I drove to Springfield last week for the MSHSAA rules meeting and got lucky. First, the greatest thing that tech suits have ever done: it was the first rules meeting I had ever attended where we didn't talk ad nauseum about jewelry. Yay!
Second, I went early to pick up some touchpads at Missouri State University and caught Roman Sludnov after his last swim before moving away. The first time I interviewed him he said he might consider training for the next Olympics if he thought he could find some change to bring him into the 58 range. He actually said he was surprised in Beijing that a 59 wasn't an automatic medal. When the suits were taken away he was the first person I wanted to hear from. With all of the new names hitting 58 and 59 recently with fancypants on, it will be interesting to see how the landscape changes and which names will disappear versus who can keep up in the move back to skin. He is one of the few who has been under a minute in the 100m breaststroke without tech. It was a thrill to get to hear what he had to say now that FINA has made the big decision.
Enjoy.
A "Strange Observer of All Things Swimming" and "The Helmet and Horns of a Different Opinion."
Exogenous Ketones!
He was at Region 8 sectionals in Columbia. It was great, him in lane 4, the only one in a brief. He destroyed on the 2nd 50 and looked awesome in the water. His chances have gone way up since the rule change.
ReplyDeleteHe is a great guy and so "swim smart"! You can just tell that he knows a lot about technique and his body. It would be great to see him final at the Olympics one more time!
ReplyDeleteToo bad that he got DQed in the 200 Breast prelim at Region 8 sectionals for wearing a drag suit outside his brief.
ReplyDeleteI can't watch Screaming Viking interview Roman Sloudnov. I WANT TO HATE YOU ROMAN! STOP BEING SUCH A NICE GUY!
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