devashish_paul wrote:
If you look at the shorter swimmers in the Olympics, they only have a chance in breast stroke and butterfly where there is a lot of drag (short axis strokes). On long axis strokes (free and back), no chance in general. And on the short axis strokes, you have to be pretty "dense" (BMI). For example Daiya Sato 400IM gold medalist is 174cm and 73 kilos. He is shorter than the top long course pro triathletes, but also much denser. But no one winning 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500 free is built like him. He is way too short for free only.Depends on what you're definitions is of "short." But there are plenty of male olympic swimmers who did well in backstroke and sprint free who weren't "tall" by swimming standards. I swam with some of them. Generally speaking, having a longer water line helps. But specifically, you can be a lot shorter with a long torso to leg ratio and be faster than someone who is taller with a shorter torso to let ratio. This is really applicable to backstroke, but also applies to freestyle. While I would agree with you that it helps to be taller it isn't an absolute. Talented athletes with good coaches find a way regardless of their height.
And there are plenty of female Olympic swimmers who wouldn’t validate that idea.
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