SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side, or you can find the poll embedded at the bottom of this post.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers
RESULTS
Question: Which meet did you feel had the most impressive performances?
- European Championships – 59.7%
- Junior Pan Pacific Championships – 19.2%
- Pan Pacific Championships – 16.4%
- Asian Games – 4.8%
A huge majority picked the European Championships as the most impressive of 2018’s major summer meets, while a surprising 19% picked Jr Pan Pacs higher than any other senior-level international meet.
Euros did have the distinction of having two world records set, compared to one at Asian Games and zero at the Pan Pacific meets. Both Kliment Kolesnikov (Russia) and Adam Peaty (Great Britain) set world records. Kolesnikov went 24.00 in the 50 back and Peaty 57.10 in the 100 breaststroke. Peaty’s record was the only one set in an Olympic event, as Asian Games’ world record came in the women’s 50 back (Liu Xiang, 26.98).
Pan Pacs featured several 2018 world record setters, but no one broke a record at the meet itself. Kathleen Baker had broken the 100 back world record a few weeks prior, but actually faded to bronze at Pan Pacs. Australia had set the 4×100 free relay record at Commonwealth Games in April, but without Bronte Campbell in the mix, didn’t reset the record at Pan Pacs. And Katie Ledecky set the 1500 free record in May, but didn’t break it or any other of her world records at Pan Pacs.
That Junior Pan Pacs performed so well in the poll was surprising. It gained 19.2% of votes, more than senior Pan Pacs and almost more than senior Pan Pacs and Asian Games combined. Swimming fandom is always enamored with young stars, though, which helps explain the poll results somewhat. Still, there were no World Junior records set at junior Pan Pacs, while several fell between Euros and Junior Pan Pacs.
Asian Games ranked suprisingly low in the poll despite one world record and a number of very notable performances.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks voters where the Florida men will finish at next year’s NCAA Championships. Florida is an intriguing team because of how many major players they graduated (Dressel, Switkowski, Szaranek) combined with the retirement of coach Gregg Troy but the arrivals of a new coaching staff and one of the best freshman classes in the nation.
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The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner
Every right idea eventually becomes the wrong idea.
May the PanPacs go the way of the Goodwill Games and be replaced by something better.
I say kill off Pan Pacs, Euros, and Asian Games. Worlds should be every year except for the Olympic year.
If figure skating can have their world championships every year including the Olympic year, why not swimming? I am anxious to hear the arguments for and against. Please no down votes. This is a discussion forum and I would like to hear what both sides have to say about this. Thank you in advance.
Makes it more meaningless, in 4 year cycles the current structure is good , just frustrating for fans
There was nothing wrong about Pan Pacs other than the overhyped Dressel having a bad meet.
Agree. They were a great idea when it started in 1985, but the importance and lustre has diminished greatly.
Maybe just keep it at nationals and that’s it for the mid year? Crazy idea that sounds dumb at first..but think about it- keep it as the selection for Worlds (just take the top two straight from Nats to worlds) and it would make Nationals soooo much more exciting, interesting, and important to the swimmers. We would therefore have a massively important meet on American soil. The intra competition here is enough, anyway
Yep, scrap the Pan Pacs. I’m not sure if it could ever recover anyway from the commentary of John Burgess.
Australia and Canada can concentrate on the Commonwealths and Japan on the Asian Games. China have already ignored the PP.