21.64

It doesn't matter if time trails are easier or harder than a real race because that’s a matter of opinion that differs among swimmers. Personally, I think it is harder to go faster in a time trial but other swimmers would say the opposite. There seems to be a lot of grey area with the legitimacy of these time trails. Who’s to say that Popov didn’t have an advantage that he wouldn’t have had in a real competition. I mean he didn’t have anyone in the lanes next to him. He probable arranged or had a say in that decision. He could have said put two swimmers next to me. In a race he would not have been able to do that. Some people say: well he went 50 meters faster than anyone before. This is true but Libby Lenton went 52.99 in a 100 free in a relay lead off. However, FINA doesn’t recognize this record because it is not a sanctioned event because it was a mixed relay. Did she not go 100 meters faster than any women before? Some argue that she might have gotten a draft off of Phelps but it is uncertain because Phelps was so far ahead and there has yet to be any proof of how much of an advantage she gained. In that other thread that you were talking about time trials in, Ande said that he was in the stands for when Rowdy Gains was going for the 100 WR and that in heat where he missed it, William Paulus broke the world record in the 100 m fly in the same heat. Now I don’t know the exact situation but either there was a possibility of him getting a draft off the freestylers or there was a lane of separation which is still an advantage because he wouldn’t have hit their wave when they came off the wall. So where do you draw the line. These time trails do not simulate real race situations. Why does FINA not recognize Libby Lenton’s time as a world record but they did when William Paulus Broke the 100 fly record, there is not 100 free/fly event. Either it’s a 100 free in which case Paulus’s time would count as a 100 free time or it’s a 100 fly which would DQ Rowdy for swimming free. There is too much grey area with the recognition of time trials and until FINA can draw clear lines then Popov’s time is not a legit WR in my book.

It doesn't matter if time trails are easier or harder than a real race because that’s a matter of opinion that differs among swimmers. Personally, I think it is harder to go faster in a time trial but other swimmers would say the opposite. There seems to be a lot of grey area with the legitimacy of these time trails. Who’s to say that Popov didn’t have an advantage that he wouldn’t have had in a real competition. I mean he didn’t have anyone in the lanes next to him. He probable arranged or had a say in that decision. He could have said put two swimmers next to me. In a race he would not have been able to do that. Some people say: well he went 50 meters faster than anyone before. This is true but Libby Lenton went 52.99 in a 100 free in a relay lead off. However, FINA doesn’t recognize this record because it is not a sanctioned event because it was a mixed relay. Did she not go 100 meters faster than any women before? Some argue that she might have gotten a draft off of Phelps but it is uncertain because Phelps was so far ahead and there has yet to be any proof of how much of an advantage she gained. In that other thread that you were talking about time trials in, Ande said that he was in the stands for when Rowdy Gains was going for the 100 WR and that in heat where he missed it, William Paulus broke the world record in the 100 m fly in the same heat. Now I don’t know the exact situation but either there was a possibility of him getting a draft off the freestylers or there was a lane of separation which is still an advantage because he wouldn’t have hit their wave when they came off the wall. So where do you draw the line. These time trails do not simulate real race situations. Why does FINA not recognize Libby Lenton’s time as a world record but they did when William Paulus Broke the 100 fly record, there is not 100 free/fly event. Either it’s a 100 free in which case Paulus’s time would count as a 100 free time or it’s a 100 fly which would DQ Rowdy for swimming free. There is too much grey area with the recognition of time trials and until FINA can draw clear lines then Popov’s time is not a legit WR in my book.