I made a quick analysis of current swimming world records of female and male swimmers and here are my findings: (50 LCM pool, 50,100,200 all styles including 200 IM, 400 free and IM, 800, 1500 free)
Female swimmers are 10.96 % slower on average
In 50, 100 and 200 events the differences are 11.9%, 11.5%, 11.3% respectively (more distance, less variance)
Largest gap is in 50 back (13.6%)
Smallest gap in 1500 free (7.8%)
Considering the average of 50, 100 and 200 of 4 events, largest gap is in backstroke (12.2%), butterfly (11.7%), free (11.4%) and *** (10.3%).In athletics, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500 and 3000 track events, the gap is 10.43%. When I took out the incredible 100 of Florence G. Joyner, the gap is nearly the same as in the swimming (10.98%).
Lowest gap is in 100, with 7.7%, largest gap is in 800 with 12.0%, but most of the differences are between 10% and 12%.
What do you think?
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Former Member
Can we conclude that womens' legs are powerful, making the gap narrower?
OK...I'll bite. Not being a breaststroker...here's a theory.
It's a short axis stroke which involves frontal resistance.
Most men have a larger upper torso than the ladies...and therefore have more body mass to act as an obstacle to on coming water.
Women being a bit slighter (and not as top heavy) might have less surface area pushing on the water when they lunge forward...and therefore less drag from frontal resistance.
Thus the narrower gap in times for breaststroke events.
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Former Member
Can we conclude that womens' legs are powerful, making the gap narrower?
OK...I'll bite. Not being a breaststroker...here's a theory.
It's a short axis stroke which involves frontal resistance.
Most men have a larger upper torso than the ladies...and therefore have more body mass to act as an obstacle to on coming water.
Women being a bit slighter (and not as top heavy) might have less surface area pushing on the water when they lunge forward...and therefore less drag from frontal resistance.
Thus the narrower gap in times for breaststroke events.
