Others may know too, but semi-finals were added to the Olympic program in 2000. Would it actually be more accurate to say that they were reintroduced in 2000? This is related tothe Phelps/ Spitz comparison. I seem to recall that semi-finals were part of the Olympic program in the 70's. But evrything I read says otherwise. Does anyone know the history of semi-finals in the Olympic program.
Others may know too, but semi-finals were added to the Olympic program in 2000. Would it actually be more accurate to say that they were reintroduced in 2000? This is related tothe Phelps/ Spitz comparison. I seem to recall that semi-finals were part of the Olympic program in the 70's. But evrything I read says otherwise. Does anyone know the history of semi-finals in the Olympic program.
Others may know too, but semi-finals were added to the Olympic program in 2000. That answer is correct. The 2000 Year was the first year since 1980 that semi-finals were used but they were used a little differently in that all of the events except the 400, 800, and 1500 distances used the heats, semi, and final formats.
Prior to 1984, 100 meter distances used heats, semi final, and final formats. For 200 meter distances and above only prelims and finals were used. In 1972, Mark Spitz swam both the 100 meter Free and Fly using the heats, semi finals, and final formats. His time in the 100 Free using this format was :52.46, 52:43, and in the final :51.22. His time in the 100 Fly using this format was :56.45, :55.98, and in the final :54.27.
In the 200 Meter distances he swam only prelims and finals. In 1972, Mark Spitz swam the 200 Meter Free in the prelims in 1:55.29 and swam 1:52.78 in the final. His time in the 200 Meter Fly using this format was 2:02.11 in the prelims and 2:00.70 in the final.
In the 3 Relays that Mark Spitz swam in he only swam in the finals of those Relays and other swimmers from the 1972 team swam the prelim/heats of those Relays to qualify for the finals. Remember back in those days only swimmers that swam at night in the finals were eligible for Olympic medals and it was not until 1984 that prelim/heat relay swimmers would be eligible for Relay Olympic medals.
The big difference in 2000 was that all events 200 meters or lower would have the format of heats, semi, and final formats. From 1968 to 1980 only 100 Meter events were swam in this format.
In 1964, all events except the 400 and 1500 events were swam in heats, semi finals, and final formats. There was no Women's 800 Free and only 5 events swam the prelim and final formats and those were both the 400 Meter Free and IM for Men and Women and the 1500 Free for Men. 1964 was also the first year for the IM events and there was only the 400 distance offered in that event.
1964 was also the last year where only single events were offered for each stroke except Free. For example the Men swam 200 Back, 200 ***, 200 Fly, and 400 IM. There was not 100 stroke events and no 200 Meter Free. For the Women the same events were offered except they did not swim the 200 Meter Fly and swam the 100 Meter Fly instead. The 50 Free was also not offered and didn't become an Olympic event until 1988.
In 1968, there were big changes in the Olympic program. All of the individual events offered today except the 50 Free were on the Olympic program. And this was the year that Nations could take up to 3 swimmers per event and it was this way until 1984 when only 2 swimmers per Nation could be eligible to swim in the Olympics. There was also a change in 1952 about the number of swimmers each nation could take per individual event. Prior to 1952, it was always 3 swimmers. From 1952 to 1964, it was only 2 swimmers per Nation. From 1968 to 1980 it was 3 again and from 1984 until the present its only 2 swimmers.
Others may know too, but semi-finals were added to the Olympic program in 2000. Would it actually be more accurate to say that they were reintroduced in 2000? This is related tothe Phelps/ Spitz comparison. I seem to recall that semi-finals were part of the Olympic program in the 70's. But evrything I read says otherwise. Does anyone know the history of semi-finals in the Olympic program.
Others may know too, but semi-finals were added to the Olympic program in 2000. That answer is correct. The 2000 Year was the first year since 1980 that semi-finals were used but they were used a little differently in that all of the events except the 400, 800, and 1500 distances used the heats, semi, and final formats.
Prior to 1984, 100 meter distances used heats, semi final, and final formats. For 200 meter distances and above only prelims and finals were used. In 1972, Mark Spitz swam both the 100 meter Free and Fly using the heats, semi finals, and final formats. His time in the 100 Free using this format was :52.46, 52:43, and in the final :51.22. His time in the 100 Fly using this format was :56.45, :55.98, and in the final :54.27.
In the 200 Meter distances he swam only prelims and finals. In 1972, Mark Spitz swam the 200 Meter Free in the prelims in 1:55.29 and swam 1:52.78 in the final. His time in the 200 Meter Fly using this format was 2:02.11 in the prelims and 2:00.70 in the final.
In the 3 Relays that Mark Spitz swam in he only swam in the finals of those Relays and other swimmers from the 1972 team swam the prelim/heats of those Relays to qualify for the finals. Remember back in those days only swimmers that swam at night in the finals were eligible for Olympic medals and it was not until 1984 that prelim/heat relay swimmers would be eligible for Relay Olympic medals.
The big difference in 2000 was that all events 200 meters or lower would have the format of heats, semi, and final formats. From 1968 to 1980 only 100 Meter events were swam in this format.
In 1964, all events except the 400 and 1500 events were swam in heats, semi finals, and final formats. There was no Women's 800 Free and only 5 events swam the prelim and final formats and those were both the 400 Meter Free and IM for Men and Women and the 1500 Free for Men. 1964 was also the first year for the IM events and there was only the 400 distance offered in that event.
1964 was also the last year where only single events were offered for each stroke except Free. For example the Men swam 200 Back, 200 ***, 200 Fly, and 400 IM. There was not 100 stroke events and no 200 Meter Free. For the Women the same events were offered except they did not swim the 200 Meter Fly and swam the 100 Meter Fly instead. The 50 Free was also not offered and didn't become an Olympic event until 1988.
In 1968, there were big changes in the Olympic program. All of the individual events offered today except the 50 Free were on the Olympic program. And this was the year that Nations could take up to 3 swimmers per event and it was this way until 1984 when only 2 swimmers per Nation could be eligible to swim in the Olympics. There was also a change in 1952 about the number of swimmers each nation could take per individual event. Prior to 1952, it was always 3 swimmers. From 1952 to 1964, it was only 2 swimmers per Nation. From 1968 to 1980 it was 3 again and from 1984 until the present its only 2 swimmers.
