Dara just one the national title in the 100M Freestyle in 54.4 at the ripe old age of 40. Simply Incredible. :applaud: :woot:
If that's not inspiring I don't know what is.
Former Member
Skip,
For practical purposes, my 54.3 last summer is the same time as Dara's 54.4. Note, I was 51.1 back in 1984. That's a 3.2 second spread, and it almost killed me last summer. It was a really ugly swim. My yards times are similar for my age .... 43.9 in college and 47 low in my 40s.
I'm not sure I understand your point.
Don't you find it interesting that Susan Von Der Lippe (i.e Rapp) a multiple Olympic team member *** in individual events *** is currently not able to final or place in the top 3 at US nationals let alone win. Susan's talent and efforts are startling for her age (i.e. 1:12 100m *** made cuts for trials) ...... but she does not beat the best men her age in the same event.
There is a significant comparative leap that Dara has made with these swims in my opinion.
John Smith
SCYFreestyler:
Sure, let's see what the tests have to say and give the test to all of the final 8 swimmers in the finals. Why not? Why not in cycling or anywhere else in sports. Hey, if everyone is clean, why not? I had a high security clearance in a former job and I took one without offense.
My bet is the results would be shocking to say the least. I believe quite a few of the top athletes in many sports are not clean.
Doping questions aside, I was at the IU Natatorium last night when she swam. It was spellbinding, watching her fly down the first 50, flip ahead of the others and then keep it up. I hope she's clean, because being there to see that swim was absolutely magnificent.
BTW, I thought it great that she was applauded just as loud as Phelps when she was introduced and even louder when she finished first (poor guy, everyone was disappointed he *only* set a US record!)
Cripes,...... you don't need to be a "player" to offer a qualified opinion on this subject.
Thank you. I was just about to make this same point. I don't see how anyone's times are relevant to the topic.
From The Associated Press:
If people were whispering behind Torres’ back when she was 33, imagine what they might say if he makes it to the Olympics in her 40s? Looking to cut off any rumors before they get started, she went to USA Swimming and asked to be subjected to extra testing, including blood work, in hopes of showing that she’s totally clean.
In the past six weeks, Torres has been tested three times.
“It’s a pain,” she said, “but it’s worth it for all the naysayers out there. Here are all my drug tests and they’re all negative. Those guys can say what they want, but here are the facts.”
Let's drop it now, please.
That's more than sufficient for me.
So she dragged ass and made her teammates pick up the slack?Much like Jenny (The Slacker) Thompson, all 8 of her Olympic gold’s were on relays, and only one measly silver and bronze in individual events. And Jenny’s Bronze was shared with Dara. For that matter 5 of Spitz’s 9 gold’s were for relays.
How many relay Olympic medals do you have?
I have so many individual arguing golds I don't need swimming medals. But if going fast makes you right, then I guess I know who is right between us, eh? (Even if that makes me more wrong than a lot of other folks on the thread.)
As to why I am "determined to belittle"? A little counterpoint to the overly optimistic demands I adore her perhaps.
Like claiming it means anything that someone "never tested positive" when they were not continuously tested (ie, were retired) and when the steriod scandals of the last however-many years have centered around undetectable substances, including those which are indistinguishable from naturally occuring substances and are only tested for in the sense that they must be below a certain threshold.
And they are relay medals.
She has individual medals too. How many relay Olympic medals do you have?
Skip,
Why do you care what I really think about Dara?
After all, I am merely and average "John Smith" on deck. My opinion is not significant.
John
The reason I care is because I know how you feel about this from other threads from prior years. And your opinion means something because you have been around swimming all your life and I am curious to see what you think. You are not just average John Smith. You used to come on this website a lot and give us your views of the current state of swimming. I respect that even though I have disagreed with you a lot.
Paul Evil Smith has stated that until Dara has failed a drug test that its pointless to speculate. I tend to agree with him. If you don't want to say that is fine too. I just think the story that Mr. Busfield told is a total slam. Its like he has an ax to grind. He does not provide any evidence and he just speculates. He goes on to attack her previous swimming accomplishments and then he never says what he has done in this sport and how is he qualified to make such accusations. Its seems to me to be very unfair to do this to someone who as a USMS swimmer has set a good example for us to be proud of. Until she has failed a drug test, I think people should just ignore this garbage and be proud of the accomplishments.
