The anti-sandbag law:
"if a swimmer enters an event with a time significantly slower or faster than that swimmer's recorded time in the past two years, the meet director may, after a discussion with the swimmer, change the seeded time to a realistic time" (104.5.5.A(10)).
Concerning my Auburn nationals entry, I confess, when faced with a 7 hour 2 stop flight and 3:45 nonstop at an earlier time, I did what any warm-blooded middle-aged American swimmer with low self-esteem would do--sandbag my entry so I could catch the earlier flight, thus diminishing the possible time spent sitting next to a 400 pound Alabama slammer with sleep apnea wearing nothing but overalls and body odor. Of course, I was caught in my bold fabrication and my time was "fixed."
USMS seems to have an identity problem. Are we hard core with rigid qualifying times? It would seem not as 2 of my not-so-speedy family members were allowed to swim four events last year in Puerto Rico. If we are not hard core, why does anybody care that I sandbag? More to the point, why can one person enter a crappy time and another cannot? Just wondering.:)
Parents
Former Member
Have had affiliation as a Master in England, Germany, Portugal, Spain, never accepted coaches, organizations or anyone to decide which entry time would be signed.
We are adults, we have a choice to decide… Do not accept someone to say what time I will swim , until today never signed and think will never sign with my best time ever or for each year.
If people think it is wrong to take advantage of a signed time just add penalty fees to the regulations, for each …seconds more or less than the entry time..
Never swum as a youngster and do not compare adult swimming with young swimming or elite swimming. This is supposed to be fun and “choice” free.
This Saturday have signed for Madrid national, if they do not correct my entry times ( 2 events are with entry times best done while was affiliated to Spain last year) I will not participate as have paid the registration and my trip to swim events under times I KNOW doing on practice.
Have had affiliation as a Master in England, Germany, Portugal, Spain, never accepted coaches, organizations or anyone to decide which entry time would be signed.
We are adults, we have a choice to decide… Do not accept someone to say what time I will swim , until today never signed and think will never sign with my best time ever or for each year.
If people think it is wrong to take advantage of a signed time just add penalty fees to the regulations, for each …seconds more or less than the entry time..
Never swum as a youngster and do not compare adult swimming with young swimming or elite swimming. This is supposed to be fun and “choice” free.
This Saturday have signed for Madrid national, if they do not correct my entry times ( 2 events are with entry times best done while was affiliated to Spain last year) I will not participate as have paid the registration and my trip to swim events under times I KNOW doing on practice.
