What is the worst swimming-related experience you have ever had?

It was my first competition, nearly 50 years ago. The race was 100 yards freestyle and the pool was 33 and one-third yards long (3 lengths to the 100y) I finished second in the heat - just .5 of a second behind the boy in the next lane to me. I felt sure that I could beat him in the final. When the final came I was ready. At the second turn, with one length to go I was slightly behind this swimmer in the next lane. I felt great, I'd saved myself for this last length and was ready to blast him out of the water! Suddenly, at the turn, I was grabbed by the shoulder. The pool attendant shouted, "You'll have to get out now. We haven't got time to finish the three lengths. The pool is closing soon. well done, you were second!" My first competition, and cheated out of the gold medal. Graham

Got into a car accident last night on our way home from the Alan Liu Memorial Meet. Not our fault but it jacked up my wife's back and put a damper on an otherwise festivious day.

Originally posted by Graham Short Suddenly, at the turn, I was grabbed by the shoulder. The pool attendant shouted, "You'll have to get out now. We haven't got time to finish the three lengths. The pool is closing soon. well done, you were second!" My first competition, and cheated out of the gold medal. Graham I must be missing something, too. Why didn't they just not start the race? I'm sure someone knew that time was running short. This story sounds fishy to me.

Originally posted by 330man Got into a car accident last night on our way home from the Alan Liu Memorial Meet. Not our fault but it jacked up my wife's back and put a damper on an otherwise festivious day. Whoa!.. sorry to hear that.. I hope you and your wife are alright. :(

My worst experience (that I can think of right now) was in middle school I went with a friend to her family's vacation house in Long Island. We were swimming around not too far from shore in about waist deep (for me at the time) water when a giant wave hit and swallowed me.. for about 10 seconds I had no idea which way was up and I felt like I was in a washing machine, or enduring a very intense exfoliation treatment!... Fortunately her father waded over, fished around with his hand and pulled me out of the water gasping.. whew! That was a very long 10 seconds or so.. (and it was probably actually shorter than that, but I sure was scared at the time!) :rolleyes:

1981 - So Cal HS 3A Swim Championships....Went into the meet seeded 3rd in the 100 ***.....was still 3rd after the prelims going into finals. The night of finals, standing up on the blocks, waiting for the GUN to go off (they were using an electronic starter at East L.A. City College), the starter goes off...everybody takes off except for WHO? Yes....yours truly!!!! Dead last at the 50, but pulled out a 3rd by the end!!! Talk about a little bit pissed off!!!!! Coach just shook his head and smiled...no comment was necessary!

Then afterwards, a beautiful Swedish girl came over to console him and...well, you know the rest of the story.

I was swimming in my first AAU meet at the age of 14. My crazy coach entered me in the 200 FLY!!! My mother said she thought she would have to jump in to save me. Somehow, I finished the race!! I literally thought I was going to die and to this day, I refuse to swim that event!! :rolleyes:

Used to live at Venice beach in LA. One day after running a few miles along the beach, I decided to go for a swim in the very cold ocean to cool down (I was not a regular swimmer in those days). There had been a very big storm the day before and the breakers were in the six foot range. Got out beyond the breakers OK and swam around for a while, but started to get real tired and leg cramps so decided to head back to shore. I got within about 100 feet of the shore and got stuck right where the waves were breaking in about 8 feet of water. Waves were coming fast so every few seconds I would have to turn and dive into a wave to avoid getting slammed and then try to make a little forward progress before the next one, but rip current was preventing me from going anywhere. I quickly realized that I was in trouble, so had to yell for help, which was very embarrassing. Not many people around but someone finally saw me and went looking for help. But I was so tired by then I knew I couldn't make it until help arrived. So I looked for a really big wave and with my last remaining strength, I was somehow able to body surf it just far enough to get my feet on the ground. Then I dragged myself the remaining 50 feet or so to shore and collapsed. I didn't completely lose consciousness but was very close. The lifeguards arrived shortly and they had to take me home in their dune buggy. I was pretty much a vegetable the rest of the day, but fine the next day. I've had a lot more respect for the ocean ever since.

I was in Cabo last spring, swimming in the ocean which I love. I was watching a school of fish swim by when I came face to face with a very large black object, probably an elephant seal. Thank goodness he was more interested in the school of fish than in me. The rest of the swim consisted of a lot of bilateral breathing looking for him!!