Another shot in the foot of GB Swimming?!

[phelps5]

from the bbc website and extracted from cringeworthy interview with D. Sparkes earlier in the week:

"We've got 150 countries competing for medals," he said. "It's not like rowing where you've got about 30 nations in the world doing it. You can't compare swimming to rowing.

"They actually get twice as much funding as us but you've got to remember you're not competing against the world, you're competing against a quarter of the world.

"There are 200 nations in swimming and 153 here in the pool, that's a heck of a difference to the 55 nations that will be paddling up and down in boats."

Having watched Pinsent et al and their incredible achievements this morning, does Sparkes think he is speaking for us all in this predictable tirade?

With our medal results (thus far) being poorer than expected and, despite a few notable exceptions, very disappointing in terms of proximity to PB's, do we really need our CEO turning public opinion further against us with this arrogant nonsense?

Incidentally, Paul Palmer did an excellent recovery job on these comments later in the 5-Live programme, but the inital damage was done and still dominates the news coverage.

[Bogbloke]

I believe personally that we have done very very well. Breaking alot of British Records, the media always seem to forget that. Also out facilitys in this country are poor compared to Australia, USA, France, Germany. Also, alot of our swimmers cant just swim, they have to work, study etc so alot of potential swimming time is taken up with other things. Also, British industry is not as forth coming as other countries to let out athletes go for training (ive learnt that from just trying to get off work for meets). Also other swimmers from other countries also get more funding then ours do. I think Bill has done very well with the swimmers and hope he will in the future. They are a fairly young team too. I also heard (not sure if this is true) that the government are trying to shut down some pools in this country?

I wonder if the athletics team will do rubbish, will the media give them the same slating?? The athletics team always have excuses which are usually or always excepted by the media and the public, so why should it be any different when it comes to swimming?

[phelps5]

I believe personally that we have done very very well. Breaking alot of British Records, the media always seem to forget that.

Not sure that this is entirely accurate (depends on your def'n of 'a lot'), but it may be just that the Olympics came a year too late for some of our 'ageing' team (as Bill often referes to them).

Also, alot of our swimmers cant just swim, they have to work, study etc so alot of potential swimming time is taken up with other things. Also, British industry is not as forth coming as other countries to let out athletes go for training (ive learnt that from just trying to get off work for meets).

This is not such an issue any more. Lottery funding, ACE/Performance Lifestyle support and full-time programmes mean that the swimmers can do what they need to without things getting out of kilter. Plus some elite athletes 'need' to have other things in their lives, be it part-time study or work.

I think Bill has done very well with the swimmers and hope he will in the future. They are a fairly young team too.

This is the most optimistic thing about our team/results. Not just those in Athens, but also those in Euro Junior Teams this past 2/3 years (some of whom are in the OG team). By Beijing, the culture change already started will have taken a stronger hold and we will be much better than this year (which is already much better than Sydney!)

[Kaci]

I certainly think something has gone wrong in the training. We have the potential but just not getting the results. Everyone goes on about the British records going, but at the end of the day getting a British Record means nothing in the Olympics. Its not British standards we want its world standards.

[Sean]

I agree Kaci. I really think you have to look at what has been going on in the last few weeks. To have so many swimmers swim so far out of their P.B.'s is just not good enough at this level. The swimmers will bear the brunt of it i'm sure as the ego of most of the coaches won't allow them to see that they did anything wrong :devil:

Over here in Australia the same thing has happened really with lot's of swimmers not swimming as well as they have done in the past and really when you get to the olympics if you aren't getting pb's then something has gone wrong.

Blaming the facilities all the time is also not going to get you anywhere. I know plenty of world class swimmers that don't train in 50m pools every day. I know for a fact that Kieran Perkins trained in a 20m pool training up for the Commonwealth Games in 1994 and still managed to break the world record. I have also heard on numerous occasions that Phelps trains in a 25 yard pool(not sure if this is true though) and he still does ok.

Maybe the coaches are not good enough to adapt the training sessions in the different training environments and so are not getting the most out of their swimmers. But certainly a lot more work needs to be done on technique(even though i'm sure they all say they do loads :rolleyes: ) and starts and turns (and I don't just mean standing on pool deck timing starts and turns to 15m as this dosn't help anyone!!).

[Breezer]

IMO those comments about Rowing are disgraceful

[Graham Wardell]

Maybe the coaches are not good enough to adapt the training sessions in the different training environments and so are not getting the most out of their swimmers. But certainly a lot more work needs to be done on technique(even though i'm sure they all say they do loads :rolleyes: ) and starts and turns (and I don't just mean standing on pool deck timing starts and turns to 15m as this dosn't help anyone!!).
I think it is important not to look for where to place the blame, but to assess what went right and what needs to be improved on. All coaches assess their swimmers performances after a major meet and look to themselves and the programme to see if anything could be done better.

It is important to note that swimmers on the GB team did a great job at the trials, and then maybe didn't on the whole perform to that level at the Olympics. The key is to assess the differences in preparation.

[Linny]

All coaches assess their swimmers performances after a major meet and look to themselves and the programme to see if anything could be done better.

Nearly - All good coaches assess their swimmers performances after a major meet and look to themselves and the programme to see if anything could be done better.
Ever heard the saying about a workman and his tools?