By James Sutherland on SwimSwam
SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side.
Our most recent polls asked SwimSwam readers what their reaction was to the announcement that stroke 50s would be added to the Olympic program:
Question: How do you feel about stroke 50s being added to the Olympics?
RESULTS
Love it – 42.0% Hate it – 31.2% Not sure – 26.8%The 50 backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly were officially added to the Olympic swimming program beginning in 2028 last week, and the announcement was met with a wide range of reactions.
Current swimmers who specialize in the sprints were excited, while the greatest Olympian of all-time, Michael Phelps, said stroke 50s at the Olympics had a “summer league” feel.
Among fans, the general sentiment seemed to be a positive one, with the biggest gripe being the possibility of an expanded schedule to an already lengthy competition.
We took it to the SwimSwam poll to get a clear picture of where readers stood on the change, and the results couldn’t have been more split.
On one hand, 42% of readers said they love the addition of stroke 50s to the Olympic program.
On the other hand, 58% don’t love it—just over 31% said they hate it, and just under 27% aren’t sure where they stand as of yet.
There are certainly arguments both ways.
Some, likely including Phelps, feel that adding the 50s dilutes the value of an Olympic medal, with swimming already giving out medals in 35 events, and now that number climbs to 41.
It was only in 2017 when the men’s 800 free, women’s 1500 free and the mixed 4×100 medley relay were added to the Olympic program, meaning in Los Angeles (41), there will be nine more medal events than there was 12 years earlier in Rio (32), an increase of 28%.
There are also questions on how this will impact the swimming program, as it was only prior to Paris that the schedule was expanded from eight days to nine. Having the stroke 50s fit into the nine-day lineup should be doable considering the World Championship schedule is only eight days and includes stroke 50s (and an extra relay), but Olympic medals simply mean more and there is a general push to have events spread out a little bit more once every four years so athletes don’t have to pull crazy doubles and triples.
There have been calls for the removal of semi-finals in the 200-meter events, something we see at the Short Course World Championships, to free up the schedule, but there has been no indication that’s on the table.
On the other side, bringing in the stroke 50s adds some more excitement to the Olympic program. They’ve been on the LC World Championship schedule since 2001, so there’s a real “it’s about time” feel from many athletes and fans.
It will also help extend some swimmers’ careers. We’ve already seen Adam Peaty confirm he’ll swim through 2028 with the 50 breast being added to the Olympics, and several more back, breast and fly sprinters who maybe don’t have the back-end to compete with the best of the best over the 100-meter distance in long course meters in the twilight of their career but can still be elite in the 50s will stick around.
The stroke 50s at the World Championships will also have a little bit of extra juice, beginning this summer in Singapore.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks: What will be the next super-suited record to fall?
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.ABOUT A3 PERFORMANCE
A3 Performance is an independently-owned, performance swimwear company built on a passion for swimming, athletes, and athletic performance. We encourage swimmers to swim better and faster at all ages and levels, from beginners to Olympians. Driven by a genuine leader and devoted staff that are passionate about swimming and service, A3 Performance strives to inspire and enrich the sport of swimming with innovative and impactful products that motivate swimmers to be their very best – an A3 Performer.The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner.
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