I have been following some the FINA suit talk going on right now and it seems quite possible that they may go back to all textile suits - pre 2008 starting next year. If that happens, how long will some of these records stand ?
Tom Jager did a 21.8 in 1990 ... Popov dropped it to 21.64 in a questionable race ... sub 21 may take 30+ years.
J. Skinner went 49.44 in 1976 --Biondi did a 48.4 in 1988 Hoogenbaand went 47.8 in 2000 .... sub 47 would take another 25 years.
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Similar things were said after the East German and Chinese drug-assisted records.
That is actually not quite true -- out of that era, (in my mind) 5 records truly stand out -- and 4 of those were set by female American swimmers. Meagher's fly records (100 and 200), Janet Evans 400 and 800 Free, and the 4:36 in the 400 IM by Schneider. So even then the Americans were on par with the East Germans (at least in the 80s) -- unless of course the Americans were assisting in the same way as the East-Germans - which I have never really heard about.
If they go back to the pre 2008 suits, nobody will even approach 21 seconds for a 20 years + --- I bet they would start changing the records back or keep 2 sets. The rate of improvement in Freestyle is simply not that great any more.
About Popov's swim -- not sure what his second fastest swim ever was, but I don't think he was ever within 2/10th of the time -- open lanes next to you, maybe a favorable starter do seem to make a difference.
Similar things were said after the East German and Chinese drug-assisted records.
That is actually not quite true -- out of that era, (in my mind) 5 records truly stand out -- and 4 of those were set by female American swimmers. Meagher's fly records (100 and 200), Janet Evans 400 and 800 Free, and the 4:36 in the 400 IM by Schneider. So even then the Americans were on par with the East Germans (at least in the 80s) -- unless of course the Americans were assisting in the same way as the East-Germans - which I have never really heard about.
If they go back to the pre 2008 suits, nobody will even approach 21 seconds for a 20 years + --- I bet they would start changing the records back or keep 2 sets. The rate of improvement in Freestyle is simply not that great any more.
About Popov's swim -- not sure what his second fastest swim ever was, but I don't think he was ever within 2/10th of the time -- open lanes next to you, maybe a favorable starter do seem to make a difference.
