There's two videos available on the web of Ian Thorpe racing Grant Hackett at 800 meters. You can
find it at:
They are part way down in the freestyle section. The second one listed shows both men from directly
above, and therefore is an angle we typically don't see. Usually it's underwater from the side.
This video was a revelation to me of freestyle swimming, so I thought I would point out its
location. It's easy (at least for me) to get lost analyzing kicking rhythms and timing. But at this
angle, the kick is simply some "whitewater" at their feet, and therefore is seen more in the context
of the whole stroke.
As I look at the video, a few things stand out.
1. How streamlined and tall each man is swimming.
2. Very fast turn-over rate of their arms.
3. Nearly catch-up stroke mechanics.
And Ian looks utterly effortless while Hackett is a bit forced. (The other video of the pair shows
that Thorpe wins the race.)
The brief side views of Hackett show his beautiful loping, head-pop style as well.
It IS possible for us mortals to swim like this. In fact, it's not that hard. The right arm recovery
needs to be fast, nearly ballistic, like swimming butterly. That gets it above your head while you
are still "laying out" on your left arm. And with the right arm above your head, you can "pull the
trigger" on the left arm pull as the right arm pushes forward. And the legs are very fast 4-beat
kick, very small amplitude, with focus on streamline body.
Eric