Swimmer Traits and Personalities; Rick DeMont Injustice; Claire Curzan American Record; and Flashback Workout from Missy Franklin

11 Things That Separate the Good Swimmer from the Great Swimmer

“This is the difference between being good and being great.”

That quote has been engrained in my head since I started swimming at 6 years old. I believe every coach I have ever swum for has said those words.

But what really is the difference between good and great? Is there a simple black and white answer? I think the answer varies, but I do believe much of greatness is defined by the mental toughness of the individual and how they tackle adversity. What does it take to become great? It takes your mentality, pushed to its limits.

Here are 11 characteristics of great swimmers…

Swimming World Presents “A Gross Injustice: How Rick DeMont Lost His 1972 Olympic Gold Days After Winning It”

In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, 16-year-old Rick DeMont had won the 400 meter freestyle only to have his gold medal taken away several days later in one of the biggest injustices in Olympic history.

Who Are You? 4 Swimmer Personalities Found on the Pool Deck

Swim meets are pretty much the ideal place to people watch. Every swimmer prepares to race fast completely differently. This can all depend on your personality, your meet lineup, or even what kind of day you’re having. Yet every swimmer has their own set of pre-race rituals, or just a way they tend to carry themselves on meet day. When evaluating all of this, you’ll notice that each swimmer falls under a category.

Claire Curzan Rattles American Record With 49.73 100 Fly SCY at TAC Titans Invite

On Saturday, 16-year-old Claire Curzan continues to tear apart the record books this summer with a 49.73 in the 100 butterfly on Saturday at the TAC Titans Invitational. Curzan became the youngest swimmer to ever break 50 seconds in the event as she moved to fifth all-time with her swim, just off the fastest time in history at 49.26 by Louise Hansson and Maggie MacNeil. Curzan was also not far off the American record of 49.38 set by Erika Brown earlier this year. Read the full story.

On Friday, Claire Curzan hit a 21.6 50 Free; and Ashley Twichell went 4:40 500 Free at TAC Titans Invite. Read this story.

Workouts From the Past: A Todd Schmitz Set for 14-Year-Old Missy Franklin

The following workout was conducted by 14-year-old Missy Franklin in October 2009, with coach Todd Schmitz designing the workload for his emerging star. Of course, Franklin and Schmitz enjoyed spectacular success together with the Colorado Stars, with Franklin capturing five medals at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, including individual titles in the 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke. The longer distance produced a world record.

Here is the workout that Schmitz had Franklin follow, with the time of day noted for each aspect of the workout.

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