HOW CHAMPIONS DO IT

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

IAN THORPE AT 65 m OF HIS LEG OF THE 4 X 100 m FREESTYLE RELAY AT THE 2001 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN FUKUOKA

Each frame is .1 seconds apart. Ian Thorpe's time for this leg of the event was 47.87, the second fastest leg of all swimmers in the race (Pieter Van Den Hoogenbond was faster).

This analysis was derived from some very poor video, hence its black and white presentation. It is a continuing determination of changes in Ian Thorpe's stroking over different racing distances. The duration of this stroke is marginally less that 1.4 seconds, which compares to 1.5 seconds for 200 m, 1.6 seconds for 400 m, and 1.8 seconds for 800 m races. With increasing distance, the duration of Ian Thorpe's arm stroke cycle increases.

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.

Notable Features

Ian Thorpe sprinting

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