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.

Recreation Swimmer: Thanks for posting the race. I did not realize that other swimmers were in the race at the time trial on both sides of the open lanes. This is exactly the situation in 1991 at the Sprint Classic that was on National TV. Tom Jager and Matt Biondi swam a lane a part when they both broke the World Record and were the first swimmers to go under :22 in the 50 meter Free in this time trial setting. However in the final, they were the only two swimmers in the pool. Rather than take a trip down memory lane, I have provided a link to discussions that we had on this very subject almost 2 years ago. forums.usms.org/showthread.php

Well, I can see that Paul hasn't been force-fed his daily dose of cod liver oil yet today. We'll take care of that next weekend and he'll mellow out, Warren. Mel.....Laura has been saying the same thing lately so i guess 'll have to watch my back next weekend at the meet?! But come! Warren made a pretty "bold" statement there you have to agree? I mean calling one of the greatest swims/records on the books invalid because it wasn't a "real competition"? I think that needs to be challenged and I think someone making a judgement like that needs to qualify their personal understanding of "racing". Don't just assume that a TT is "easier"...

Mel.....Laura has been saying the same thing lately so i guess 'll have to watch my back next weekend at the meet?! But come! Warren made a pretty "bold" statement there you have to agree? I mean calling one of the greatest swims/records on the books invalid because it wasn't a "real competition"? I think that needs to be challenged and I think someone making a judgement like that needs to qualify their personal understanding of "racing". Don't just assume that a TT is "easier"... Paul: Warren explained his thoughts about why he did not think it was a real competition in the link I provided. I think that his statement was heavily influenced by what Gary Hall Jr. said over at the Race Club website about this particular World Record swim. I have linked the discussion we had about 9 months starting at post #22 and there seems to be a better understanding now since the you tube video was posted. There were more than 2 swimmers in the pool. Its great that we can see this World Record for the first time here in the USA because I don't ever remember seeing this on TV or news clips. forums.usms.org/showthread.php

Paul: Warren explained his thoughts about why he did not think it was a real competition in the link I provided. I think that his statement was heavily influenced by what Gary Hall Jr. said over at the Race Club website about this particular World Record swim. I have linked the discussion we had about 9 months starting at post #22 and there seems to be a better understanding now since the you tube video was posted. There were more than 2 swimmers in the pool. Its great that we can see this World Record for the first time here in the USA because I don't ever remember seeing this on TV or news clips. forums.usms.org/showthread.php Frank...TT's are common and unless they are done in a pool that is shorter than it should be or the clock was ticking a little slower that day or the meet wasn't sanctioned, or he false started I still say that the time is the time.

As Frank mentioned, this isn't the first time a 50 free world record has been set in a non-meet format. Gary's only upset because he formerly had the second-fastest time in history. Roland Schoeman, who is now the second-fastest man, has never publicly said anything against the swim. I think he wishes he could do the same thing.

Frank...TT's are common and unless they are done in a pool that is shorter than it should be or the clock was ticking a little slower that day or the meet wasn't sanctioned, or he false started I still say that the time is the time. I agree. But I also think thru the last 20 years this has been a very controversial subject. The obvious case of this is when Peter Williams set the World Record in a Time Trial the day after the 1988 NCAA Championships on 4-10-88. About 15 days prior to this at the Nationals in Orlando, Tom Jager broke his own WR in the 50 Meter Free of :22.32 and went a :22.23 swimming against Matt Biondi who went :22.42 in this 8 swimmer heat. Peter Williams competed at the NCAA Championships and didn't final in the 50 Yard Free and went :19.89 and swam to first in the consolation heat at :19.78 swimming for Nebraska. The day after the meet the bulkheads were moved back and swimming in a time trial 50 meter Free all by himself he went :22.18 to break Tom Jager's 15 day record. There was a lot of outcry about this swim because the SCY time really didn't match up to the LCM time. Tom Jager and Matt Biondi critized this World Record if it were to stand. At that time South Africa was an apartheid nation and there was a rumor that the record would not count for that reason. There were sensionalized stories about the conditions of the race and the swim was bogus. I happen to talk to Dale Neuburger about this about 4 weeks ago and he was there at IUPUI Natatorioum when this swim took place and said every FINA requirement was made in this World Record breaking swim. Peter Williams was not very big or tall and that would probably explain the reason why his short course swim did not match this World Record effort. FINA was suppose to review this and render a decision. A decision was not made by the 1988 Olympics and there Matt Biondi broke the record by .04 with a :22.14 and won the gold medal in the 50 Meter Free. Peter Williams did not swim in the Olympics because South Africa was banned then. To this day the swim was never recognized as a World Record but remains in lists of the top 100 times of all time for the 50 Meter Free. Most people assume that because FINA did not count this as a World Record that it was because he was from the country of South Africa and not because it was from a time trial. Others think with the public outcry that maybe FINA did not want to count this swim from the time trial as a World Record. There was never a press release explaining any of this and it was just kind of forgotten. I believe that in the modern era of FINA World Records since 1957, that Peter Williams would be the only swimmer in history to be discriminated against getting a World Record because of this. Maybe Peter Williams can petiton FINA to have his time reinstated as a World Record from 4-10-88 to 9-24-88 when Matt Biondi broke it. I still remember the outcry from people about the swim even though both Tom Jager and Matt Biondi swam in a very similar situation in Nashville 3 years later. Warren was echoing people over at the Race Club about Time Trial swims here www.theraceclub.net/.../viewtopic.php

That time trial looked pretty official. Timers dressed in white...in each lane. Thanks for posting that. The small wave trailing behind them is incredible.

Frank...TT's are common and unless they are done in a pool that is shorter than it should be or the clock was ticking a little slower that day or the meet wasn't sanctioned, or he false started I still say that the time is the time. Who is it that says "The clock does not lie"? That's right, it's Warren! :woot:

In Warren's defense, and his avatar too...This was clearly a cold war maneuver to mess with Gary Hall's head. Notice how the end of the video cuts right to Popov's lane...as he taunts Gary by spitting water at the camera. :D