Creating the 2025
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Why does the NCAA still compete in yards instead of the meters based international distances? Is it because all the schools have pools measured in yards? T&F has been using meters for over 100 years. I have to think that competing at international distances in college events would help when they compete in the international competitions (not that the women need any help right now, but any advantage is an advantage).
It depends on the pool you swim in… HS swimmers have times in both meters and yards as well as short course and long course. So theoretically you could have 4 times for the same event.
The US has an abundance of 25-yard pools, especially college pools. So really just a function of that and a relative lack of accessible 50-meter pools that can be adapted to 25-meters.
The bigger schools and California colleges often have 50-meter pools, so top swimmers get plenty of 50-meter practice, but less so at most colleges and at the age group level.
The US is still fairly dominant internationally overall, though the men are relatively weak right now.
Gretchen Walsh in particular dominates short pools because her underwaters are so good
She’s one of the reasons that underwater restriction is in place. Haha! I DQed a few for that last meet I was a Strokes & Turns judge.
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last chance to see the fastest swimmer in college history in a college event before she works up to LA 2028.
The underwaters are definitely a huge advantage for her, but that’s part of swimming, and will be good to see her continue to build her long-course stroke and endurance.
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I guess it would’ve taken far too much foresight to build 25 meter pools. Maybe if the NCAA or US Swimming adopted meters 100 years ago.
We didn’t do that due to Washington’s dream of America’s own measurement system
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Bargatze is great.
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Technically, we are working on it as a country: Metrication in the United States - Wikipedia
Jefferson was trying, but…piracy?!
In 1793, Thomas Jefferson requested artifacts from France that could be used to adopt the metric system in the United States, and Joseph Dombey was sent from France with a standard kilogram. Before reaching the United States, Dombey’s ship was blown off course by a storm and captured by pirates, and he died in captivity on Montserrat.[10]
Article has various reasons why it hasn’t happened yet. But there is one highway that’s gone mostly metric: Interstate 19 - Wikipedia
I-19 is unique among US Interstates because signed distances are given in meters (hundreds or thousands as distance-to-exit indications) or kilometers (as distance-to-destination indications), and not miles. However, the speed limit signs give speeds in miles per hour. According to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), metric signs were originally placed because of the push toward the metric system in the US at the time of the original construction of the highway.[5]
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Day 2 Women’s NCAA Swimming Summary through AM prelims. 2025 Women's NCAA Champs: UVA and Stanford Put Seven Swimmers Into Finals (Day 2 Ups/Downs)
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I’ll be at the finals session live tonight - would love to see both Walshes win their events and Curzan pull up to 2nd in the 50 Free. Grimes has a battle in the 500, but could do it.
My hoops pool is already shot thanks to Louisville and Clemson, so guess I’ll hang out at a pool where UVA and the ACC will win.
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Feel free to post your impressions of tonight’s session. THX!
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