Noticing more frequent use of grab starts in Beijing...
Former Member
Notably by the Chinese female swimmer, and it's combined with tremendous water entries and SDK's ... I'd say almost Coughlin caliber underwaters and theyr'e coming up on the fielkd, but no one is talking about it.
Look at their entries in the 200 free. In the 100, Pang jumped so take her slight reaction time out of it and she still is well up after the SDK's.
Notice also that Lenton of Australia used the conventional grab start, as do several other of her country women.
In one particular Chinese sprinter (Le?), she squats with her but down quite low for her stance, which would seem very slow off the block. At 15 meters though she is ahead.
Any thoughts?
Parents
Former Member
In 2004 wrote an article " Is the Grab Start Dead" that was published in the American Swimming Magazine (ASCA Coaches magazine). basically I counted nearly every start of every race in the 2004 USA Olympics Trials.
Rowdy keeps talking about the reaction time, but really what is important is NOT the reaction time but the time to 15 meters. This time is recorded in every World championship and Olympics. Many times the people and countries that use the grab start end up ahead at the 15 meters mark!
The track start just is a big equalizer, no body gets a lead, except for the reaction time. A couple of thousands of reaction time does not make up for the couple of tenths loss at the 15 meter mark.
In 2004 wrote an article " Is the Grab Start Dead" that was published in the American Swimming Magazine (ASCA Coaches magazine). basically I counted nearly every start of every race in the 2004 USA Olympics Trials.
Rowdy keeps talking about the reaction time, but really what is important is NOT the reaction time but the time to 15 meters. This time is recorded in every World championship and Olympics. Many times the people and countries that use the grab start end up ahead at the 15 meters mark!
The track start just is a big equalizer, no body gets a lead, except for the reaction time. A couple of thousands of reaction time does not make up for the couple of tenths loss at the 15 meter mark.
