Dara Torres-Amazing

:duel::duel::duel: I am just a swimmer who likes to play in the pool and get a sun tan. I may be a real swimmer in August, then maybe not. Fort I thought you were a runner not a swimmer. Oops no running on a bad ankle, you must be a swimmer. Thank you, I didn't think I was making it up. George, I am not a recreational swimmer. You are.

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Agreed, except Mark does not do the 100 and has not had 12-13 years off, surgery and a kid over the last two Olympics in which he participated. Mark is great but he is not doing his career best times even with the new rubber suits let alone setting times equal to an AR. Actually, Mark's recent 21.96 was a career best, and also a new GB record. However, he is further away from the mens world record than Dara is from the womens world record.

Rich, Agreed, except Mark does not do the 100 and has not had 12-13 years off, surgery and a kid over the last two Olympics in which he participated. Mark is great but he is not doing his career best times even with the new rubber suits let alone setting times equal to an AR. John Smith

Mark Foster, sometime masters swimmer, age 38, just went a 21.96 LCM 50 free (lifetime PR) several weeks ago. His performance would be a more apt comparison to Dara.

You seem to be mixing facts to your personal opinions. Most Masters swimmers I know are competitive swimmers, not recreational. No recreational swimmer I know puts in 3-5K workouts 3 or 4 days a week. I think we have to differentiate between "competitive" and "professional." Dara has been a professional level (i.e. paid to swim and train) athlete off and on for 24 years. She can afford to train as much as her body and mind are able to, and clearly that is a lot, judging from the NYT profile of her methods. She can also afford to spend $100,000 per year on her training, and chooses to. The most competitive swimmer I know, who has multiple masters world records and has been named Swimmer of the Year, still "only" swims 2-4 hours a day, five days a week for part of the year (90 mins a day for other parts of the year). This person could probably afford to spend 100 grand a year but chooses not to. I think the combination of Dara's training methods, focus and financial resources are unprecedented in a 40-plus female athlete/swimmer... so who really knows what other women could be accomplishing, at even younger ages?

George, I'm not reffering to "most Masters swimmers" in my post above. I am reffering to the best Master's swimmers in the entire world. Huge difference. As you know, these men and women were all at the elite level, in their respective events, in their peak younger years.

RacerX It is a fact that most master swimmers are recreational swimmers and are not able to compete at the international level. It is not meant to be a downer, it is fact. Bless all master swimmers for just being there and allowing us to comment about them. We do get older and not many are dedicated like Darra.

Mike, I don't even consider Masters times from age 30 or less. These are swimmers who are at the peak of their game. Apples and oranges. To me, Masters times only get interesting in the 40 plus age groups. Hence the comparison and the post. Strong words there George. I feel most masters swimmers are swimming masters because they enjoy it and are too old to physically be able to compete against the best. Their bodies have aged.

Most Masters are swimming masters because they cannot compete against the good swimmers.