After a bunch of blowouts in round 1, we saw things get very tight in round 2, including a brutal 200 free vs 500 free matchup.
Round 2 Recap
200 Butterfly (68%) over 200 Breaststroke (32%)
A matchup of two stroke 200s with a lot of similarities. From the perspective of this breaststroker, we collectively got this one wrong, guys.
200 Freestyle (52%) over 500 Freestyle (48%)
Our closest round 2 matchup, and another clash of very similar events. The shorter distance being harder seems counter-intuitive, but those who have swum the 200 of anything at a high level know the pain of balancing pacing and aggressiveness in what is effectively a maintained sprint.
1650 Freestyle (63%) over 200 Backstroke (37%)
Another fairly close one. The 200 back got by the 1000 free in round 1, but just barely. Up the ante to a full mile and the freestyle event is moving on. You could call this one “burning shoulders” vs “burning legs.”
400 IM (92%) over 50 Freestyle (8%)
A blowout. We promise we didn’t stack the bracket to come up with this matchup. The 50 free gets a surprising amount of credit from high-level swimmers and coaches for its toughness, if only because the margin for error is pretty brutal. But it was never going to beat the 400 IM, which is probably the odds-on favorite to win the entire bracket.
Consolation Bracket
9th Place: 1000 Freestyle (42%)
10th Place: 200 IM (40%)
11th Place: 100 Butterfly (6%)
12th Place: 100 Backstroke (4%)
13th Place: 100 Freestyle/100 Breaststroke (tie – 4%)
15th Place: 100 IM (0%)
The 1000 free was by far the longest event in our consolation bracket, and it nipped the 200 IM in a tough battle for 9th place overall. That competition came down to just under 50 total votes.
Butterfly held a slight advantage over the other 100-yard events in the loser’s bracket. Fly did earn about 70 votes more than back. The 100 free and 100 breast were a deadlock, earning the same exact number of votes. Both were 10 votes behind the 100 back.
And while the 100 IM did indeed earn less than 1% of the votes, that 0% figure is a rounding down. The 100 IM did get 10 total votes.
Updated Bracket
Round 3 Matchups: The Semifinals
200 Butterfly vs 200 Freestyle
Which event is harder? (short course yards)
- 200 Butterfly (71%)
- 200 Freestyle (29%)
Loading ...1650 Freestyle vs 400 IM
Which event is harder? (short course yards)
- 400 IM (71%)
- 1650 Freestyle (29%)
Loading ...Consolation Bracket: 5th-8th
Which event is hardest? (short course yards)
- 200 Backstroke (38%)
- 200 Breaststroke (32%)
- 500 Freestyle (26%)
- 50 Freestyle (4%)
Loading ...
400 IM wins on style points 🙂
Truley think that the 400IM is the hardest event. I have legal times in every short course event and have had then for a while. My events are the 200 fly, 200 back, mile, and 400IM. The slow decline if the 400 makes it so much harder. You give your all in the fly just trying to get a few feet ahead, then many people slow down in the backstroke and don’t push as hard because they just sprinted 100 fly, then into breast stroke which is basically slamming your face into the water at incredible speed and force for absolutely no reason. Then you have to do an all out 100 free. By this time your legs are Jello,… Read more »
All I can say is this bracket was poorly made
Demand your money back.
Technically the 1000 free should have been in there with the 500 and 1650 but alas.. 🙂
200 free is way harder than 200 fly scy
Lol okay
The poor breaststrokers never had a chance
Intrigued by the tight race for 5th place in the NIT version 2.0 bracket.
200 BK – 200 BR – 500 FR. Tough battle.
No one ever believes me that the 2 back is tough
Here’s my evidence 😂
We got your back(yes, terrible pun)