Keith Vs. John at Navy Masters Sprint and Relay Meet 2004

 

 

John interviews Keith

 

JJM  Well Keith, this meet was the conclusion of the 2003/2004 swim season "Keith vs. John" Battle.  After I won in Duncan with mainly Freestyle events, you came back strong at the Vic Masters Meet by avoiding all Freestyle events with the exception of the 400 Free.  We agree that it was a 3-3 draw at Provincials where we swam a mix of Free and other strokes.  At Nationals, you agreed to race mainly Free, with a little IM thrown in for interest.  You were dominant in the middle distance Free as well as the IM.  It seems that a 50 of each stroke would have you set up for an easy victory in the Navy Masters Sprint and Relay Event!

 

KK  Yes, I thought it would be an easy victory as I have been working hard in the last while (harder than you - using those fins for the hard sets!).  I tried to negotiate a "total time" formula for the 4 events, but your lawyer would not budge on that.  I knew that the time difference in the Fly would let me coast in the other 3 events.  But, you forced it to be 4 head-to-head swims with no factor for the time amount of the victory.  That meant that I had to steal 2 of the other 3 to win.  I thought that I could do that.

 

John gets off a good start in the 50 Free

 

 

Keith is confident before the 50 Fly

 

JJM  Normally, you come up with a good set of excuses - what excuses do you have for being edged out in 3 events?

 

KK  Much as I would like to have used the conditions - I could not.  The water was cool and clear, the starting blocks were nice, the lighting conditions were good and the timing was electronic and accurate.  So, I had to use the usual ailments - butt muscles, sore shoulder and butt muscles again!  But, I actually have specific excuses for the Free and the Back.  In the Free, I turned a little early and almost missed the wall.  I got my toes on it, but I almost had to restart myself like a Water Polo start.  In the Back, I coasted too long under water on the start.  I have no excuses in the Breast - you just beat me.

 

JJM  Well Keith, after the Free and the Fly, you had to take both the Back and Breast.  Tell us about your strategy.

 

KK  In the first 25 of the Back, I pushed hard off the wall.  Unfortunately, I was too deep and coasted a bit too long.  I tried to stroke as efficiently as I could, but I could not come home fast enough to catch you.  Then in the Breast, Danielle (who is supposed to be MY coach) gave you a little strategy talk.  She told you to streamline off the block and off the wall following the turn, and to delay the start of your stroking as you are already moving faster than what a Breast stroke will do for you.  At the end of the race, Danielle felt badly about giving you a tip that caused one of her swimmers to get edged out.

 

John throws his arms back in the Back start as Keith shouts encouragement

                        

Well that’s all folks. John wins the 50 metre "head-to-head" events 3 to 1.  After battling all season long, let the record show that it is officially a TIE!  Oh, it is over until next year!  The table below shows the details....