This one was pretty close, because British Swimming requires swimmers to make the Olympic A cut to compete. Mark Foster, my favorite swimmer, has qualified to swim the 50 free at the Olympics this summer. He'll be 38 years old.
Here's an interview with Foster where he talks about things like limited training volume, the importance of lifting weights, and staying physically fit for life.
Foster also has a unique way of sprinting. In this video, he dominates a field of sprinters with the slowest stroke rate in the pool.
I find a lot of things to admire about Mark Foster, and I think it's great news that he'll get to swim at the Olympics. Hopefully, when he retires from professional swimming, he'll continue to compete in masters.
There are some similarities between Mark Foster and Dara Torres. Mark just made his 5th Olympic team and would have made a 6th but he didn't meet the expectations of Bill Sweetham. I have linked a discussion we had a few years ago about this.
forums.usms.org/showthread.php
Originally posted by alexknibbs
... and, on a similar topic, what about the 'nearlymen' (and women)?
From the UK, the one swimmer that always stands out in my mind in Mark Foster. One time fastest man in the world over 50 metres .. but he never got a single Olympic medal - despite competing at several Olympics.
Other notable examples???
We will never know if Mark Foster would have gotten a medal in 2004 in the 50 Free, because he did not meet the expectations of National Team Director Bill Sweetenham. He was .007 off the qualifing standard of the Top Ten in the World. Even though he won the British trials and was the silver medalist in the 50 Free at the 2003 World Championships in Spain with a time of :22.20 and narrowly losing to Popov did not matter.
I cannot believe that they would do this to a person like Foster, who is argueably one of the best and most consistent swimmers Britian has ever had thru the years. How many people have a chance to make 5 Olympic teams? Not many. Even without an Olympic medal he had a great career.
There are some similarities between Mark Foster and Dara Torres. Mark just made his 5th Olympic team and would have made a 6th but he didn't meet the expectations of Bill Sweetham. I have linked a discussion we had a few years ago about this.
forums.usms.org/showthread.php
Originally posted by alexknibbs
... and, on a similar topic, what about the 'nearlymen' (and women)?
From the UK, the one swimmer that always stands out in my mind in Mark Foster. One time fastest man in the world over 50 metres .. but he never got a single Olympic medal - despite competing at several Olympics.
Other notable examples???
We will never know if Mark Foster would have gotten a medal in 2004 in the 50 Free, because he did not meet the expectations of National Team Director Bill Sweetenham. He was .007 off the qualifing standard of the Top Ten in the World. Even though he won the British trials and was the silver medalist in the 50 Free at the 2003 World Championships in Spain with a time of :22.20 and narrowly losing to Popov did not matter.
I cannot believe that they would do this to a person like Foster, who is argueably one of the best and most consistent swimmers Britian has ever had thru the years. How many people have a chance to make 5 Olympic teams? Not many. Even without an Olympic medal he had a great career.
