Is talent irrelevant for great success?

I think for swimmers most would agree it helps to be tall with long arms, big feet, and have a metabolism that avoids gaining weight. Look at the NCAA Division 1 rosters and you will see this. I agree with this. Don't forget big Brendan Hansen hands. Sometimes there are exceptions for the short axis strokes like our own Allen Stark. And I was just reminded by the head coach of my daughter's USS team that there are many, many 5'10" men getting college scholarships in swimming through sheer determination. I don't look anything like you described. Neither does my swimming daughter. But we hold our own. (We do avoid that weight gain thing.) I don't look like the above either. I'm 5'8, small feet, and I do OK. But at the Div-1 level, there are far more men over 6' than under. There are fast 5'10 guys, but not many at Texas or Auburn or Michigan. Auburn has a guy 6'9! The Texas A&M women's team has 8 girls 5'10 or taller.

I think for swimmers most would agree it helps to be tall with long arms, big feet, and have a metabolism that avoids gaining weight. Look at the NCAA Division 1 rosters and you will see this. I agree with this. Don't forget big Brendan Hansen hands. Sometimes there are exceptions for the short axis strokes like our own Allen Stark. And I was just reminded by the head coach of my daughter's USS team that there are many, many 5'10" men getting college scholarships in swimming through sheer determination. I don't look anything like you described. Neither does my swimming daughter. But we hold our own. (We do avoid that weight gain thing.) I don't look like the above either. I'm 5'8, small feet, and I do OK. But at the Div-1 level, there are far more men over 6' than under. There are fast 5'10 guys, but not many at Texas or Auburn or Michigan. Auburn has a guy 6'9! The Texas A&M women's team has 8 girls 5'10 or taller.