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.
This is the quote that is in the story on Foxsports.com.au
"Swimming Australia was told today that Lenton's time would not be recognised because the mixed relay was not an approved FINA event"
That is a load of crap.
I am a little confused about the talk that the record did not count because of drafting. The report says the record did not account because the mixed relay was not an approved fINA event. In the USA rule book it lists recognized distances and strokes. I don't have a FINA book, but it probably has much the same thing. So if the event is not recognized by FINA, anyone else swimming a record, such as Phelps would not have been honored either.
It does seem a little odd to come off of a World Championship Meet and break a WR, no? If she is truly capable of swimming that fast then she should have no trouble repeating such a feat after a proper taper.
She had a very busy schedule at Worlds and was under a lot of pressure, I find nothing surprising about being able to do a better swim a couple days later with some rest and under less pressure. Your second sentence makes no sense to me, how many world record holders can you truly say would "have no trouble repeating the feat"? :confused:
I won't be surprised if she repeats her time, but then again I won't be surprised if she doesn't. I hope she does.
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.
There is no way that she didn't get an advantage. Her 52.99 should not be counted.
So, say swimmer A is racing a 200 and drafts off swimmer B, who went out hard for the first 150, at which point swimmer A comes on strong, passing swimmer B in the final 20 meters to win in under record time, you are saying swimmer A should not get the record because they got an advantage? Sorry, but that requires explanation, not just assertion.
She was in the blocks with the new reigning Mr Incredible. She got a phsycological advantage and got amped up......That is something you can't "prove" she got, so it should count.
It does seem a little odd to come off of a World Championship Meet and break a WR, no? If she is truly capable of swimming that fast then she should have no trouble repeating such a feat after a proper taper.
Those are my words of wisdom for the day.
She and everyone else knows that she swam that fast.
:shakeshead:
The debate is not about whether or not she touched the wall in 52.99. It's about whether or not people think she had an unfair advantage.
We had to close a meet to run the unsanctioned races then officially open the meet and continue. If not every one would lose their amateur card. Rules are rules I guess we have to live by them.
Rob,
You are dead on. Libby handled with totally respect and class.
As a swimming fan, one who loves the sport more than any other sport, I want to see the record stand because it was an impressive performance, fastest of all time.
I think swimming australia should at least count it as their national record then...man...would fina blow a fuse on that one.
