Swimming World's top 12 master swimmers!!!!!!!!!!!!!

elise526: In 1995, FINA made the requirement that for swims to count for FINA World Records, they must be set in masters sanctioned meets by a member nation of FINA. Prior to this, any swimmer that was registered with USMS could swim in a USA swim meet and turn in the times to count toward FINA World Records without ever swimming in a masters sanctioned meet. This was happening with Olympic caliber swimmers though maybe not on the level of Lezak and Coughlin but with national caliber swimmers. FINA put a stop to this immediately and told member nation recorders and tabulators to strip anyone of a past record if they did not record the swim in a masters sanctioned competition. I think they went back a year and did that with those swims. So in a sense what your saying is happening at the FINA level. For the USMS level, as long as you are registered with the organization and you follow the rules to get your swims to count, then any swim from any USA sanctioned meet can count for a USMS Record and USMS Top Time and it does not have to be from a masters sanctioned meet. But FINA still permits non-masters swimmers swimming in USA meets to garner FINA masters rankings. They just draw the line at WRs. This is a silly distinction. If, as Chris notes, swimmers like Dara should be recognized in FINA masters rankings because they are simply the fastest in the world in their age group, why not world records too? Otherwise, it's just inconsistent. Tom, I am aware that Dara is registered with USMS. I'm just not sure that that fact alone entitles her to bump real masters swimmers out of FINA rankings. I don't appear in any USA PV rankings although I am a registered USA swimmer for 2 years. (Nor would I want to or care.) What if, hypothetically, a masters swimmer entered a USA meet and had enough points to win a high point trophy. Would they be awarded it? No don't think so. Can't imagine anyone wanting it either ... And, Frank, you didn't answer. Does FINA recognize LCM times swum by a masters swimmer at USA meets? I know USMS does, but I had heard FINA did not. Obviously, plenty of LCM times swum at such meets have appeared in the FINA rankings. I was just wondering what the actual rule was. I think ehoch had the same opinion as you elise -- that you should be required to swim in at least one masters meet. Though he never said why. I feel for your friend. #1 rankings mean a lot to real masters swimmers. It's hard to believe it means much at all to Dara, although she did file the requisite paperwork. Since world class athletes are already not eligible for FINA masters WRs, then they should at least be required to swim in 1-2 masters meets to get the FINA masters rankings.

elise526: In 1995, FINA made the requirement that for swims to count for FINA World Records, they must be set in masters sanctioned meets by a member nation of FINA. Prior to this, any swimmer that was registered with USMS could swim in a USA swim meet and turn in the times to count toward FINA World Records without ever swimming in a masters sanctioned meet. This was happening with Olympic caliber swimmers though maybe not on the level of Lezak and Coughlin but with national caliber swimmers. FINA put a stop to this immediately and told member nation recorders and tabulators to strip anyone of a past record if they did not record the swim in a masters sanctioned competition. I think they went back a year and did that with those swims. So in a sense what your saying is happening at the FINA level. For the USMS level, as long as you are registered with the organization and you follow the rules to get your swims to count, then any swim from any USA sanctioned meet can count for a USMS Record and USMS Top Time and it does not have to be from a masters sanctioned meet. But FINA still permits non-masters swimmers swimming in USA meets to garner FINA masters rankings. They just draw the line at WRs. This is a silly distinction. If, as Chris notes, swimmers like Dara should be recognized in FINA masters rankings because they are simply the fastest in the world in their age group, why not world records too? Otherwise, it's just inconsistent. Tom, I am aware that Dara is registered with USMS. I'm just not sure that that fact alone entitles her to bump real masters swimmers out of FINA rankings. I don't appear in any USA PV rankings although I am a registered USA swimmer for 2 years. (Nor would I want to or care.) What if, hypothetically, a masters swimmer entered a USA meet and had enough points to win a high point trophy. Would they be awarded it? No don't think so. Can't imagine anyone wanting it either ... And, Frank, you didn't answer. Does FINA recognize LCM times swum by a masters swimmer at USA meets? I know USMS does, but I had heard FINA did not. Obviously, plenty of LCM times swum at such meets have appeared in the FINA rankings. I was just wondering what the actual rule was. I think ehoch had the same opinion as you elise -- that you should be required to swim in at least one masters meet. Though he never said why. I feel for your friend. #1 rankings mean a lot to real masters swimmers. It's hard to believe it means much at all to Dara, although she did file the requisite paperwork. Since world class athletes are already not eligible for FINA masters WRs, then they should at least be required to swim in 1-2 masters meets to get the FINA masters rankings.