Talk:Medley swimming

I checked the FINA rules for medley swimming, and could not find anything about what distance each part of the individual medley has to be swum. Of course, I know it's 1/4th of the distance for each stroke, but the rules seem to be unclear about it. What if somebody swims 400m IM on the short lane, with 25m Butterfly, 25m Backstroke, 25m Breastsroke, and 325m freestyle? That should make him a lot faster! Anybody know the section in the Official FINA web page that has the details for this case? SourKraut 04:40, 30 Nov 2003 (UTC)

No I didn't see an explicit FINA rule on this issue. However, it could be argued that it is infered in SW 10.1 (must cover complete distance), which would be a thin justification. I suppose it could also be implied by the swimming definition of "medley" (equal parts of all competitive strokes), but this too is vague. The implementation of the rule by a number of organizations in the United States is quite clear on the matter (see USA-S 101.5 (regarding IM), USA-S 101.6.2 (regarding medley relay), USMS 101.6 (IM, identical to USA Swimming wording), USMS 101.7.2 (medley relay, identical to USA Swimming wording), NCAA Rule 2, Article 6.b (IM), NCAA Rule 2, Article 8.a (medley relay)). I'd cite NFHS rules, but they require you to be a member to use their online rulebook (how annoying). It's interesting that FINA is this vague on an important rule (its rules are vague to begin with, but this definitely drops the ball!). –Pakman044 05:49, 30 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The other thing now that I reexamine the FINA rules is SW 2.1.1 ("[The referee] ... shall decide all questions relating to the ... event or the competition, the final settlement of which is not otherwise covered by the rules.") (emphasis added). Thus the referee could decide under this basis that the definition of medley implies equal distances. This would not be the best way the situation. I wonder if someone will actually try this in competition run solely under FINA rules, and what the officials would do (for example, the backstroke flip turn was written into the rules when an official refused to disqualify a swimmer for conducting such a turn when the rules at the time prohibited any movement past vertical towards the stomach). –Pakman044 06:09, 30 July 2006 (UTC)[reply]

At the XI FINA World Masters Championships held at Stanford this weekend under FINA rules, one of the reasons for a disqualification in the 400IM was for "Not swum in right order - IM" (look for the 75-79 age group) (FINA rule SW 9.1). That being said, it is tough to say whether it was simply a DQ for swimming out of order, or if the swimmer forgot the distance. Monday has the other IM on the schedule, the 200IM. –Pakman044 19:14, 6 August 2006 (UTC)[reply]

What is point?

What is purpose for a medley swimming event? There are way too many swimming events at the Olympics by the way. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Servetones234324 (talk • contribs) 21:21, 6 August 2012 (UTC)[reply]

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