Dara Torres-Amazing

Don't know how this got reposted....deleting....

How is that a joke? She literally owned that event three different times. All I am disputing is the quote that she never owned the event. If that does not constitute owning an event, what does? And by the way, I never said a word about comparing her to anyone or not comparing her....that was your comment not mine.....Keep it straight please.

tjburk, If you think that Dara and Mary T., or Dara and Tracy Caulkins, or Dara and Janet Evans are on equal footing then we will have to end this debate and agree to disagree. That's a joke. John Smith

Holding a WR in any event pretty much indicates that you "own" that event for the time being. If Michael Phelps wins Silver in the 400IM but the gold medalist does not break the WR, I would consider Phelps to still "own" that event. When was the last time Janet Evans swam the 800Free? She still holds the record and still "owns" that event IMHO. The Olympics is just another meet, albeit a grandiose one. Is a WR only good for as long as you can continue to swim it?

Iwannafly, Your logic is amusing. So tell me, if a drug is new and not on the banned list because some carribean drug lab has developed it and it's 5-8 years ahead of the curve and currently distributing to elite level athletes that end up breaking records, you think this is not cheating.......... Nice. tjburk, Look at the pattern until 2000. No individual events at The Games. This is what I mean by "owning" or "not owning" your event. She has always been talented and fast. She was never of the stature of the other people I listed. Gold Los Angeles 1984 4x100 m freestyle relay Gold Barcelona 1992 4x100 m freestyle relay Gold Sydney 2000 4x100 m freestyle relay Gold Sydney 2000 4x100 m medley relay Silver Seoul 1988 4x100 m medley relay Bronze Seoul 1988 4x100 m freestyle relay Bronze Sydney 2000 50 m freestyle Bronze Sydney 2000 100 m freestyle Bronze Sydney 2000 100 m butterfly So what you are saying is that she has to have a gold at the Olympics to own that event? Setting the WR does not constitute owning it? I personally think that having the World Record.....even if only for a few minutes still qualifies for ownership, because up to that point in time......NOBODY else had ever gone that fast.....just my opinion of course

Oh and by the way.....by the logic some use....Michael Phelps, Katie Hoff and Natalie must be cheating as well.....seeing as how they are doing stuff nobody has ever done before too. Right?

Iwannafly, Your logic is amusing. So tell me, if a drug is new and not on the banned list because some carribean drug lab has developed it and it's 5-8 years ahead of the curve and currently distributing to elite level athletes that end up breaking records, you think this is not cheating.......... Nice. tjburk, Look at the pattern until 2000. No individual events at The Games. This is what I mean by "owning" or "not owning" your event. She has always been talented and fast. She was never of the stature of the other people I listed. Gold Los Angeles 1984 4x100 m freestyle relay Gold Barcelona 1992 4x100 m freestyle relay Gold Sydney 2000 4x100 m freestyle relay Gold Sydney 2000 4x100 m medley relay Silver Seoul 1988 4x100 m medley relay Bronze Seoul 1988 4x100 m freestyle relay Bronze Sydney 2000 50 m freestyle Bronze Sydney 2000 100 m freestyle Bronze Sydney 2000 100 m butterfly

... what he said!! How is it she can set the WR three different times in the 80's.....but she didn't own that event? She was the fastest woman in the world three different times. In my opinion that means she owned that event three different times. Or am I wrong in here some how?

If any one needs a Ped they are old beyond their years. I have not found a Ped necessary.

George, You have got to be kidding me. Do you really think there is a comparison between our times and Dara's times? Paul and I are about 3 seconds off our best 100 times and can't even sniff making Olympic trials cuts and Dara wins trials and sets and AR. You think this is comparable? Are you drinking at this hour of the day? Matteson..... I'm sorry to say, retirement does hinder athletic performance particularly as you age. Not racing and training for years on end does have a cumulative effect. Tae Bo and stretching are about as useful to fast swimming as jogging and cycling. It's nice to cross train, but they just don't keep you swimming fast. There is no substitute for getting in the water in the end. Also, with all do respect to Rowdy, I find it very hard to believe he could pull off a 49.3 even with a LZR in his 40s let alone beating that time. We can keep coming back to the fact that no one knows for sure. Some believe that if someone like Mark Spitz (who was more talented than Dara) can't come close to making a comeback at age 40 .... then why should they believe she is doing it without drugs which are now more prevelant than when he made his comeback. Susan Rapp (Vonderlippe) made more Olympic teams than Dara early on in individual events and can't place in the top 24 anymore. Dennis Baker (another former national finalist) can still swim an awesome 200m fly for an old man, still misses making cuts. Note, Dara wasn't significantly better than these people in her events before her 2000 comback. She never "owned" her events like her peers.... Janet Evans, Mary T., or even Tracy Caulkins in the 1980s. She made the team predominantly as a relay swimmer for years until 2000. Why is she now clearly the undisputed best female physical specimen for swimming on the planet at her age? Does money really buy a training entourage of success? Are Eddie Reese and the rest of the great coaches nationwide just missing the boat on something so basic in the formula that they should also be able to turn other old elite retired 40+ year old swimmers into national champions and AR holders in an 18-24 month period? I doubt it. John Smith ... what he said!!