On Sunday, the men’s 100m breaststroke final at the Paris Olympics took place in France, with Martinengi defeating Peaty and Fink to claim the title. While the competition was intense, some noticed the surprisingly slow pace of the race.
According to statistics, this is the slowest average swimming speed in an Olympic event since the Athens Games in 2004. Marchand, despite an excellent performance in the 400m individual medley, fell significantly short of his personal best time.
The pool specifications have come under scrutiny, as Paris organizers ultimately set the depth at 2 meters, which meets Olympic requirements, but it is worth noting that the water depth for the past four Olympic Games reached 3 meters.
The depth of the water is the most significant factor affecting swimmers’ speeds, as sufficient depth reduces the resistance created by the water surface, allowing athletes to swim faster. Insufficient depth can cause waves generated by one swimmer to affect others, slowing down overall speeds.
In addition, lighting and camera equipment placed too close to the bottom of the pool may also impact the athletes.