Four days into the Paris Olympics, hopes of breaking swimming world records continue, with Adam Peaty winning the 100m breaststroke final in the slowest time in 20 years.
Hopes of breaking world records in the swimming pool at the Paris Olympics continue on for the fourth day. Times are so slow at La Défense arena that Adam Peaty’s winning time in the 100m breaststroke final was the slowest in the event in the last 20 years.
There’s a simple explanation for this: The pool is nearly a third shallower than recommended by the sport’s governing bodies.
Racing 92’s temporary 50m pool, housed in a converted rugby stadium, is just 2.17m deep – FINA says the ideal depth is 3m – but the shallower depth means more vertical turbulence caused by the swimmers’ movements, and swimmers in the middle of the pool push waves outwards, slowing down the outside lanes as well.
Former British swimmer Mark Foster analysed the incident for the BBC, saying: “I wouldn’t say it was a slow pool, but it wasn’t fast either. A fast pool is normally three metres deep and they didn’t get to three metres. They went to 2.2 metres.”
“People probably say, ‘Well, it’s just water,’ but deeper water means you’re going faster. When you swim on the surface, you create waves. They go down to the bottom and then come back up and hit you, slowing you down a little bit.”
“The more water there is, the less turbulence there is in the water, so it stays a little smoother.”
Peaty was beaten by Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi by just 0.02 seconds in a time of 59.03, more than two seconds slower than his personal best, but the 29-year-old British star felt unwell just hours before Sunday night’s final and tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday morning.
He is still hopeful he can compete in the mixed 4x100m medley relay and the men’s 4x100m medley this weekend.
British Olympic Association officials have downplayed concerns about the virus spreading within the training camp, insisting no other athletes are infected.
The team will continue to monitor the entire delegation and promote strict hand hygiene, but masks remain optional for players and support staff.
“Adam Peaty began feeling unwell on Sunday prior to the men’s 100m breaststroke final. A few hours after the final, his symptoms worsened and he underwent a COVID-19 test in the early hours of Monday morning, at which point he received a positive result,” the BOA said.
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