FINA...in their grand wisdom, has decided NOT to make Libby Lenton's 52.99 as a world record. This has been reported the the Herald Sun out of Australia.
Once again, FINA shows that it is run by politicans, not swimmers or swimming fans.
So, Thank You FINA for once again screwing things up.
Parents
Former Member
I wonder what would have happened if Michael Phelps had led off in world record time. I'm not so certain FINA wouldn't have allowed it. You might say, "yeah, well Phelps didn't get a drafting advantage" but that's really immaterial here. FINA says the record doesn't count because it isn't a sanctioned event, not anything to do with drafting.
Exactly. They "got her" on a technicality.
However the fact remains that she did do it.
She swam a 100m Free, from blocks, on a (lead-off) signal, and I assume there were electronic time recording devices, in an officially-sized pool.
Therefore every little thing was perfect except that this specific event was not sanctioned.
(It could have been in a Mother/Sister/Daughter/Auntie event, but her part in it was 100% correct, as I understand it.) Can't we, for once, apply the spirit of the rules -and celebrate a woman going under 53- and not the strict letter?
Anyway, we could debate this "ad infinitum" and in the eyes of many, she still didn't do it and in the eyes of others (many more, I'd bet) she's the first woman to have done it.
I wonder what would have happened if Michael Phelps had led off in world record time. I'm not so certain FINA wouldn't have allowed it. You might say, "yeah, well Phelps didn't get a drafting advantage" but that's really immaterial here. FINA says the record doesn't count because it isn't a sanctioned event, not anything to do with drafting.
Exactly. They "got her" on a technicality.
However the fact remains that she did do it.
She swam a 100m Free, from blocks, on a (lead-off) signal, and I assume there were electronic time recording devices, in an officially-sized pool.
Therefore every little thing was perfect except that this specific event was not sanctioned.
(It could have been in a Mother/Sister/Daughter/Auntie event, but her part in it was 100% correct, as I understand it.) Can't we, for once, apply the spirit of the rules -and celebrate a woman going under 53- and not the strict letter?
Anyway, we could debate this "ad infinitum" and in the eyes of many, she still didn't do it and in the eyes of others (many more, I'd bet) she's the first woman to have done it.
