Sunday, August 30, 2015

Ryan Lochte To Stay On His Stomach by WOWSA


Images courtesy of Universal Sports in Kazan, Russia.

Olympic Champion Ryan Lochte can still do his thing in the open water, but his old body surfing technique in the pool was ruled illegal by FINA.

During his 200m individual medley gold medal performance at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan, Russia, Lochte went on his back and side to gain some additional momentum.

As body surfers have done and a handful of veteran ocean swimmers with experience in dolphining towards onshore finishes know, taking off on one's back or side during bodysurfing has is advantages.
During the individual medley races in Kazan, Lochte went on his back and side to propel himself through the water as he streamlined off the wall using his powerful dolphin kick.


Olympic swimmers who double as fast ocean swimmers like Ky Hurs and Aaron Peirsol also occasionally go on their side when they dolphin through the surf to catch waves. Lochte gave himself a similar hydrodynamic boost a la 2000 Sydney Olympics 200m butterfly champion Misty Hyman who used a similar side dolphin technique.

FINA has clarified its individual medley rule and decided Lochte’s underwater technique on the freestyle leg of IM races is now considered illegal and would lead to disqualifications in future individual medley races.

Copyright © 2015 by World Open Water Swimming Association

From World Open Water Swimming Association's Daily News of Open Water Swimming





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