Some Aging Competitors Call High-Tech Swimsuits Dirty Pool
Former Member
Wall Street Journal article: online.wsj.com/.../SB125721159786824325.html
Michael Mann of Centennial, Colo., flew past his opponents, swaddled shoulder-to-ankle in a black neoprene bodysuit. Mr. Mann, 55, won the 400-meter individual medley race and set a world record for his age group, 55 to 59. Mr. Mann set new world marks in the 200-, 400- and 800-meter freestyle while Mr. Evans steamed.
I saw that this morning, checked Clay Evans time in the 200IM and 400IM, and just about coughed up my breakfast cereal. Clay and the author seem to think that the tech suits are worth more than 1 minute and 9 seconds advantage in the 400IM and 33 seconds in the 200IM. Maybe most of Mike's advantage over Clay is that he currently works a lot harder at his swimming and fitness than Clay. Mike could have worn a drag suit and Clay could have worn an Arena X-Glide and Mike probably still would have won by 20 plus seconds in the 400IM. Mike probably does sets of 400IMs on intervals in practice as fast as Clay's meet time. Sure, the suit is an advantage, but come up with a better example please. I know that Clay is an ex-Olympian and all and I am just a hack, but he should spend some more time in the pool before he is quoted in a national newspaper so it looks like he has a legitimate complaint.
Tim
I saw that this morning, checked Clay Evans time in the 200IM and 400IM, and just about coughed up my breakfast cereal. Clay and the author seem to think that the tech suits are worth more than 1 minute and 9 seconds advantage in the 400IM and 33 seconds in the 200IM. Maybe most of Mike's advantage over Clay is that he currently works a lot harder at his swimming and fitness than Clay. Mike could have worn a drag suit and Clay could have worn an Arena X-Glide and Mike probably still would have won by 20 plus seconds in the 400IM. Mike probably does sets of 400IMs on intervals in practice as fast as Clay's meet time. Sure, the suit is an advantage, but come up with a better example please. I know that Clay is an ex-Olympian and all and I am just a hack, but he should spend some more time in the pool before he is quoted in a national newspaper so it looks like he has a legitimate complaint.
Tim
