Should The 100 IM Be Contested At NCAAs?
Should The 100 IM Be Contested At NCAAs?
A strong case is made to add the 100 Individual Medley to the NCAA Swimming Championships.
Going into the last 50 yards of the 200-yard medley relay a body length behind, underdog Alabama was able to beat out Texas and Cal thanks to a heroic 18-second split from its premier sprinter, Kristian Gkolomeev, at last year's NCAA Championships.
The 200-yard medley relay has been one of the most consistently exciting events in all of college swimming, but the race so many love to watch would not be a part of the meet today if the NCAA had not been open to change.
The NCAA added the 200-yard medley relay to its championship event order in 1984. Princeton managed to capture the first title, and ever since, the battle for the top spot has been fierce. The race just last year at the NCAA championships was proof the event has turned into one of the most thrilling in college swimming.
It's been 32 years since the NCAA permanently changed the championship meet. Is it time to add another event?
Recently, the NCAA added the 100 IM to its recognized events, allowing it to be swum at championship competitions. However, it has not been included as an event at the NCAA championship.
The 100 IM has the potential to be the most exciting race in all of swimming. It is simply four laps and four strokes sprinted without any time to slow down.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist and University of Missouri assistant swim coach Mark Gangloff, while not totally sold on the idea of adding the 100 IM to NCAAs, could not deny the spectacular nature of the event.
"It is a ton of fun," Gangloff said. "I loved doing the 100 IM. You just get in and go."
One huge draw for the 100 IM would be the variety of participants it could attract. Gangloff said the field would be composed quite differently than that of the 200 IM.
"You don't need as much range to do the 100 IM," Gangloff said. "You'd have elite 200 IMers that can do all four strokes well, and you would have the power guys that are strong enough to really rip up 25s of every stroke."
These two types of swimmers have been able to dominate the 100 IM on an international level as well. Internationally the 100 short course meter IM has been an event at the FINA World Cup since the 1990s. Ryan Lochte and Vladimir Morozov, both former NCAA champions at Florida and Southern California, respectively, represent both of the aforementioned archetypes. Lochte is one of the best IMers of all time, and Morozov is an incredibly powerful sprinter.
The 100 IM would give an opportunity for swimmers across every discipline to race and race at a high level. Even those swimmers who have long been plagued by a horrid breaststroke that has hindered a 200 IM might be able to "fake" it for a 25, Gangloff said.
This openness to participants would allow spectators to watch generational talents from different strokes battle it out in a way the 200 IM does not allow. Who wouldn't want to see Ryan Murphy and Caeleb Dressel go head to head?
Adding the event would also allow stroke swimmers the potential to score more points. Freestylers dominate scoring at the NCAA level with their ability to make an impact in so many events and relays. The 100 IM would provide an opportunity for many backstrokers, butterfliers, and breaststrokers to pick up a third event and to make an impact more on par with freestylers.
The biggest argument against the 100 IM is about its position in the NCAA Championships. Where would it go?
According to the NCAA website, the 100 IM would be placed on the last day of competition after the mile. The meet order that day would then look like this:
15. 1,650-yard Freestyle--Last heat of time finals
16. 100-yard Individual Medley
17. 200-yard Backstroke
18. 100-yard Freestyle
19. 200-yard Breaststroke
20. 200-yard Butterfly
21. Platform Diving--Finals*
22. 400-yard Freestyle Relay
The biggest conflict on this day would likely come from the 100-yard freestyle, as the 100 IM is such a sprint-heavy event. But there are always conflicts for certain swimmers, and deciding what events to compete in is part of the strategy at NCAAs. Every year swimmers are forced to choose not just their best events to compete, but also their best schedule.
The other big argument against the 100 IM is a simpler one that crops up every time a change is proposed: The NCAA championship meet has been a success year after year, so why change it?
The answer to this question now is the same as it was in 1984. The 100 IM could provide the same excitement and competition as that of the 200-yard medley relay. The 100 IM would be one of the most anticipated events at NCAAs every year by not only the spectators but also the swimmers themselves. The NCAA has an opportunity to not only change its championship but to improve it as well.
As Gangloff said, "It's good to make swimming fun."
By Anthony Ashley
--
The 200-yard medley relay has been one of the most consistently exciting events in all of college swimming, but the race so many love to watch would not be a part of the meet today if the NCAA had not been open to change.
The NCAA added the 200-yard medley relay to its championship event order in 1984. Princeton managed to capture the first title, and ever since, the battle for the top spot has been fierce. The race just last year at the NCAA championships was proof the event has turned into one of the most thrilling in college swimming.
It's been 32 years since the NCAA permanently changed the championship meet. Is it time to add another event?
Recently, the NCAA added the 100 IM to its recognized events, allowing it to be swum at championship competitions. However, it has not been included as an event at the NCAA championship.
The 100 IM has the potential to be the most exciting race in all of swimming. It is simply four laps and four strokes sprinted without any time to slow down.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist and University of Missouri assistant swim coach Mark Gangloff, while not totally sold on the idea of adding the 100 IM to NCAAs, could not deny the spectacular nature of the event.
"It is a ton of fun," Gangloff said. "I loved doing the 100 IM. You just get in and go."
One huge draw for the 100 IM would be the variety of participants it could attract. Gangloff said the field would be composed quite differently than that of the 200 IM.
"You don't need as much range to do the 100 IM," Gangloff said. "You'd have elite 200 IMers that can do all four strokes well, and you would have the power guys that are strong enough to really rip up 25s of every stroke."
These two types of swimmers have been able to dominate the 100 IM on an international level as well. Internationally the 100 short course meter IM has been an event at the FINA World Cup since the 1990s. Ryan Lochte and Vladimir Morozov, both former NCAA champions at Florida and Southern California, respectively, represent both of the aforementioned archetypes. Lochte is one of the best IMers of all time, and Morozov is an incredibly powerful sprinter.
The 100 IM would give an opportunity for swimmers across every discipline to race and race at a high level. Even those swimmers who have long been plagued by a horrid breaststroke that has hindered a 200 IM might be able to "fake" it for a 25, Gangloff said.
This openness to participants would allow spectators to watch generational talents from different strokes battle it out in a way the 200 IM does not allow. Who wouldn't want to see Ryan Murphy and Caeleb Dressel go head to head?
Adding the event would also allow stroke swimmers the potential to score more points. Freestylers dominate scoring at the NCAA level with their ability to make an impact in so many events and relays. The 100 IM would provide an opportunity for many backstrokers, butterfliers, and breaststrokers to pick up a third event and to make an impact more on par with freestylers.
The biggest argument against the 100 IM is about its position in the NCAA Championships. Where would it go?
According to the NCAA website, the 100 IM would be placed on the last day of competition after the mile. The meet order that day would then look like this:
15. 1,650-yard Freestyle--Last heat of time finals
16. 100-yard Individual Medley
17. 200-yard Backstroke
18. 100-yard Freestyle
19. 200-yard Breaststroke
20. 200-yard Butterfly
21. Platform Diving--Finals*
22. 400-yard Freestyle Relay
The biggest conflict on this day would likely come from the 100-yard freestyle, as the 100 IM is such a sprint-heavy event. But there are always conflicts for certain swimmers, and deciding what events to compete in is part of the strategy at NCAAs. Every year swimmers are forced to choose not just their best events to compete, but also their best schedule.
The other big argument against the 100 IM is a simpler one that crops up every time a change is proposed: The NCAA championship meet has been a success year after year, so why change it?
The answer to this question now is the same as it was in 1984. The 100 IM could provide the same excitement and competition as that of the 200-yard medley relay. The 100 IM would be one of the most anticipated events at NCAAs every year by not only the spectators but also the swimmers themselves. The NCAA has an opportunity to not only change its championship but to improve it as well.
As Gangloff said, "It's good to make swimming fun."
By Anthony Ashley
--