There was somewhat of a dilemma after the first session of the 2014 NCAA Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships on Thursday afternoon. San Diego State’s Anika Apostalon was ascribed for a pair of tie-breakers: she’s on both the 200 free relay that tied for 16th and swam the 50 free individually where she tied with Texas’ Ellen Lobb for 8th in 22.01.
So at 2:12 Central Time, she’ll swim two swim-offs…at once.
After a lot of discussion, San Diego State brought up that they planned to put the freshman Postalon as the leadoff on their relay. So it was proposed, and agreed to, that Lobb would swim next to Apostalon on her own, so while Apostalon was swimming for her team’s relay spot, she’ll also be swimming for her individual spot.
This is a great, creative and “makes sense” solution to the problem that we really need more of in swimming.
She is in a swim-off today for the 100 fly – 3 swim-offs in one meet
Scratches head….
I think that was a horrible idea. Swimming on a relay adds extra motivation plus teammates on deck to cheer for her. In my mind, this put Ms. Lobb at an immediate disadvantage. I feel that there should have been two distinct swim-offs to decide.
It’s a swim off… How much motivation do you really need? I doubt her teammates cheering for her have her any advantage. Also you don’t think The other girls teammates were there cheering? It makes sense and is the fairest option and more time efficient. If she had to do two separate swim offs they would have to keep her around the pool for that much longer and then it would be unfair for her to swim 5 races in one session.
Yes, a relay is extra motivation, but Lobb had no teammates cheering for her? Any time a swimmer has to do a swim off, relay or not, their teammates are going ape cheering for them. If not, the problem isn’t with doing two swim offs so much as the culture of that team.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to be perfectly fair to everyone in this situation, but I feel that the solution chosen was the fairest all around.
although, like Ande said above, I hope that Lobb was given enough time to recover before the race.
I thought it was announced earlier that the 50 FR swim off would occur at 2:33.
Lobb raced 3x before the swim off. the 4 x 50 FR relay, the 50 FR individual event and the 1 fly on the 4 x 100 medley. Making the swim off her 4th race of the day.
Anika swam the 4 x 50 FR relay and the 50 FR but no relay.
Each race stacks fatigue on a swimmer. It was generous to allow a duel swim off.
I’m curious what might have happened if Anika had to do 2 swim separate offs or if Lobb were given more time to rest ofter her relay swim.
in the… Read more »
so what happened?
insanity!
Awesome idea… SMASH