Why are records so much more difficult to beat in track than swimming?

Question

Michael Phelps is attempting to win eight gold medals at one Olympics. Mark Spitz won seven. No on in track and field has come close to these numbers. Records in track and field sometimes exist for decades; in swimming the oldest record is less than a decade. Even women are swimming faster times than men from just a few decades ago. What do you attribute the difference to?

Answer 1

Because the only technology advances in Track and Field over the past 4 decades is sterodes. And the drug tests are catching those athletes who try to cheat at an alarming rate.

The changes in swimming are tremendous, especially as of lately:

1.) The new Lazer Suit by TYR. Wearers of this suit have set over 50 WRs since February alone.

2.) The breaststroke now allows dolphin kicks off the walls (starts and turns)

3.) The backstroke turn now allows the swimmer to turn on his/her stomach on the last stroke into the wall and doesn't require the hand to touch the wall.

4.) The physical stature of swimmers has increased. i.e. Mark Spitz was 5'9" while Michael Phelps is 6'3". The physical size of the top swimming athletes have increased more than that of the top track and field athletes.

5.) There are more registered swimming athletes (US Swimming and FINA) than registered track and field athletes (US Track and Field and IAAF) (yes there are).  

6.) The are more paid Swimming coaches than paid Track and Field Coaches. More coaches usually mean more opportunity to hook up with a high quality coach for more athletes.

There were some pretty old records that were just recently broken. It wasn't until lately that Mary T Meaher's 200 fly record from 1981 was broken and Janet Evans 800 free record still stands from 1988. Plus you have the greatest swimmer of all time currently swimming.

Great question.

Answer 2

Hi,

take a look at this article in thew New York Times:  

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/sports...

it is called, "as swimming records fall, value is questioned".

And to be honest. Some above just said, wearers of new high-tech suits have set new records since February.

Come on. Have you seen the first race of Phelps?, he didn't wear the high-tech suit (speedo) (and also a lot of athletes are not wearing it), and he still broke the world record.

And take a look at another thing: if you are a young athlete, that does not reach your limit yet (such us Phelps), you still can break records. But here you can see everyone, young or adult, breaking records. In women's 400 meter free style, the first place broke the world record, and the second place broke it too!!. Yes, the number two broke the world record. Not by a 0.01 sec, or 0.1 sec. No, by two whole seconds!!.

Now we are reaching something. There is a new drug, everyone knows that all the world records were going to be broken. The Speedo suit was just a excuse. I don't remember how it is called, but the dosis is about 40000 dollars. Break a record by six seconds??, give me a break

Answer 3

Gravity plays a factor here. On the track, you gotta compete with gravity. In water, there is virtually no gravity hence the fact that you float.