An Olympic Champion At 50!

[awakened]

Ok. Ok. An Olympic Champion in my mind.

Don't know about you but I have always wished I could tumble turn when swimming and envied the human dolphins who could do it every time, smooth as silk.

Every time I tried, I smacked my head on the side, swallowed half the pool or couldn't rotate enough and turned myself into a gasping pretzel. Had absolutely given up on the idea for 30 years or more but three days ago decided to have a crack at it. No witnesses!

It took three sessions about 40 minutes apiece. The first session, hopeless. The second, still bad technique but started to come. The third session, cracked it in the last 5 minutes. Smoooooooooth.

Wow! I can't believe it. After all those years.

It reminded me of another satisfying 'victory' when I used to play cricket. In my youth I was a demon bowler. Deadly accurate but couldn't bat worth a dam_n. Highest ever score was 3. usually out flailing helplessly first ball.

A career in the Navy ended the cricket, (wasn't the required rank). Several years later I joined a Church Cricket team and the bowling was still pretty good. Started to get a bit wayward so started to pick up the bat. Eventually - highest score 54 having earned the nickname 'Zorro'... because of my flashing blade. I would put the bowler to the sword. Score quickly. Out quickly.

54. Wow!

A nice memory from those days? A giant cheer from the spectators and friends, as I played my first ever forward defensive. (Cricketers will understand). After 25 years of cricket. Wow!

The point of this post? It's never too late to learn.

Any other 50 year old Olympic Champions out there?

[dclaryjr]

Congratulations! I've officiated something like 50 swim meets over the last few years and I could make a great "blooper" film showing some pretty bizarre turns. But it's not something I've attempted because I finally learned how to breathe properly at the age of 53 (three years ago). So you're right--we old dogs CAN learn new tricks!!

[zzdocxx]

I don't understand all the cricket lingo, but congrats anyway!

:D

[awakened]

Congratulations! I've officiated something like 50 swim meets over the last few years and I could make a great "blooper" film showing some pretty bizarre turns. But it's not something I've attempted because I finally learned how to breathe properly at the age of 53 (three years ago). So you're right--we old dogs CAN learn new tricks!!

Great! A fellow Olympian. You just gave me my next challenge... Breathing properly!

[cymruambyth1]

As an Advanced Cricket Coach (Lilleshall National Sports Center 1997 - other members of the group taking their test were Richard Illingworth, Steve Rhodes, Philip Newport and a couple of other county and test cricketers) I must ask the following regarding your 'forward defensive' stoke that received a round of applause:

1. Did you lead into the ball with your head and leading shoulder?

2. Was the bat picked up parallel with the floor and pointing at first slip?

3. Was the grip 80% or more with your top hand (left hand if you are right handed)?

4. Did you stay side-on throughout the stroke?

5. Were your eyes level and looking directly down the line of the ball?

6. did you pivot on your back leg, thus opening your shoulders at impact...very bad!?

7. Were your eyes, hands and knee of your front leg in a straight line horizontally?

If ANY of the above were not completed then please remove/edit your post as you are a fake.

Great news regarding the tumble-turn though, as I know <deleted> all about that and have suffered the same lungs-full-of-water scenario that you did. Well done!

Edited June 30, 2008 by cymruambyth1

[awakened]

As an Advanced Cricket Coach (Lilleshall National Sports Center 1997 - other members of the group taking their test were Richard Illingworth, Steve Rhodes, Philip Newport and a couple of other county and test cricketers) I must ask the following regarding your 'forward defensive' stoke that received a round of applause:

1. Did you lead into the ball with your head and leading shoulder?

2. Was the bat picked up parallel with the floor and pointing at first slip?

3. Was the grip 80% or more with your top hand (left hand if you are right handed)?

4. Did you stay side-on throughout the stroke?

5. Were your eyes level and looking directly down the line of the ball?

6. did you pivot on your back leg, thus opening your shoulders at impact...very bad!?

7. Were your eyes, hands and knee of your front leg in a straight line horizontally?

If ANY of the above were not completed then please remove/edit your post as you are a fake.

Great news regarding the tumble-turn though, as I know <deleted> all about that and have suffered the same lungs-full-of-water scenario that you did. Well done!

Wow. Where were you when I needed you!?

Fake, eh? Let's see.

Yes to 1 and 5. No to 4.

The ball I faced was a full pitched, pacey delivery, smack on middle. My guard was middle and leg. I started side on to the bowler, then planted my left foot well forward and bent at the knee. Since I stepped forward the heel of my back foot came off the ground and rotated. I opened my chest and kept my left elbow bent and eyes directly in line with the ball. The toe of the bat was on the ground, slightly in front and to the right of my leading leg. There was no follow through on the bat, I was happy to get to the pitch of the ball and just took the pace off it. My left wrist felt awkward (fingers facing the bowler) so I probably had the wrong grip.

The next two times I tried it, I got the line wrong and was clean bowled. Never tried it again.

Close enough?

[cymruambyth1]

As an Advanced Cricket Coach (Lilleshall National Sports Center 1997 - other members of the group taking their test were Richard Illingworth, Steve Rhodes, Philip Newport and a couple of other county and test cricketers) I must ask the following regarding your 'forward defensive' stoke that received a round of applause:

1. Did you lead into the ball with your head and leading shoulder?

2. Was the bat picked up parallel with the floor and pointing at first slip?

3. Was the grip 80% or more with your top hand (left hand if you are right handed)?

4. Did you stay side-on throughout the stroke?

5. Were your eyes level and looking directly down the line of the ball?

6. did you pivot on your back leg, thus opening your shoulders at impact...very bad!?

7. Were your eyes, hands and knee of your front leg in a straight line horizontally?

If ANY of the above were not completed then please remove/edit your post as you are a fake.

Great news regarding the tumble-turn though, as I know <deleted> all about that and have suffered the same lungs-full-of-water scenario that you did. Well done!

Wow. Where were you when I needed you!?

Fake, eh? Let's see.

Yes to 1 and 5. No to 4.

The ball I faced was a full pitched, pacey delivery, smack on middle. My guard was middle and leg. I started side on to the bowler, then planted my left foot well forward and bent at the knee. Since I stepped forward the heel of my back foot came off the ground and rotated. I opened my chest and kept my left elbow bent and eyes directly in line with the ball. The toe of the bat was on the ground, slightly in front and to the right of my leading leg. There was no follow through on the bat, I was happy to get to the pitch of the ball and just took the pace off it. My left wrist felt awkward (fingers facing the bowler) so I probably had the wrong grip.

The next two times I tried it, I got the line wrong and was clean bowled. Never tried it again.

Close enough?

Apologies, I think the word 'fake' was incorrectly used. You knew exactly what you were doing and I only hope any Americans reading this will understand!

I now need you to help me with the tumble-turn thing!