Riddle: When is a time of 21.55 better than a time of 20.91?
Cesar Cielo’s world-record time of 20.91 seconds, set last December, makes him the fastest 50-freestyler in history. Right? Not necessarily. That time was swum in a polyurethane super-suit.
Prior to February 2008, the month that effectively serves as Armageddon for swimming World Records, the legendary Alexander Popov of Russia held the 50 LCM World Record for almost 7 years. His mark of 21.64, set at the 2000 Russian Olympic trials, was broken several times between 2008 and now, as have most records.
But his mark still stood as the fastest time ever swum in a textile suit. Until last week at the Paris Open. That is where Cesar Cielo reaffirmed his position as the greatest sprinter in history by breaking Popov’s old mark in 21.55 seconds.
Was Cielo’s swim an official record? No, and at least for the time being won’t appear in any FINA record books. But for many, it was the affirmation they needed to truly declare Cielo the greatest sprinter ever.
According to Swimnews.com, Cielo became the 10th swimmer to break a pre-February-2008 record this year.
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Women
http://swimviking.blogspot.com/2009/05/ryosuke-iries-technique.html
I have also been fascinated with backstroke technique innovation. I wrote this one about Ryosuke Irie after he took the 200 back record in tech.
I would like to see the study that Braden is talking about as well. Every time I have pulled up underwater video of the world’s best to show my swimmers how far they rotate, I am always surprised that their rotation seems pretty minimal. I just played it off to camera angle. I spent a lot of time trying to get my best backstroker to rotate more, and finally gave up when I pulled up videos of Coughlin and Peirsol and neither of them proved my point.
After… Read more »
Right. Tancock always had such massive turnover, but you knew once he threw a second 50 onto his 100, he would be a monster.
I haven’t seen the studies myself, but they did all kind of bio whatever studies on backstrokers, and basically found that the best backstrokers in the world throughout time have had way less rotation in their strokes than we used to think. There’s also been a lot of improvements and emphasis on the dolphin kicks since 2008, it seems–everyone trying to emulate Phelps.
That, combined with the tweaks in the starts, might be enough to nudge some of these guys under the record.
This may not have penetrated to these ultra-levels yet, but it seems like… Read more »
For Tancock specifically, he went 53.46 in 2007 after winning bronze (behind Peirsol/Lochte) in Melbourne. He never made the big improvements with the suits, just going 53.39 in 2008, getting sixth, when many (including myself) predicted him to medal (or at least come close to medaling). He went 24.47 in the 50 back in 2008, up from a 24.86 in 2008. The potential was always there for massive improvements, and he also had the room for improvement on the second 50, which he put together in April. Getting past the 50 back “record” of 24.80 was inevitable; in 2007, Bal and Tancock were both 24.8 and Bal was 24.81 in a jammer last December.
For the women’s 50 back, that… Read more »
I think that there’s been a lot of advancements in backtstroke technique since 2008, moreso than any other stroke.
Also a lot of records broken in the sprints, which has shown more actual progress, IMHO, than the longer events.
What is it with the backstroke? All truly great swims, can’t wait for Pan-pacs.