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Don’t focus on the other swimmers in the pool. However, you can control how well you swim. Put your head down and keep pushing. You can’t control another swimmer, no matter how much you might want to. Well, there is no concrete answer to that. But what should a competitive swimmer do to avoid being passed. It is always interesting to see a trailing swimmer suddenly surge forward and take the lead in the last 25 meters.
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How Do You Win a Close Race?Ĭlose swim races can be some of the most exciting, heart stopping, races to watch. Lezak managed to perform what was the impossible. With each stroke, Lezak managed to pull closer to the Frenchman, and at the finish, it was Lezak who got his hand on the wall first, winning by. The last 25 meters came and Lezak put his head down. Still, Lezak trailed Bernard by a half body length for the majority of the race and it seemed as though the pool would end before he could catch up. This time, he was part of a photo finish,” Karen Crouse wrote in her article.ĭuring the first 25 meters, Lezak swam near the lane line that separated him and Bernard in the hopes of catching the record holder. He anchored the American 4×100 relay teams at the 20 Olympics that came up short. “A three-time Olympian, Lezak had been in this predicament before. On paper, Lezak didn’t have much of a chance to win. Bernard went into the race as the 100-meter world record holder. Lezak – the anchor swimmer of Team USA’s relay – entered the water a half second after France’s Alain Bernard. But, it was not Phelps who won the relay for Team USA. The men’s 4 x 100 meter relay played a critical role. Phelps was trying to win his record-breaking eight gold medals. The 2008 Beijing Olympics were filled with close races. Čavić took the silver medal with a time of 50.59. Phelps won the gold medal with a time of 50.58.
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A split second full#
Phelps knew that he was behind Čavić and knew if he took another full stroke he would lose the race. Phelps, however, decided to take a half stroke – which most coaches would advise against. Čavić finished the race by fully extending his arms in a glide, in an effort to be the first to the wall and deny Phelps Olympic gold. As the two approached the finish, they were neck and neck with Čavić only having a slight lead. Then, in the last 25, Phelps charged, catching up to Čavić. However, Phelps was able to explode off the wall and was able to make up some ground underwater. Catching Čavić seemed like an impossible task. At the turn, Phelps was only seventh out of the eight competitors. Throughout the first 50 of the race, Serbian swimmer Čavić led the field and Phelps trailed behind. 01 of a second,” Michelle Martinelli wrote in the online article The Olympic race Michael Phelps had no business winning proves why he’s the GOAT. He did what most wouldn’t have, and it got him the gold medal, out-touching Milorad Čavić by. But Phelps’ split-second decision at the end of a stunning comeback is his greatness actualized. “At no point in that race did it look like he’d win. However, his seventh race – the 100-meter butterfly – almost ended his history making run.
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Michael Phelps entered the Beijing Olympic Games with the goal of winning eight gold medals. Then, your favorite slams their hand into the wall – winning the race by only a fraction of a second.Ĭlose races can be some of the most exciting to watch, and swimming is one of the only sports where a fraction of a second can alter the results of an important race. The two swimmers are now side by side, challenging each other to win the gold. You hold your breath, your eyes glued to the race in front of you. Then, a split second later, another swimmer begins to catch up to your favorite. They have the lead and are pushing to get to the wall. Imagine you are watching your favorite Olympic swimmer in a close race. The Final Meters: How a Split Second Can Change the Outcome