Know Your Olympic Sport: Michael Phelps (i.e. Swimming)

WELL DONE

As a fellow swimmer it is easy to explain many of the issues brought up with Michael Phelps in the above article.
1. Michael Phelps did not wear a full body suit because the suits can restrict breathing and movement, and in the end it is all up to the swimmer about how comfortable they are.
2. The reason that Michael Phelps outouched Milorad Cavic is that when Cavic was gliding to the wall, he slowed as he was not kicking anymore. Michael Phelps took the extra stroke and touched with less resistance above the water, and therefore his arms were able to move faster and compensate for a poorly timed finish.
3. Measuring the lane would not matter because the differences are so insignificant that the result would be the same.
4. As for the gutter system, it does not make a big difference because the middle lanes have the same amount of waves, and all of the water leaves the pool when the swimmers swim past anyway.

Please do not pretend to tell how sports work if you are not a participant in them, or a very avid fan.

I have to agree with Mr Schaeps regarding the writer's lack of expertise and background. Aside from the obvious goofs noticeable to all swimmers and swim-PHANS, it appears Mr Schaeps did not even WATCH the Games. Proof?

"when the start gun is fired"
"react to the gun"
"to jump the gun"
"The starter's pistol"
"each swimmer hears the gun"

THERE IS -NO- GUN.

The PopSci folks are invited to write to me or Mr Schaeps for fact-checking next time a swim story comes around. Perhaps the Feb 20, 2009 meeting between FINA, swimsuit manufacturers, and even swim COACHES, to discuss the numerous questions and conflicting claims of suit technology and the swimming rules applicable to them.

Or wait until 2012.