The Perfect Swimmer: Ian Thorpe

The Perfect Swimmer: Ian Thorpe

[IMAGE]

[IMAGE]

Ian Thorpe was born on 13th October 1982 in Sydney, Australia. He is a

full time swimmer and has been recognised as an elite athlete in his

field since he was the youngest person ever to be chosen to swim in

the Australian team at age 14. He was the fastest 14-year-old swimmer

in history, which makes him a good subject for this piece.

His achievements to date include gold at the Commonwealth Games where

he broke the Commonwealth Record, World Record at the Australian short

course championships, Gold at the World Swimming Championships and

three gold medals and a world record at the last Commonwealth Games in

Manchester.

Ian trains 20 hours a week in the pool and three hours a week in the

gym. His body fat levels are approx. 7% compared to an average of 15%

for his age.

Ian’s primary stroke is Freestyle, an event in which he excels, I will

now explain the aspects of the skills which are used by Ian and other

elite performers to achieve maximum efficiency in the water.

Body Position- it is very important that the body is in the correct

position in the water. The water level is at the forehead, with the

body flat and streamlined but low enough in the water to give an

efficient kick. It is important that a longitudinal roll can be

achieved so that the hand can sink to “catch” the water and the head

may be turned to breathe. The roll should be equal on both sides, this

can be achieved by bilateral breathing (breathing to both sides). This

makes the roll equal and is also useful for spotting other swimmers

position in a race. Excessive rolling can lead to problems with the

stroke such as “snaking” down the pool instead of going in a straight

line. It is important that one side of the body mimics the other to

achieve optimum balance and to stabilize the swimmer in the water.

Leg Action- is very important as the kicking propels the swimmer