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.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers which aspect of the Olympic swimming program they would change:
Question: Which would you rather see at the Olympics?
RESULTS
- Stroke 50s – 42.7%
- Up to 3 swimmers per country in an event – 35.3%
- None – I like it as is – 13.4%
- Mixed free relay – 8.5%
The discussion of whether or not 50s of backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly should be added to the Olympic program can be a sensitive topic for some, especially the traditionalists, but our latest poll showed there is still a big appetite for it.
When asked what they would add to Olympic swimming, 42.7% of readers picked stroke 50s over the other options, showing that a large segment of the sport’s fanbase want to see the events added to the biggest stage.
Although the Olympic schedule is already jam-packed, with swimming extended to nine days for the Paris Games, adding the stroke 50s would bring some more excitement and wouldn’t tack on too much extra time in each session (the ninth day having been added already could make extra events more palatable as well).
Stroke 50s are featured at the World Aquatics Championships, and nations that previously encouraged swimmers to solely zone in on the Olympic events have started to allow swimmers to put more of an emphasis on them.
In some ways, it’s similar to the addition of the men’s 800 free and the women’s 1500 free that we saw in Tokyo. That gave distance swimmers another medal opportunity, and this would do the same for the stroke specialists who in many cases only have their respective 100-meter event to race individually.
There is the rare swimmer, someone like American Michael Andrew, who would benefit greatly and be rewarded for his unique skillset that sees him among the world’s best in multiple stroke 50s.
The addition of stroke 50s didn’t top this poll by a landslide, however, as the proposition of allowing a third swimmer in each race per country garnered more than 35% of votes.
We see it in track and field, where nations can qualify three athletes in one event, and it would allow Olympic medals to be contested by a greater representation of who the world’s best in each race truly are.
As it currently stands, a female swimmer from Australia (maybe more than one) who could win the 100 free on any given day at the Olympics won’t qualify to have a chance at the Olympic Trials. The same could be said—at least for a medal—for a woman in the 100 back in the United States.
On the other hand, the cut-throat nature of qualification at the Olympic Trials makes it the most exciting meet in the world.
Readers were given the option to select that they don’t want to see any changes, they like things the way they are, and that received 13.4% of votes.
The mixed free relay didn’t get much love, picking up 8.5% of votes.
The mixed medley was added to the program in Tokyo and has been well-received over the years at the World Championships with fans on the edge of their seats due to various lead changes, not to mention the conversation questioning lineup decisions.
The mixed free relay doesn’t seem to get the same reaction since every country puts two men first, so no wild mid-race swings, and the race tends to be less interesting in general.
At times, the mixed free relay felt like a chore for swimmers who may have raced once or twice earlier in the session to have to race again at the end of the night in previous World Championships. With so much importance placed on performing at the Games, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see countries opt not to use their best athletes if they have a race the following day, which would defeat the purpose of adding it to the schedule.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks: Who will be the first under the magical 400 free barrier?
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The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner.
Swimswam let’s see a poll for the 800 IM Relay?!
Add the 50’s and allow three swimmers to each event, so many swimmers miss out
We could easily add the 50’s and get rid of the semi-finals. It doesn’t seem that most athletes are faster in the finals now that the semis have been added.
Get rid of the mixed relays please
Get rid of 1500s now that there is the 800 for all
Getting rid of the 800 would make more sense.
Then make the 200s into 300s and the 400 a 600, muahahh.
Why would you make a 100 300 600 1500 event lineup? It makes more sense to do 100 200 400 800 1600(1500). I say keep it the way it is.
Fewer events, less overlap in who’d compete in them.
(I don’t think we’d actually change those distances, but getting rid of the 800 makes more sense to me than the 1500.)
Yawn. Swim strokes are already over-represented in the Olympics. No sport other than gymnastics can give one athlete a chance of getting 7/8 medals in a single games.
If they were added, track and field athletes should call for 25m, 50m, 300m and other non-essential events to be added to their programme.
No stroke 50s please. It’s just diluting the sport
I know one family who was hammering the like button for those 50s.
Does it rhyme with Aircrew?