I was surprised to read that Michael Phelps last remaining world record was broken this week. I don’t follow swimming very closely but do remember that Michael Phelps was considered to be almost superhuman.
Got me wondering why his records haven’t lasted longer. Track records can stand for years (in some cases decades) before being broken. I understand that diet, training and technology all have an impact in improving performance. But why have his records not lasted as long as say Usain Bolt’s sprint records. What’s different about swimming.
In: Biology
Swimming strokes are complex and still evolving. Water has a lot more drag than air so non-optimal movements and shapes are impacted more by the water. The pool itself also has less variability tracks. The track itself, humidity, temperature, elevation, wind, all play a roll. And technology is evolving faster in swimming. Like the lane separators now reduce waves a whole lot more than lane separators of 20 years ago.
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