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A mark of a great Olympian is how many gold medals they win. To break a world record in the process further enhances their greatness.
In this regard, the sport of swimming has let itself down.
At the 2009 world championships in Rome, a total of 43 world records were broken. It was partly due to the swimmers talents, but largely due to the technology of the swim suits they were wearing.
In 2015, 16 of swimmings 40 world records still stand from those World championships.
Although women’s swimming hasn’t been overly affected, its a different tale for the men.
Since 2009, only five men’s world records have been broken since 2009. On average less than one a year.
Compare this to the Rome meet where 17 world records were broken in less than two weeks. An average of more than one a day.
It was unacceptable for such dramatic reductions in times to occur, and then for the technology to disappear as quickly as it came.
Was anyone at FINA held responsible? Some of these records will stand well into the 2020s.
Like women sprinters chasing the highly dubious Flo Jo sprint records, highly talented swimmers will be chasing some unfair records in the future.
FINA owes them all an apology.