Big thanks to Sam Montenegro for sharing the “coach’s eye” view of Whitley’s swim this morning from on deck.
Enjoy it while it lasts: above is Reece Whitley’s 1:57.87 in the 200 yard breaststroke from Saturday’s preliminary session at the 2014 Tom Dolan Invitational, which for now stands as the new National Age Group Record in the event for 13-14’s.
This record likely has only a few more hours to survive, as given Whitley’s performance in the 100 on Friday; this 200 should go down in short order on Saturday in finals.
Whitley’s times are similar to those one might expect from a college swimmer in December, and it’s no wonder why when checking out his stroke counts. Whitley and his 6’7″ frame gets incredible distance on his pullouts and has a huge leg drive too. His counts by 25 are 3-4-4-5(?)-4-4-5-4. Whitley clearly ascribes to the school where the breaststroke is driven almost exclusively by the legs, and the arms’ job is as much to create a break in the surface tension as it is to provide serious forward propulsion (though, being so long, he still has enough leverage to get some pull out of them too).
Learning from Cordes.
He should have been DISQUALIFIED!!!! He went way past the 15m mark on the start! It was not even a close call! Ridiculous that the officials didn’t see it and that this record counts.
William – there’s no 15 meter rule in breaststroke.
Did he go past 15m on the start?
Tom Dolan Invitational would have deserved a live recap page in my opinion.
So many great performances!
Again 3 strokes in the first 25. 😆 It’s funny to watch.
I expected 1.55 something and he did it.
Very impressive.
1.55.52 IN FINAL!
Long course. I predict he will be the world’s first 57 in the 100.
Seliskar new NAG 1:41.33
He didn’t look happy. 🙂