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?
Former Member
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%).
Very interesting analysis. Maybe this is some sort of proof of how important technigue is vs pure muscle power. Breaststroke being considered by many as the most difficult one to master technically. If technique is a relatively bigger factor for success in breaststroke than in the other strokes then that could explain why the difference is smaller since everyone can potentially master technique...no matter how much muscle power you have.
also...Femal (knee) joints may be more flexible (i know they are during pregnancy at least) which might lead to a more efficient kick.
my :2cents:
/Per
I recall John Trembley (coaching at Mercersburg acadamy at the time) saying that at some point in the not too distant future, women will be faster than men in breastroke. This was 1982 or 83.
Ah, brings up my biggest regret in life. Not choosing Mercersburg over the high school I did attend. I would have been swimming for John with that program if I had. Instead I choose a school that didn't even have a pool. Ah well.
Former Member
I made another analysis. It is related to the choice of events. In 2006 World Masters Champs, both men and women chose freestyle events most. If we index the average number of participants in each freestyle event as 100,
in womens races, number of participants in each breaststroke event is 82, backstroke 64, IM 62 and butterfly 55
in mens races, breaststroke 91, butterfly 83, IM and backstroke 65 each.It means
most people love freestyle and breaststroke,
men like butterfly events, but women hate butterfly
Former Member
I think it means I swim the stroke I do well in.
Former Member
Allen, you are right. My analysis is very simple. I took the world records only. To have a deeper analysis, we shall take the top 10 records to minimize these kind of problems.;)
funny you say that. I recall John Trembley (coaching at Mercersburg acadamy at the time) saying that at some point in the not too distant future, women will be faster than men in breastroke. This was 1982 or 83.
One must put this quote on context.1983 was before the rule change allowing your head to stay underwater.female swimmers such as Tracy Caulkins had developed a style requiring a level of back flexibility that few men have.Also the East German women had more androgens than most men.I still think that the reason this calculation shows women closer to men in breaststroke is that Liesel is freakishly fast.Compare the # 2s(Kitajima to Hardy) and I get 11.4.
breaststroke has a relatively constant correlation with freestyle and it is approx. 25% slower than free.
CLEARLY it doesn't belong with the others. When will they wise up and send it to join the trudgeon crawl?
Nice job on the analysis, it is interesting.
Come on Chris,just because you don't walk like a duck is no reason to insult those of us who do.
Former Member
Here is another analysis:
If we index the world record times of freestyle events as 100, here are the results: (LCM)
For female swimmers:
-------------------50m. 100m. 200m.
freestyle(index)--- 100---100---100
butterfly---------- 106---106---109
backstroke-------- 117---112---110
breaststroke------ 126----122---122
for male swimmers:
-------------------50m. 100m. 200m.
free(index)-------- 100-- 100-- 100
butterf.----------- 106-- 105-- 108
back-------------- 115-- 111-- 110
***.------------ 126-- 124-- 124
Here are my conclusions:
butterfly is very fast in 50 and 100, but lose pace with distance (as expected)
backstroke is slow in 50, but the gap decreases wth the distance (I think mainly the start of backstroke is a handicap an its effect is more in shorter distance)
breaststroke has a relatively constant correlation with freestyle and it is approx. 25% slower than free.
