Ryan Lochte Swimming: Best Short Course Yards Swimmer of All Time?

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Best Short Course Yards Swimmer of All Time?

Swimming World Magazine recently posted a list of the Men's All-Time Top Short Course Yards Performances. The list compiled the top 50 performances for each short-course event. The article and list can be found here:

http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/24048.asp

The list got me thinking: Is Ryan the best short course yards swimmer of all time? I think an argument can be made that he is.

Ryan holds top 50 times in 10 out of 14 individual events. The only events in which he has not had a top 50 time are 100/200y Breast and 1000/1650y Free. He came close to a top-50 time in the 100y Breast with a 53.27 at the 2007 U.S. Short Course Championships
Ryan has set multiple NCAA and American records in the 100/200y Back and 200/400y IM
Ryan has 34 top 50 times in 10 events. No other swimmer comes close.

50y Free - 19.22 (2007 - top 50)
100y Free - 41.99 (2008 - top 25)
200y Free - 1:32.40 (2008 - #10); 1:33.07 (2005 - top 25); 1:33.32 (2009 - top 50)
500y Free - 4:13.23 (2007 - top 50)

100y Back - 44.60 (2006 - American/NCAA record); 45.19 (2005 - top 15); 45.28 (2006 - top 20); 45.37 (2005 - top 25); 45.37 (2008 - top 25); 45.44 (top 50)
200y Back - 1:36.81 (2007 - American record); 1:37.68 (2006 - #3); 1:38.29 (2005 - #5); 1:38.37 (2005 - #6); 1:38.49 (2008 - #8); 1:39.01 (2009 - #12); 1:39.44 (2007 - #17); 1:40.07 (2006 #31); 1:40.11 (2006 - #35)

100y Fly - 46.02 (2006 - top 40)
200y Fly - 1:42.39 (2006 - top 20)

200y IM - 1:40.08 (2007 - American record); 1:40.55 (2006 - #3); 1:40.89 (2008 - #5); 1:41.71 (2005 - #9); 1:41.76 (2005 - #11); 1:43.31 (2006 - top 50); 1:43.32 (2006 - top 50)
400y IM - 3:37.88 (2007 - #3); 3:38.15 (2006 - #6); 3:39.07 (2007 - #14); 3:39.08 (2005 - #15); 3:41.02 (2004 - top 50); 3:41.03 (2003 - top 50)