I know there have been numerous threads posted about this and I've read the USMS Masters statement, thanks Ande.
Nevertheless,
I have never swam with these magic suits that has FINA in such a tizzie. I never will swim with them as I joined masters swimming just this year. I guess I missed an era :(. I would like to know how many folks are still racing with the suits (did Rowdy use one in his world record swims this weekend)? In addition, how many folks who set masters world records this year, used the high tech suits?
I know it would be fun to wear one of those suits and easily pull out a time I have no business going at 38 years old. I guess if I went some insane time in the 100 free, I'd have a hard time getting myself back into the mental state to swim knowing that the marks I set will never be attainable by me if I can no longer wear the suit. I think we are going to be very surprised at the swim times produced around the world come January 1, 2010. I think it will be a devastating blow to the sport IMHO. FINA will have to deal with that when that occurs.
So I'm curious how many swims are going to be swum in Atlanta next spring with the tech suits? I bet I'm the only one on the blocks without one like I was at my first meet this year.
I thought it was funny to be rather old school and beat all these guys with the full body batman outfits.
Am I a little envious, sure. I wish I could have worn one when the suits weren't in a state of speculation and then showed people my best times and said, "oh, of course not I wasn't wearing one of those tech suits, no, that was from my honest to goodness hard work"... But I never will if the ruling continues to hold.
I won't ever have an asterisk next to my name.
Parents
Former Member
Hey folks I didn't mean to sound like a pompous ass, really, I had no intention, that's the problem with anonymous boards.
I summarized at the end that I would wear one if they were legal. I also stressed that if I pulled off a 44 or 45 in the 100yd free with the suit on and then went a full second slower without it, I'd be a little difused.
Look at the men's 50m free world record progression. It's quite staggering to see the effect of the new suits.
# Time Name Nationality Date
1 23.86 Jonty Skinner South Africa August 14, 1976
2 23.74 Joe Bottom United States July 3, 1977
3 23.72 Ron Manganiello United States July 29, 1978
4 23.70 Klaus Steinbach West Germany July 23, 1979
5 23.66 Chris Cavanaugh United States February 2, 1980
6 23.12 Chris Cavanaugh United States April 10, 1980
7 22.96 Rowdy Gaines United States April 10, 1980
8 22.83 Bruce Stahl United States April 10, 1980
8= 22.83 Joe Bottom United States August 15, 1980
9 22.71 Joe Bottom United States August 15, 1980
10 22.54 Robin Leamy United States August 15, 1981
11 22.52 Dano Halsall Switzerland July 21, 1985
12 22.40 Tom Jager United States December 6, 1985
13 22.33 Matt Biondi United States June 26, 1986
13 22.33 Matt Biondi United States July 30, 1987
14 22.32 Tom Jager United States August 13, 1987
15 22.23 Tom Jager United States March 25, 1988
22.18 Peter Williams South Africa April 10, 1988
16 22.14 Matt Biondi United States September 24, 1988
17 22.12 Tom Jager United States August 20, 1989
18 21.98 Tom Jager United States March 24, 1990
19 21.81 Tom Jager United States March 24, 1990
20 21.64 Alexander Popov Russia June 1, 2000
21 21.56 Eamon Sullivan Australia February 17, 2008
22 21.50 Alain Bernard France March 23, 2008
23 21.41 Eamon Sullivan Australia March 27, 2008
24 21.28 Eamon Sullivan Australia March 28, 2008
25 20.94 Frédérick Bousquet France April 26, 2009
Everything is progressing normally until 1990, ten years later Popov finally breaks Jager's record, then nothing until 4 swims in the spring of 2008. I guess FINA said something had to be done to keep the sport interesting. my.02.
Its no wonder swimming was so damn fast and difficult in the late 80s and 90s. The suits give everyone the edge to just simply erase those amazing years where 10-20000m a workout were the norm.
I have no moral high horse, my past dictates that. I shouldn't have put out the asterisk comment, sorry. But seriously if this is considered a mistake, then it should be noted and it will be evident 50 years from now that the suits were the cause of such incredible feats.
Hey folks I didn't mean to sound like a pompous ass, really, I had no intention, that's the problem with anonymous boards.
I summarized at the end that I would wear one if they were legal. I also stressed that if I pulled off a 44 or 45 in the 100yd free with the suit on and then went a full second slower without it, I'd be a little difused.
Look at the men's 50m free world record progression. It's quite staggering to see the effect of the new suits.
# Time Name Nationality Date
1 23.86 Jonty Skinner South Africa August 14, 1976
2 23.74 Joe Bottom United States July 3, 1977
3 23.72 Ron Manganiello United States July 29, 1978
4 23.70 Klaus Steinbach West Germany July 23, 1979
5 23.66 Chris Cavanaugh United States February 2, 1980
6 23.12 Chris Cavanaugh United States April 10, 1980
7 22.96 Rowdy Gaines United States April 10, 1980
8 22.83 Bruce Stahl United States April 10, 1980
8= 22.83 Joe Bottom United States August 15, 1980
9 22.71 Joe Bottom United States August 15, 1980
10 22.54 Robin Leamy United States August 15, 1981
11 22.52 Dano Halsall Switzerland July 21, 1985
12 22.40 Tom Jager United States December 6, 1985
13 22.33 Matt Biondi United States June 26, 1986
13 22.33 Matt Biondi United States July 30, 1987
14 22.32 Tom Jager United States August 13, 1987
15 22.23 Tom Jager United States March 25, 1988
22.18 Peter Williams South Africa April 10, 1988
16 22.14 Matt Biondi United States September 24, 1988
17 22.12 Tom Jager United States August 20, 1989
18 21.98 Tom Jager United States March 24, 1990
19 21.81 Tom Jager United States March 24, 1990
20 21.64 Alexander Popov Russia June 1, 2000
21 21.56 Eamon Sullivan Australia February 17, 2008
22 21.50 Alain Bernard France March 23, 2008
23 21.41 Eamon Sullivan Australia March 27, 2008
24 21.28 Eamon Sullivan Australia March 28, 2008
25 20.94 Frédérick Bousquet France April 26, 2009
Everything is progressing normally until 1990, ten years later Popov finally breaks Jager's record, then nothing until 4 swims in the spring of 2008. I guess FINA said something had to be done to keep the sport interesting. my.02.
Its no wonder swimming was so damn fast and difficult in the late 80s and 90s. The suits give everyone the edge to just simply erase those amazing years where 10-20000m a workout were the norm.
I have no moral high horse, my past dictates that. I shouldn't have put out the asterisk comment, sorry. But seriously if this is considered a mistake, then it should be noted and it will be evident 50 years from now that the suits were the cause of such incredible feats.
