2012 Olympics: Swimming

How about backstrokers doing a big dolphin at the end of the race to get to the wall? Is that legal or only at the start of the back race?

How about backstrokers doing a big dolphin at the end of the race to get to the wall? Is that legal or only at the start of the back race? It is legal as long as they don't completely submerge. I've definitely seen DQs on this. (Honestly, I thought Missy Franklin was pushing it a little at the end of her 100 back gold medal swim.)

You can do whatever you want in backstroke as long as you're on your back and surface (and stay surfaced) past the 15 meter mark. You could do double-arm stroke with a frog kick if you wanted. Perfectly legal.

Why not do all the dolphin kicks you can :D during a SLOW pull out ???

Why not do all the dolphin kicks you can :D during a SLOW pull out ??? You can do all of the dolphin kicks you'd like--just sign up for any of the freestyle/butterfly/backstroke (on back) events. As long as you surface by the 15m mark there's absolutely nothing wrong. This is breaststroke--not butterfly. They really need to totally eliminate the fly and get back to real breaststroke. We're only talking about 3 events: the 50/100/200 breaststroke.

You can do all of the dolphin kicks you'd like--just sign up for any of the freestyle/butterfly/backstroke (on back) events. As long as you surface by the 15m mark there's absolutely nothing wrong. This is breaststroke--not butterfly. They really need to totally eliminate the fly and get back to real breaststroke. We're only talking about 3 events: the 50/100/200 breaststroke. You know, I agree - but is that only because I'm a breaststroker and not great at SDK? Do any backstrokers or freestylers out there think that 15 meters of dolphin kicking underwater has diluted their stroke at all (making true masters of free or back swimming less successful and those who SDK well more)? I've also wondered if Phelps would dominate as many strokes as he does without the his SDKs. Thoughts?

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Legally approved suits NEWS Swimming World's 2012 Olympic Swimming Sports Illustrated 2012 Olympics SI 2012 Olympic Swimming ESPN 2012 USA Olympic Trials USMS forum site WOMEN'S 10K RESULTS VERY CLOSE RACE! 1 25 RISZTOV Eva 1:57:38.2 + HUN Lap Rank Time Split 1 1 19:22.2 19:22.2 2 3 39:09.3 19:47.1 3 1 59:09.4 20:00.1 4 1 1:18:58.8 19:49.4 5 1 1:38:32.3 19:33.5 F 1 1:57:38.2 19:05.9 2 13 ANDERSON Haley 1:57:38.6 Y + USA Lap Rank Time Split 1 4 19:22.9 19:22.9 2 1 39:07.4 19:44.5 3 3 59:12.2 20:04.8 4 3 1:19:01.2 19:49.0 5 3 1:38:35.6 19:34.4 F 2 1:57:38.6 19:03.0 3 10 GRIMALDI Martina 1:57:41.8 + ITA Lap Rank Time Split 1 8 19:25.1 19:25.1 2 4 39:10.8 19:45.7 3 2 59:11.5 20:00.7 4 2 1:19:00.4 19:48.9 5 2 1:38:33.3 19:32.9 F 3 1:57:41.8 19:08.5 4 15 PAYNE Keri-anne 1:57:42.2 + Lap Rank Time Split 1 3 19:22.7 19:22.7 2 2 39:09.0 19:46.3 3 4 59:13.3 20:04.3 4 5 1:19:03.2 19:49.9 5 5 1:38:36.6 19:33.4 F 4 1:57:42.2 19:05.6 5 1 MAURER Angela 1:57:52.8 Y + Lap Rank Time Split 1 7 19:25.0 19:25.0 2 5 39:11.4 19:46.4 3 9 59:16.8 20:05.4 4 4 1:19:02.1 19:45.3 5 4 1:38:36.5 19:34.4 F 5 1:57:52.8 19:16.3 6 11 ASPORD Ophelie 1:58:43.1 + Lap Rank Time Split 1 19 19:28.8 19:28.8 2 14 39:15.4 19:46.6 3 10 59:16.9 20:01.5 4 7 1:19:04.6 19:47.7 5 12 1:38:52.5 19:47.9 F 6 1:58:43.1 19:50.6 7 16 BERESNYEVA Olga 1:58:44.4 + Lap Rank Time Split 1 15 19:28.2 19:28.2 2 11 39:14.5 19:46.3 3 8 59:16.3 20:01.8 4 10 1:19:06.3 19:50.0 5 10 1:38:50.8 19:44.5 F 7 1:58:44.4 19:53.6 8 2 VILLAECIJA GARCIA Erika 1:58:49.5 + Lap Rank Time Split 1 5 19:24.5 19:24.5 2 7 39:12.9 19:48.4 3 13 59:18.3 20:05.4 4 14 1:19:09.7 19:51.4 5 9 1:38:49.6 19:39.9 F 8 1:58:49.5 19:59.9 9 3 PECHANOVA Jana 1:58:52.8 + Lap Rank Time Split 1 12 19:26.5 19:26.5 2 8 39:13.3 19:46.8 3 7 59:14.2 20:00.9 4 7 1:19:04.6 19:50.4 5 6 1:38:44.4 19:39.8 F 9 1:58:52.8 20:08.4 10 8 GUSEVA Anna 1:58:53.0 + Lap Rank Time Split 1 23 19:30.1 19:30.1 2 17 39:17.3 19:47.2 3 15 59:19.9 20:02.6 4 12 1:19:07.8 19:47.9 5 8 1:38:49.1 19:41.3 F 10 1:58:53.0 20:03.9 11 7 GORMAN Melissa 1:58:53.1 Y + Lap Rank Time Split 1 2 19:22.6 19:22.6 2 6 39:11.6 19:49.0 3 11 59:17.2 20:05.6 4 6 1:19:03.7 19:46.5 5 7 1:38:45.2 19:41.5 F 11 1:58:53.1 20:07.9 12 12 SITIC Karla 1:58:54.7 + Lap Rank Time Split 1 18 19:28.5 19:28.5 2 21 39:19.4 19:50.9 3 23 59:25.0 20:05.6 4 19 1:19:16.7 19:51.7 5 12 1:38:52.5 19:35.8 F 12 1:58:54.7 20:02.2 13 4 KIDA Yumi 1:58:59.1 Y + Lap Rank Time Split 1 17 19:28.4 19:28.4 2 13 39:14.8 19:46.4 3 5 59:13.6 19:58.8 4 11 1:19:06.6 19:53.0 5 14 1:38:53.8 19:47.2 F 13 1:58:59.1 20:05.3 14 9 PINTO PEREZ Yanel 1:59:05.8 + Lap Rank Time Split 1 12 19:26.5 19:26.5 2 18 39:17.8 19:51.3 3 19 59:21.8 20:04.0 4 13 1:19:08.8 19:47.0 5 15 1:38:55.1 19:46.3 F 14 1:59:05.8 20:10.7 15 19 CHARLOS Natalia 1:59:58.7 Y + Lap Rank Time Split 1 11 19:26.3 19:26.3 2 10 39:14.0 19:47.7 3 6 59:13.9 19:59.9 4 9 1:19:06.0 19:52.1 5 11 1:38:51.2 19:45.2 F 15 1:59:58.7 21:07.5 16 18 GAN Heidi 2:00:45.0 + Lap Rank Time Split 1 8 19:25.1 19:25.1 2 12 39:14.6 19:49.5 3 12 59:17.4 20:02.8 4 15 1:19:12.4 19:55.0 5 16 1:39:12.5 20:00.1 F 16 2:00:45.0 21:32.5 17 24 BIAGIOLI Cecilia 2:01:02.2 + Lap Rank Time Split 1 6 19:24.9 19:24.9 2 16 39:16.3 19:51.4 3 22 59:23.3 20:07.0 4 22 1:19:24.7 20:01.4 5 17 1:39:26.9 20:02.2 F 17 2:01:02.2 21:35.3 18 14 BALAZS Zsofia 2:01:17.8 + Lap Rank Time Split 1 10 19:26.1 19:26.1 2 9 39:13.7 19:47.6 3 14 59:19.3 20:05.6 4 16 1:19:12.7 19:53.4 5 18 1:39:41.2 20:28.5 F 18 2:01:17.8 21:36.6 19 20 OBERSON Swann 2:01:38.0 + Lap Rank Time Split 1 15 19:28.2 19:28.2 2 18 39:17.8 19:49.6 3 17 59:20.8 20:03.0 4 18 1:19:14.6 19:53.8 5 19 1:39:43.3 20:28.7 F 19 2:01:38.0 21:54.7 20 17 TANG Wing Yung 2:02:33.4 + Lap Rank Time Split 1 21 19:29.5 19:29.5 2 23 39:20.2 19:50.7 3 21 59:23.1 20:02.9 4 21 1:19:23.6 20:00.5 5 20 1:39:56.7 20:33.1 F 20 2:02:33.4 22:36.7 21 21 RUEDA Lizeth 2:02:46.1 + Lap Rank Time Split 1 20 19:28.9 19:28.9 2 22 39:19.6 19:50.7 3 20 59:22.2 20:02.6 4 17 1:19:14.5 19:52.3 5 21 1:40:21.9 21:07.4 F 21 2:02:46.1 22:24.2 22 23 LYMPERTA Marianna 2:04:26.5 + Lap Rank Time Split 1 22 19:29.7 19:29.7 2 18 39:17.8 19:48.1 3 18 59:21.7 20:03.9 4 23 1:19:27.5 20:05.8 5 22 1:41:08.3 21:40.8 F 22 2:04:26.5 23:18.2 22 OKIMOTO Poliana DNF + Lap Rank Time Split 1 14 19:28.0 19:28.0 2 15 39:15.7 19:47.7 3 16 59:20.5 20:04.8 4 20 1:19:22.3 20:01.8 5 ROUX Jessica DNF + Lap Rank Time Split 1 24 19:41.3 19:41.3 2 24 40:20.8 20:39.5 3 24 1:01:58.3 21:37.5 6 FANG Yanqiao DNS +

You know, I agree - but is that only because I'm a breaststroker and not great at SDK? Do any backstrokers or freestylers out there think that 15 meters of dolphin kicking underwater has diluted their stroke at all (making true masters of free or back swimming less successful and those who SDK well more)? I've also wondered if Phelps would dominate as many strokes as he does without the his SDKs. Thoughts? Long course swimming isn't affected by SDK's nearly as much as short course. I consider my SDK's above average; swimming long course is humbling since they're not particularly helpful. Phelps got 6 gold and 2 bronze in Athens without his SDK's.

Someone at College Swimming.com ran the numbers and more than 70% of the American team improved or effectively held (ie. less than a tenth difference) their times from Trials, which no other team that we know of seemed able to do.

NSR, but wow! Manteo Mitchell deserves some major props...