The ridiculousness of Aus swimming

[El Diablo]

Tonight Lisbeth Lenton breaks the world record in the womens 100 metre semi final yet still has to finish in the top 2 in the final to qualify for Athens.

Why is our countries swimming mob so bloody stupid?

 

[Poida_Raider]

hey dude, its the same for every country..
i know it sux that if we have the 5 best swimmers in one event, in the world only 2 can get through.. it just makes the qualifiers bring out the best swimmers.. in the best form.

i think aus swimming is one of he strongest world wide, its good to watch most of the time. and in regards to this, i'm sure she can finish top two, she'll probably break the record again if you ask me. and the girl that equaled the old world record should get through too..
but i do agree that it sux!

 

[El Diablo]

hey dude, its the same for every country..

I don't think it is. After Thorpe was DQ'd Van den Hogenband said this

"Swimming needs heroes. They should have given him another chance. It says a lot for the arrogance of the Australians that they give their swimmers only one chance to qualify for the Games.

"I am pleased we do it differently."

 

[Poida_Raider]

yeah i dunno.
its not like one country would be able to send 4 swimmers for one event, and us only be able to send 2. wheres the fairness in that??
i dont think thats right, but i dont really know.

 

[El Diablo]

yeah i dunno.
its not like one country would be able to send 4 swimmers for one event, and us only be able to send 2. wheres the fairness in that??
i dont think thats right, but i dont really know.

No, I just think it's stupid that swimming qualifying comes to one race.

 

[Jimbo]

Spare a thought for Greg Bennett...

He convincingly wins the 2000 World Cup Triathlon round over the same course which was used later in the year for the Olympics. The course is perfectly matched to his strengths (especially the bike), but he then gets a virus just before the trials and therefore doesn't make the team.

Fortunately he had the race of his life a few weeks ago and has made the team for Athens, but it was another medal gone begging in Sydney

 

[John_Travolta]

Every swimmer knows the rules. You break a WR in a heat and prelim or semi you still gotta get into the team no matter what........ whats the problem here anyways??

Troy

 

[Poida_Raider]

well she came second, to henry.. good race.
so she goes to the olympics, there you go.

 

[aphelion]

I think they're trying to get the trials as close to competition standard as they can. In the Olympics, if you don't perform in the final then it's all for nothing, same as it is in these trials. If you peak in the semis and then blow it in the final, it's your own fault, the rules have been there for years and all the swimmers know them.

Sounds like the Dutch guy is talking out of his ass. What's so arrogant about having a selection tournament?

 

[El Diablo]

I think they're trying to get the trials as close to competition standard as they can. In the Olympics, if you don't perform in the final then it's all for nothing, same as it is in these trials. If you peak in the semis and then blow it in the final, it's your own fault, the rules have been there for years and all the swimmers know them.

Sounds like the Dutch guy is talking out of his ass. What's so arrogant about having a selection tournament?

Having it as a 1 off race is stupid. The Olympics are like 5 months away anyway so why select now?

 

[Poida_Raider]

some people like the teenagers in the team etc. dont all have major sponsors and stuff, they need time to raise money etc. and since they know they are in the team, i gives them lots of time to train hard and be in greater shape for the games. thats just my opinion.

 

[Nuffs]

raise money?

and i thought the taxpayers were paying!

 

[hh]

I previously have been involved in competitive swimming..... not at the level in question though....

It would make more sense to have the trials over a few months.....
It doesn't allow for unfortunate incidents like illness.

 

[Le Rouge]

Why not just have qualifying times like Athletics or have the 2 fastest times during a season get to go for each event.

 

[Razor]

Doing it a race situation is the only fair way to do it. If Lenton chokes up in the final of her nationals, what is she going to do in the final of the Olympics? She didn't, but if she did, there is no way she should be picked on the team.

Expecially since Australia has 3 of the fastest 4 swimmers ever in the 100m womens, and the current top 3 in the world (although no other country have had their trials yet).

He's retired now, and forget his name, but a male breast-stroker was a great performer except in Olympic trials, so never made the Olympic team in the 2 Olympics he's career expanded.

Basing it on times only would be an awful decision.

 

[El Diablo]

Basing it on times only would be an awful decision.

Why?

In the two semi finals it's decided on times. Why don't they take the top four from each semi instead? because that would be stupid.

 

[Razor]

Why?

The swimmers without good mental strength, who can swim great times, but can't handle the pressure in finals. Been many in the past.

Why don't they take the top four from each semi instead? because that would be stupid.

Because that is unfair.

 

[Razor]

And look at the examples given by the Americans of other world record holding swimmers in the past.

"Look at Pablo Morales in 1988," said Jeff Rouse, a double gold medallist at the 1996 Games. "Pablo was a world record holder in three events in 1988. He got third in all three events in the trials, and he didn't get a bye."

"What about Kristine Quance back in '96?" added Brooke Bennett. "She got DQed in the 400 individual medley whilst holding the world record, and didn't get to go and swim the event."

 

[El Diablo]

What's this got to do with my original post????

Did any of those Americans set a world record in the trials yet not qualify for the games in them and could it happen under their qualification system??

It can happen in Aus and nearly did.

 

[Razor]

It can happen in Aus and nearly did.

And if she came 3rd we don't want her on the team because either she can't handle the pressure or it was a one-off good swim. Mills and Henry are both proven performers on the world stage.