Congrats to Michael Phelps!!

I thought it was created to drink beer ..... like the other great drinking sports of bowling and fishing!

... Brad

 

Having both swam competition up until I got bronchitis in high school and coached swim teams in my lifeguarding days, I can tell you that butterfly is the hardest stroke to properly time touching the wall (even with the markings on the bottom of the pool. . . as was sooo vividly demonstrated in that race. Phelps' competitor didn't slow down . . . he badly mistimed the wall. I am wondering if the extra depth of this pool helped throw off his timing.

Even backstroke is easier to properly time touching the wall. There are flags which are suspended above the water a regulation distance from the wall. Swimmers practice their endings and know exactly how many strokes to take before going under water and stretching for the wall.