Please excuse me if this has been posted before.
It seems that in order to be a National/World class sprinter, you have to be 6ft 3 or better. It would appear that taller is better. Popov was 6' 7", Hall 6'5", Lezak 6'5', Cullen Jones 6' 5", Sabir Mahammed 6'6". our own Smith crew 6'?, An oldy but a goody Robert Peel 6'6 etc, etc. From my TV, it looked as though Phelps was the shortest guy on the WR 400 free relay at 6' 4"
Knowing this, in the future, should shorter, young, potential world class sprinters be redirected to middle distance or other strokes? Do short guys/gals even stand a chance anymore?
It would seem that basketball players would make the best sprinters. They have the height, the strength and the vertical leap down pat.
Parents
Former Member
Well, from what I saw in D1 swimming....
Keep in mind, I am female, and I am about 5'11. I was a sprinter and most people in my training group were close to my same build. Most girls on our team were 5'8 and up.
When we went to meets, I was about the average heights for the sprinters. Now, granted, we were not "world class sprinters", but I do see being tall as a trend. The tallest girl on our team was about 6'4 and she was a sprinter, too. We didn't have a mens team, but when there were men at meets, they were all very tall.
-Stacy
Well, from what I saw in D1 swimming....
Keep in mind, I am female, and I am about 5'11. I was a sprinter and most people in my training group were close to my same build. Most girls on our team were 5'8 and up.
When we went to meets, I was about the average heights for the sprinters. Now, granted, we were not "world class sprinters", but I do see being tall as a trend. The tallest girl on our team was about 6'4 and she was a sprinter, too. We didn't have a mens team, but when there were men at meets, they were all very tall.
-Stacy
