4x100 relay

JansenFan · Post by **JansenFan** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 12:22 am

Holy crap, what a race. I'm no swimming expert, so I'm not going to break down the race, but that was one of the most exciting races I've ever seen. Breaking the world record by 4 seconds, beating France, who was talking smack, by just .08 of a second. WOW!

Cappster · Post by **Cappster** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:20 am

I watched it last night too. Stupid Frenchies talking smack. It serves them right to lose. I think the last guy for the USA set some type of record by himself. He made up a lot of ground and luckily, touched the wall before the little Frenchy did.

Countertrey · Post by **Countertrey** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:00 am

Cappster wrote:I watched it last night too. Stupid Frenchies talking smack. It serves them right to lose. I think the last guy for the USA set some type of record by himself. He made up a lot of ground and luckily, touched the wall before the little Frenchy did.

It was the fastest split in 4X100 history. Had he been the first swimmer, I believe it would be counted as a world record in the 100 FS.

It was a superhuman performance, and was the perfect reply to the smack of the French team.

It was beautiful.

NC43Hog · Post by **NC43Hog** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:06 am

Glad I stayed up past my bedtime to watch that historic race.

Holy Crap is right!!!

I love to watch the Olympics and that race is one reason why.

Can't wait till track and field get started.

GSPODS · Post by **GSPODS** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:13 am

Eamon Sullivan 47.24s WR
Alain Bernard 47.50s OR
Jason Lezak - 46.06s to win the Gold

Jason Lezak, by himself, cut 1.18 seconds off the world record against the former world record holder in the 100 meter freestyle, Alain Bernard. Lezak made up 0.82 seconds in the final 50 meters. In the water, 0.82 seconds is more than one-half a body length, and is considered an insurmountable lead.

Here's an event that should not be all about Michael Phelps, who still gets another gold medal out of the deal, but it probably will be. Phelps might be getting all of the attention, but as of right now, Jason Lezak is the fastest swimmer in the world, by a long shot.

HEROHAMO · Post by **HEROHAMO** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 9:20 am

Yeah ditto, what a great race. The olympics only come around every four years so its good to catch the events you can.

Countertrey · Post by **Countertrey** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 10:39 am

Jason Lezak, by himself, cut 1.18 seconds off the world record against the former world record holder in the 100 meter freestyle, Alain Bernard. Lezak made up 0.82 seconds in the final 50 meters. In the water, 0.82 seconds is more than one-half a body length, and is considered an insurmountable lead.

The scope of his accomplishment is up there with Secretariat winning the Belmont by 31 lengths, or Bob Beamon's shattering of the World Long Jump record by 21 inches in 1968. This was huge...
:shock:

BossHog · Post by **BossHog** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 11:02 am

Countertrey wrote:
Jason Lezak, by himself, cut 1.18 seconds off the world record against the former world record holder in the 100 meter freestyle, Alain Bernard. Lezak made up 0.82 seconds in the final 50 meters. In the water, 0.82 seconds is more than one-half a body length, and is considered an insurmountable lead.

The scope of his accomplishment is up there with Secretariat winning the Belmont by 31 lengths, or Bob Beamon's shattering of the World Long Jump record by 21 inches in 1968. This was huge...

Gotta disagree there - great race - great finish - amazing result - no doubt indeed.

But the Canadian team finished fifth and TIED the former world record, so FIVE teams beat or equaled the old world record in that one race.

It's a deep tank and everyone knew it was going to be fast, but the new suits make a HUGE difference as well. THIRTEEN Canadian records have ALREADY been broken in the cube at the Olympics.... THIRTEEN... already. Pretty much every swim breaks the old Canadian standard. Some of that is the excellence of the performers, some of it has to be the tank and the suits IMO.

It;s not an unfair advantage for everybody at the Olympics as they all can wear the suits, but it is almost unfair to compare these records to any past marks.

To me when EVERYONE is breaking an old standard, you have to look at the broad picture.... Beamon jumped a foot and a half past the judges and his record held for 30 years... if this record holds up for 30 years - go ahead and compare the two. My 2 cents

Phelps' reaction and raw emotion are what the Olympics are all about though... that'll be the cover of umpteen papers and magazines for days, weeks, and months to come.

GSPODS · Post by **GSPODS** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 11:20 am

BossHog wrote:
Countertrey wrote:
Jason Lezak, by himself, cut 1.18 seconds off the world record against the former world record holder in the 100 meter freestyle, Alain Bernard. Lezak made up 0.82 seconds in the final 50 meters. In the water, 0.82 seconds is more than one-half a body length, and is considered an insurmountable lead.

The scope of his accomplishment is up there with Secretariat winning the Belmont by 31 lengths, or Bob Beamon's shattering of the World Long Jump record by 21 inches in 1968. This was huge...

Gotta disagree there - great race - great finish - amazing result - no doubt indeed.

But the Canadian team finished fifth and TIED the former world record, so FIVE teams beat or equaled the old world record in that one race.

It's a deep tank and everyone knew it was going to be fast, but the new suits make a HUGE difference as well. THIRTEEN Canadian records have ALREADY been broken in the cube at the Olympics.... THIRTEEN... already. Pretty much every swim breaks the old Canadian standard. Some of that is the excellence of the performers, some of it has to be the tank and the suits IMO.

It;s not an unfair advantage for everybody at the Olympics as they all can wear the suits, but it is almost unfair to compare these records to any past marks.

To me when EVERYONE is breaking an old standard, you have to look at the broad picture.... Beamon jumped a foot and a half past the judges and his record held for 30 years... if this record holds up for 30 years - go ahead and compare the two.

Phelps' reaction and raw emotion are what the Olympics are all about though... that'll be the cover of umpteen papers and magazines for days, weeks, and months to come.

Comparisons are difficult to make across sports. I think it safe to say that this event will be remembered for the closeness of the 0.08 victory as opposed to the distance between the nearest competitor(s), as was the case with Secretariat and Bob Beamon, and Jesse Owens, and others.

As long as the playing field is level for all competitiors, the swimsuits and the particular venue should be irrelevant. That's not saying they are irrelevant, only that they should be. That should be true of any olympic competition. Technology and equipment changes. That is also why athletes should be compared with those of their own time, and not across the history of a sport. But that is another discussion.

Countertrey · Post by **Countertrey** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 1:30 pm

BossHog wrote:
Countertrey wrote:
Jason Lezak, by himself, cut 1.18 seconds off the world record against the former world record holder in the 100 meter freestyle, Alain Bernard. Lezak made up 0.82 seconds in the final 50 meters. In the water, 0.82 seconds is more than one-half a body length, and is considered an insurmountable lead.

The scope of his accomplishment is up there with Secretariat winning the Belmont by 31 lengths, or Bob Beamon's shattering of the World Long Jump record by 21 inches in 1968. This was huge...

Gotta disagree there - great race - great finish - amazing result - no doubt indeed.

But the Canadian team finished fifth and TIED the former world record, so FIVE teams beat or equaled the old world record in that one race.

It's a deep tank and everyone knew it was going to be fast, but the new suits make a HUGE difference as well. THIRTEEN Canadian records have ALREADY been broken in the cube at the Olympics.... THIRTEEN... already. Pretty much every swim breaks the old Canadian standard. Some of that is the excellence of the performers, some of it has to be the tank and the suits IMO.

It;s not an unfair advantage for everybody at the Olympics as they all can wear the suits, but it is almost unfair to compare these records to any past marks.

To me when EVERYONE is breaking an old standard, you have to look at the broad picture.... Beamon jumped a foot and a half past the judges and his record held for 30 years... if this record holds up for 30 years - go ahead and compare the two.

Phelps' reaction and raw emotion are what the Olympics are all about though... that'll be the cover of umpteen papers and magazines for days, weeks, and months to come.

No, no, no. I did not make myself clear. Bernard was spoted a lead of over 3/4 second at the start of the last leg, and Lezak had nibbled that down by about a foot, maybe 2, with 50 meters to go. For Lezak to overcome that advantage in a mere 50 meters... against the current world record holder in that distance... HIS leg was special, even in comparison with all the other competitors. It was nothing short of incredible. And absolutely qualifies to be in the club with Beamon and Secretariat. I'm impressed by the time, absolutely, but to win with that sort of ground (???water) to make up... that has nothing to do with the speed of the pool, as it was the same for everyone in the race... that was one man against another, with identical conditions... You don't see that kind of advantage erased... just doesn't happen against world class competition. IMO, that's the story of this leg of that relay...

Beamon... Secretariat... and, what the heck, I'll even throw in Mantle's 556 foot home run.