How Champions Do It

HOW CHAMPIONS DO IT

Researched, produced, and prepared by Brent S. Rushall, Ph.D., R.Psy.

BROOKE BENNETT AT 680 m OF HER GOLD MEDAL 800 m RACE AT THE 2000 SYDNEY OLYMPIC GAMES
This stroke analysis includes a moving sequence in real time, a moving sequence where each frame is displayed for .5 of a second, and still frames.

The following image sequence is in real time. It will play through 10 times and then stop. To repeat the sequence, click the browser's "refresh" or "reload" button.

The following image sequence shows each frame for half a second. It will play through 10 times and then stop. To repeat the sequence, click the browser's "refresh" or "reload" button.

At the end of the following narrative, each frame is illustrated in detail in a sequential collage.

Each frame is .1 seconds apart. Brooke Bennett's time for this race was 8:19.67, the fourth fastest time ever.

Notable Features

Brooke Bennett displays excellent streamlining with her legs mostly trailing in the "shadow" of her hips.
The right arm enters the water bent and very quickly proceeds to an "elbow-up" position.
The right arm commences its propulsive phase (somewhere between frames #3 and #4), while the left arm completes its final push. This minimizes any inertial lag between arm pulls.
Right arm power is supplied by adduction of the upper arm and the propelling surface is the forearm/hand area. It is possible that in the middle of the right arm pull (frames #5 and #6) that the lower portion of the upper right arm also contributes to the propulsive surface.
The swimmer's stroke is very well balanced underwater.

Return to Table of Contents for this section.