step back and enjoy a good laugh at ourselves.
Here, I'll start.
This happened on my first meet ever.
I had only been swimming for 4 weeks and my freestyle was really starting to come together. I was looking at a 1:03-1:05 time slip.
All day long I had been seated in the "barely able to float" heats but found myself in a single digit heat for this race. I knew my weakest points were my turns and (especially) my starts.
So they call for us to take the blocks. I climb up, my stomach full of butterflies.
"Take your marks", I balance on tip toes like my coach had been instructing me, waiting to spring out into action.
I'm thinking that if I can get a good start I may actually be able take this race. So, I start leaning a little forward in preparation for the starting horn.
It seems like an eternity that we're standing there, me balancing on the edge of this block. I think he's got to sound the horn any moment and lean a bit into it to get a good start.
WRONG! I fell face first into the pool.
Have a nice day, maybe next time.
To make matters worse I had brought my video camera to the meet so we could tape ourselves and look over it the next week.
I've had to relive this nightmare over and over more times I care to admit.
Upon watching the tape, it's obvious the starter saw me leaning into the start and held off. I thought I was being sneaky but after watching it on film I think everyone there could see me trying to edge out the start.
Barring any other mishaps, this will always be the most embarrassing moment of my swimming career.
1995. Speedo Grand Prix in Fort Lauderdale.
I was swimming the 200 back, an event I rarely swam before then, but the only event I felt I wouldn't embarrass myself in on this particular day.
I remember being in a seeded heat, but not a threat to win the heat (remember, I'm a breaststroker who does backstroke). I had gone 1:00 in the 100 back the day before, so I was feeling good about going under 2:10, which would have been my best time if converted to yards.
Those of you who have swum in Fort Lauderdale know the conditions. It's extremely sunny. And now you probably know where this is going.
I swam the first 100 very well. I think I was in third. The third 50 was torture because the sun was right in my eyeline and there was no way I could tilt my head to remove the glare. Having not trained outdoors much, this was a new aspect of the race to deal with. The 100 back was no problem, I remember, because it was the first event of the day and the sun wasn't bad. And then finals was late at night so the sun was almost set.
Anyway, back to the third 50. I couldn't take the sun any longer. Since it was long course, I figured I'd close my eyes and swim for about 10 strokes. Swimming with my eyes closed felt so comfortable I kept them closed ... for 20 strokes.
BAM! I hit my head on the wall. Oh, how embarrassing! This was a pretty crowded meet; lots of people were watching! And I knew lots of them! I quickly recovered and swam the last 50 like there was no tomorrow (obviously the accident affected my standing). I finished 11th overall in the prelims. At least I got a second swim. My coach couldn't stop laughing.
In finals, with no sun in my eyes, I won the consolation heat by something like three seconds, going 2:10.5.
I've got another one. And, again, it involves the 200 back.
A short course meters meet when I was 15 or 16. Very, very, very low-key. Which is why my mind was wandering while swimming the 200 back an winning by a lot.
I stopped at the 150 thinking I had done eight lengths. I saw people waving at me and my coach yelling "Two more!" Unfortunately, I touched the bottom and was disqualified. I was happy it was the last event of the day.
I'm going back nearly 30 years to share this one....
I was 8 swimming my first LCM 200 IM and I was seeded first when the nerves had to kick in as I was waiting behind the blocks for my heat. As many of us have experienced before a race I was suddenly faced with the need to pee and as an 8 year old you can't just ignore the issue. Finally my shifting and squirming got so bad I had to tell the timers my dilemma. (we of course were now just a heat away from my race) Being sympathetic parents they sent me off to the bathroom and got the officials to hold up the entire meet until I returned.
Originally posted by 69gscal
I'm still waiting for someone to say they forgot to tie their Speedos before a race though. I know someone has to have done it.
Shaun Jordan -- or anyone who swam for Texas or Stanford in 1990 -- can tell you in great detail about Shaun not tying his suit before diving for the 400 free relay. I think there was even a cartoon strip made of it.
All I know is that the meet was at Stanford in January. Brrrrr! So Shaun was the anchor on the 400 free relay, and he was bundled up in his parka waiting for his leg. With about five seconds before he is to dive in, he sheds the parka, jumps up on the blocks and dives in. With each sucessive pushoff the suit goes further down, until it's not there at all. It seems Shaun forgot to tie his suit in his pre-race preparations. Or lack thereof.
I don't have any embarassing swimming stories to share at this time but I might after my first meet which is September 25. God I hope I am not bringing up this thread that evening. :D
Years ago, when I lived in Houston I bet Robert Killeen in the 50yd free. I had to break a 21.0 to win. A LOT was on the line in this bet. The loser had to kiss the winners butt. I missed breaking a 21 in the individual event by a tenth. I had one event left in the meet, the 1,000 free. So, I took it out like a rocket and went a 20.9 . He was mad as hell.
The best part about it.......... he's a lawyer..... :-)
John Smith
I've ran into the wall a few times doing backstroke also, but luckily only in practice. I'm a terrible backstroker anyhow so it's as if I was going very fast or could have hurt myself. :D
I'm still waiting for someone to say they forgot to tie their Speedos before a race though. I know someone has to have done it.
This could have been quite embarrassing but was OK:
Early morning practice for some reason I swam under the bulkhead (small space) between shallow & deep end, probably just to check the thermometer hanging on the other side. The entire front of my speedo snagged, ripped out and got tangled on the bulkhead mesh as I was under it. Thought I was going to have to ditch the speedo to free myself so I wouldn't drown, but (a) worked it loose, (b) had a second swimsuit underneath that was OK. I usually only wear one suit.
And this was embarrassing:
I was swimming at a health club small pool in a brand new speedo. A staff member checked the chemicals and then poured in a bottle or two of liquid bleach. When I finished my swim, my speedo had completely bleached out and was totally transparent but I didn't realize it until I got to the lockerroom.
Last spring during Colorado’s Masters State Championships I was wearing on older Victor Body suit (about 5-years old). At the take your mark command for the start of the 200 free it promptly ripped right across my ass as I grabbed the block. I gallantly started and completed the race flashing all the way. However the worst part was the suit filling up with water and sloshed around, needless to say it wasn’t my best time.
According to Sports Illustrated when they asked Jordan what he was thinking as he lost his suit he replied"I was just glad I wasn't swimming backstroke."
Originally posted by Jeff Commings
Shaun Jordan -- or anyone who swam for Texas or Stanford in 1990 -- can tell you in great detail about Shaun not tying his suit before diving for the 400 free relay. I think there was even a cartoon strip made of it.
All I know is that the meet was at Stanford in January. Brrrrr! So Shaun was the anchor on the 400 free relay, and he was bundled up in his parka waiting for his leg. With about five seconds before he is to dive in, he sheds the parka, jumps up on the blocks and dives in. With each sucessive pushoff the suit goes further down, until it's not there at all. It seems Shaun forgot to tie his suit in his pre-race preparations. Or lack thereof.
Is *that* why tere's a rule in USMS that you have to start your race with a swimsuit on, but it doesn't say anything about having to finish it with your swimsuit on? ;)
