Germany also did not win a gold medal in swimming and the finger pointing is taking place there like it is in both Great Britain and Australia. Many US athletes won more medals than all these countries combined and I have a theory as to why...
First, the Unites States we have a big talent pool, especially a female talent pool. (No pun intended) Next, our coaching is tremendously diverse in nature.
For instance Missy Franklin trained differently than Allison Schmitt. Michael Phelps trained differently than Ryan Lochte. I suspect; (read as guessing), that the training in Australia, Germany, and Great Britain is not as diverse as it could be and perhaps there is more of a "hive mind" or a set process when coaches show up on deck?
Though several breakout stars from China trained in Australia, I suspect their Australian coaches coached those athletes in an entirely differently way. (Please confirm or shoot down.)
From the Sun Daily
Ex-world champion Franziska van Almsick has said her country now needs a fresh start ahead of Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
"It is not only about the personnel," she said.
"It is a problem we have already had for a long time.
"Our swimmers aren't able to go flat out twice per day.
"In the past, one or two successes have hidden the real problem.
"It would be nice if now a new beginning is made. Changes must come, it is necessary for work to be done to lead the way over the next four years."
Alongside Steffen, Steffen Deibler also claimed a joint fourth place in the men's 100m butterfly final on Friday but it has been slim German pickings.
As the stars of the Germany team, Steffen, and boyfriend Paul Biedermann, the world 200m and 400m freestyle world record holder, have been big disappointments.
[link]
3 comments:
Part of the American dominance is the Phelps effect. USA swimming membership has been going up as the sport has received more exposure.
I think you're starting to see the benefits on the women's side with swimmers like Katie Ledecky and Missy Franklin. Since they're typically later bloomers, I predict we will see it in a more pronounced way on the men's side in the next cycle, this thought seems to be supported by the high school / age group records that have been broken recently.
wow, a sculpture of a swimmer? that photo is so cool!
It was a rushed Phtoshop job that I did in 10-minutes. It's sloppy and I did it as a sketch of what I wanted for a noted photographer named Rick Frazier to shoot.
http://www.frazierproductions.com/
I was pitching a cover to Swimming World and I was going to recreate Michelangelo's pieta underwater with flowing robes and bubbles exiting the mouth of the swimmer.
I was asked to do an article but I wanted to do the cover as well. The story was regarding the banning of tech suits from the sport.
I was budgeting $2,500 for the photo shoot; (Out of my own pocket), and the article was titles "Death of the tech suit but it was my belief it was only to be a temporary death and they would "rise from the dead"
They did not like the idea so I withdrew the article.
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