by ChainsawMcP » 31 Jul 12, 6:44 pm
Here's a good reason for an increase in performance....
"Ye has trained in Australia with two well-recognized coaches, Ken Wood and Denis Cotterell. Wood has had a contract with the Chinese Swimming Association since 2008, and 15 of China's swimmers in London, plus five of its relay swimmers, have trained at his academy north of Brisbane, rotating through in groups for a couple of months at a time, he told The Associated Press in a phone interview.
"I get paid per month, per swimmer four times more than I do with my home swimmers," Wood said from Australia after Ye qualified comfortably fastest Monday in the 200 medley heats. China pays him bonuses for Olympic gold and for swimmers' personal bests, and he also got a bonus for Ye's 200 medley world championship win in 2011."
Wood goes on to talk about how the Chinese Coaches concentrate on stroke technique but don't have the high level knowledge of bio-mechanics that can help to shave seconds off - which means that he gets to refine and perfect already strong swimmers
http://thechronicleherald.ca/olympics20 ... -around-yeIf you want an amazing performance that nobody has raised an eyebrow about - try the men's coxless pair Heat 1 - NZ turned in a World Record performance - leaving the French in their wake by 9 seconds and taking 6 secs off the previous World Record. The field of five straggled out over 32 secs so they really were rowing against themselves.
For comparison Heat 2 was 3 seconds between first and last...
Maybe the memories of the Rainbow Warrior really are still that strong...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowing_at_ ... xless_pair