2009 ROMA 2009 :13th FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Another complaint re Rowdy Gaines. I don't think he understands the track/grab start trade-off. He always reads the reaction times and says some swimmer or another has a "terrible start" when they are actually just using a grab start, sacrificing reaction time for power. Is "reaction time" the time between the gun and when your feet leave the block? If so, wouldn't tall swimmers tend to have slower reaction times? - their hands/body could be ahead of other swimmers while their feet are still on the blocks making their reaction time slower.

Another complaint re Rowdy Gaines. I don't think he understands the track/grab start trade-off. He always reads the reaction times and says some swimmer or another has a "terrible start" when they are actually just using a grab start, sacrificing reaction time for power. Is "reaction time" the time between the gun and when your feet leave the block? If so, wouldn't tall swimmers tend to have slower reaction times? - their hands/body could be ahead of other swimmers while their feet are still on the blocks making their reaction time slower.