When I first got a text from Dean Ottati of the scoreboard after the men’s 100 yard breaststroke at the North Coast Section Championships on Saturday, I immediately sent it to Morgan Priestley and called him to ask what event he thought that was.
Morgan: “Let’s see..three 53’s? I’m not sure.”
Braden: “That’s a men’s 100 breaststroke. In High School. All Three were under the National Record.”
*Silence*
Morgan: “That’s a high school race? Dang, kids are so fast these days!”
What followed was an explosion of superlatives that probably aren’t fit for printing.
The result is almost unbelievable: Steven Stumph in 53.37, Charlie Wiser in 53.57, and Nick Silverthorn in 53.61 – all under the old National High School Record in the event.
Read Morgan’s full report here.
The scoreboard at the finish of the 2013 North Coast Section Championship meet, where three swimmers went under the National High School Record. Photo Courtesy: Robert Ashby
Not every downward movement of the legs/feet is a “kick”. A change in the angle of the body is NOT a kick, even if the legs change direction. People want everything to be black and white, but it isn’t. There will always be room (the need) for interpretation.
Every single best breastroker in the world does this “double kick.” Stop complaining. These kids are phenoms.
What bothers me the most is that they get the credit for breaking a HS National record when they’re one of the only (if not the only) state to allow multiple butterfly kicks off the wall. Completely unfair for kids in other states, especially when neither FINA nor USA Swimming have changed the rules yet, if they ever do.
It’s not legal anywhere.
lol….they couldn’t keep the times on the board a little longer? Silly Californians.
Silly Euro. They post the times, then they take them down until they are official, then they put them back up. NCS tradition.
About “illegal” kicks: This was the North Coast Section meet. Sectional meets are the top level of high school swimming in California; there is no state meet. The officials are some of the top officials in Northern California, and will do everything possible to ensure fair competition within the letter and spirit of the rules. As a former swimmer, coach, official, swimming parent (and current grandparent of swimmers), I can’t make a better call by watching a video than someone standing directly over the lane.
The only double dolphin kick I can visibly see was the last turn off the 75 from the guy in the red cap. He does the kick after initiating the hands and then another unintentional? dolphin movement at the pull down. Other than that, all the others can’t be seen without underwater cameras because of the waves.
I don’t see what the uproar is about the dolphin kick. its been legal for nearly a decade now (anyone at World Champs in 2003, Kitajima). Remember the old bucket turns for backstroke. Come on, we are always changing the rules and that’s what makes our sport so great. How many of you here that swim/swam (no pun intended) have done a one-handed turn. It may not be right, but if its not called, its legal.
Double dolphin kicks… come on. Those records shouldn’t even count. This problem could easily be fixed with underwater cameras. I’m a breaststroker myself and every time I see this is makes me pretty angry. Just play fair kids, it’s not that hard.