A History of Walking Boots At Swim Meets And Why They Apparently Mean Nothing

2022 U.S. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS

• April 26-30, 2022
• Greensboro, NC
• Greensboro Aquatic Center
• LCM (50m)
• Start Times: Prelims – 9 am ET / Finals – 6 pm ET
• Worlds Qualifying Criteria
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• SwimSwam Pick ‘Em Contest
• How To Watch
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

Swimming has a relatively short but well-documented history of walking boots.

Over the last year and a half we’ve seen three relatively high-profile names show up on deck wearing a boot, nursing some type of injury, and it seemingly hasn’t mattered.

But prior to the recent exploits of Shaine Casas, Bobby Finke, and this week, Leah Hayes, it was actually the GOAT himself who first appeared in a walking boot prior to a big-time competition.

Back in August of 2009, shortly after winning five gold medals and breaking a pair of individual world records in the 100 and 200 butterfly at the World Championships in Rome, Michael Phelps was seen wearing a walking boot on his right ankle while promoting his upcoming clash with NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal. Phelps had injured his ankle after he was involved in car accident.

Phelps was to battle Shaq in his television series, “Shaq VS,” where the Los Angeles Lakers great took on sports stars in their respective specialties with an advantage to level the playing field.

After dropping the first race, Phelps came back to win two in a row to defeat the seven-foot-plus O’Neal (you can watch the battle on YouTube here).

As it turns out, Phelps isn’t the only swimmer to find success in the pool despite dealing with an injury that required a walking boot.

Shaine Casas

At the 2020 Art Adamson Invitational, Shaine Casas, then in his junior year at Texas A&M University, was on fire at the mid-season meet, having dropped a time of 1:38.95 in the 200 IM and 43.87 in the 100 backstroke (SCY) to become the third-fastest swimmer of all-time in both events during the first two nights of finals.

However, on Friday morning, Casas showed up on deck wearing a walking boot, and subsequently added 17 seconds to his 200 back best time and failed to make the ‘A’ final in 1:53.85.

However, Casas came back and blasted a time of 1:36.62 in the ‘B’ final at night, narrowly missing his personal best time. He went on to win the NCAA title in the event that season in 1:35.75, and his walking boot time was only topped by runner-up Destin Lasco (1:35.99).

In fact, Casas’ walking boot best would’ve won the NCAA title this past season by more than a second, with Lasco claiming victory in 1:37.71. (Casas would’ve been a senior this year but turned pro early.)

Bobby Finke

Bobby Finke, the reigning Olympic champion in the men’s 800 and 1500 freestyle and the fastest miler in collegiate swimming history, showed up at the 2021 SEC Championships wearing a walking boot.

Despite dealing with whatever injury caused him to wear it, Finke had a very strong performance for the University of Florida, highlighted by his performance in the 1650 freestyle.

Finke put up a time of 14:12.18 in the event, the second-fastest swim in history, narrowly trailing his all-time record of 14:12.08 set the season prior.

Then in his junior year with the Gators, Finke also placed second in the 400 IM (3:39.15) and fifth in the 500 free (4:13.48) at the competition, and one month later, picked up a pair of national titles in the 1650 free and 400 IM.

Leah Hayes

The most recent walking boot revelation is 16-year-old Leah Hayes, who showed up this week at the U.S. International Team Trials wearing a brace and told SwimSwam that she was dealing with a stress fracture in her foot.

Hayes added that it doesn’t hinder her swimming, and she’s proved it through five sessions in Greensboro, headlined by her performance on Thursday morning in the women’s 400 IM.

Hayes dropped three seconds from her best time in 4:39.65, claiming the top seed for finals while moving up into fifth all-time in the girls’ 15-16 age group.

The Fox Valley Park District Riptides also established a personal best time on Tuesday in the 100 freestyle, clocking 54.89 in the ‘B’ final to lock in a spot on the Junior Pan Pac team, and she also neared her lifetime best in the 200 free to finish 11th overall on Wednesday night (1:59.71).

So while seeing a swimmer show up on pool deck wearing something that indicates an injury is usually cause for concern, the walking boot has shown it’s not an indicator of performance in the pool.