Torres out of 100

Sorry, Kirk, but I disagree…I think it is a VERY fair comparison, especially for “big” meets and especially if you are in a position to be competing for number one like both swimmers discussed here. They are both going very aggressively for the big prize (however they define it.) The only difference is the relative quality of competition between the two organizations. Racing is racing whether you are paid or not, or on a USMS club team or USAS national team. At the end of the day, you want to win your priority races. You make a judgment call – sometimes agonizingly so – and do what is right for you. Sometimes you drop your less important races – we do it in USMS and they do it in USAS (see Phelps’ 100 FR.) Personally, I’d love to swim a lot of events on short rest…but I have the wisdom to know I don’t do well in that scenario. And I’d rather do well in my priority races than do mediocre in all of them – again my preference. This is a matter of meet management and acknowledging the recovery needed of older swimmers to compete at their best. Most of us do it…even the top dog masters…planned or not. And thinking that a 41 year-old can come even close to managing the same tough program like Phelps, who is almost half her age…well THAT is not fair at all. I’m not at all trying to disparage anyone here, especially John. Just pointing out the double standard that it’s okay for one to scratch a race on your Master’s club team to recover, but it’s not for a 41 year old USAS feeling the same aches and pains we do. This is a really unfair comparison. John Smith, like all of us, is swimming purely for himself in masters swimming. Hopefully Dara doesn't think she's only swimming for herself at the Olympics.

Sorry, Kirk, but I disagree…I think it is a VERY fair comparison, especially for “big” meets and especially if you are in a position to be competing for number one like both swimmers discussed here. They are both going very aggressively for the big prize (however they define it.) The only difference is the relative quality of competition between the two organizations. Racing is racing whether you are paid or not, or on a USMS club team or USAS national team. At the end of the day, you want to win your priority races. You make a judgment call – sometimes agonizingly so – and do what is right for you. Sometimes you drop your less important races – we do it in USMS and they do it in USAS (see Phelps’ 100 FR.) Personally, I’d love to swim a lot of events on short rest…but I have the wisdom to know I don’t do well in that scenario. And I’d rather do well in my priority races than do mediocre in all of them – again my preference. This is a matter of meet management and acknowledging the recovery needed of older swimmers to compete at their best. Most of us do it…even the top dog masters…planned or not. And thinking that a 41 year-old can come even close to managing the same tough program like Phelps, who is almost half her age…well THAT is not fair at all. I’m not at all trying to disparage anyone here, especially John. Just pointing out the double standard that it’s okay for one to scratch a race on your Master’s club team to recover, but it’s not for a 41 year old USAS feeling the same aches and pains we do. This is a really unfair comparison. John Smith, like all of us, is swimming purely for himself in masters swimming. Hopefully Dara doesn't think she's only swimming for herself at the Olympics.