And the rest of us masters as well!
Colorado's own Susan von der Lippe swam at the USS western sectional meet last weekend at Federal Way (WA) and quite possibly became the oldest (39) masters swimmer (male or female) to make Olympic Trials cuts!!!!
Susan knocked out a 1:12.49 in the 100 breast placing 3rd overall. She then went into the next event (100 fly) and went 1:04.11 (trials is 1:02.39)!!
Way to go Susan!
I crack myself up. It is jealousy. It is Boredom. I Did not accomplish enough when I was young, and I hate anybody faster/younger than me.
What's even more impressive is that she is actually 40 (according to the meet results) and I think that time is only a couple of seconds off what she went in 1984!!!
Is this the same person as Susan Rapp who won a silver medal at the 1984 Olympics in the 200 Meter Breast with an American Record time of 2:31.15 which stood for 3 years? I remember reading something somewhere about an injury she sustained and had to make a comeback of some sort back in the 1980's.
Anyways this sounds like a nice comeback at the age of 40. So in 2008, we will have another USMS swimmer to watch in Omaha.
Skip Thompson
Yes her maiden name is Rapp.
I have this old 1992 USA Swim Calendar called "Lives in the Fast Lane" and Susan Rapp was the February poster person. I went back and read it and had not realized that she made 3 Olympic teams (1980, 1984, 1988). It said 2 months after the 1984 Olympics, she had complex surgery on both knees. "Down for one season, but not out, Susan came back to win two NCAA titles: the 200-yard IM in 1986, and the 200-yard breastroke in 1987".
Skip Thompson
Congrats to Susan. And not to rain on her parade, but doesn't Dennis baker have Olympic Trials cuts?
In any case, it's probably a great feeling to be able to go very cose to the same times you did at your peak almost 20 years ago. Of course, people like Susan prove you can have more than one peak.
Jeff,
Dennis has been hovering aroung the QT in the 200 fly for a couple years now, but I hadn't heard that he made it? Paul Carter go real close two years ago (56+100 fly) but haven't seen him lately.
We do however expect to see you with a deck pass in 2008 Mr. Commings!!
How you liking AZ? We we're down in Tempe two weeks ago when it was "cool" (about 110)!
I crack myself up. It is jealousy. It is Boredom. I Did not accomplish enough when I was young, and I hate anybody faster/younger than me.
I know Susan really wanted one of those athlete passes for the upcoming trials. She achieved her very challenging goal and she should be very proud of herself. It's a remarkable accomplishment.
Paul, Arizona is treating me well. Waking up at 5 a.m. to nearly 90-degree temperatures is unsettling, but the pool water is extremely comforting.
As for that deck pass in 2008, I might get it, but I doubt I'll actually use it. Omaha isn't exactly the most picturesque city in the USA.
And if Dennis hasn't made that 200 fly cut yet, he deserve big points for being real close.
So go figure.....Susan was the victim of the ole USMS pool measurment rule!
Although we will have a 40 year old masters swimmer from Colorado swimming in the next Olympic Trials, she will not be holding the USMS world records she broke because no one knew to or how to measure the pool at Federal Way!
Kinda funny that a bunch of kids can swim in the same meet, break USS/World/etc. records but our system requires more stringent standards!
I crack myself up. It is jealousy. It is Boredom. I Did not accomplish enough when I was young, and I hate anybody faster/younger than me.
Paul:
Not trying to be a wise guy but the swim would not have been a World Record anyway and only a USMS record. FINA has a rule that all Masters World Records must be in Masters meets and not USA, Olympic Trials, and FINA meets. Jack Groselle went to a FINA World Cup meet which was not a Masters meet and set a record that was not counted by FINA, even in there own meet because it was not a Masters meet. This has been a policy for almost 10 years and when FINA made the policy they wanted all of the member FINA Federations to strip anyone that set a World Record even before the rule went into effect. I know several swimmers that had there records stripped from them when the records were done years before.
Susan is eligible for a USMS record, but because the meet is over and they moved the bulkheads maybe that ship has sailed because it may not meet the measurement guidelines set up in the USMS rule book. I am not sure if you were at the convention when discussions were going on about this. It may have been a couple of years before San Diego, in 2004. Its one of the many differences that we have with USA swimming. Especially with making sure all bulkhead competitive pools are measured before and after competitions, even if there is no records set so the swims meet USMS Top Ten requirements.
Skip Thompson
Jeff:Originally Posted by Jeff Commings
Congratulations on your World Record of 1:01.62 in the 100 SCM Breast. I have linked the story from the Swimming World web. Did you make the Olympic qualifing time with this swim? If not you have to be real close. I saw on the USA Swimmng site the 100 Breast LCM qualifying time standard set at 1:04.69 and it would seem that if they allow conversions you would make it because you are three seconds ahead of it. I don't if they allow conversions any more like they did in the past. Anyway great swim besides.
http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com...news/12683.asp
Skip Thompson
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