Michael Phelps may be the greatest swimmer of all time, but the Phelps vs. Shark kick-off to Shark Week was totally unrealistic.
Shark Week is the super popular programming week for Discovery Channel. People have a strong fascination with sharks. From the 1975 film Jaws to the film footage of Shark Alley, people want to see, yet are afraid of, sharks. To kick off this week’s Discovery Channel Shark Week programming the channel presented Phelps vs. Shark on Sunday night.
Michael Phelps is one of the greatest swimmers of all time. He currently holds the most gold medals, has had numerous world records, and is considered a swimming legend. While new stars are always rising to the occasion, and I believe that Katie Ledecky could surpass his accomplishments, Phelps has secured his place in history.
(Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
To kick off this year’s Shark Week, the channel presented Phelps vs. Shark. While the show is great for hype, watching the show was rather unrealistic.
First, Phelps didn’t swim next to a shark. If anyone really thought that scenario was a possibility, I could sell you a great house on a sink hole. No one would allow this scenario, nor would it be physically possible. A shark could not have been made to swim in a straight 100M line in open water.
Second, the concessions that were made for Phelps to create a 100M time comparable to a white shark are unrealistic in a real swimming competition. The world record 100M fly time, set in 2009, held by Phelps, is 49.82 seconds. Granted, this time includes a turn, the record has not been reset in many years, even by Phelps himself. A white shark averages around 36 seconds per 100M. While Phelps may be a champion swimmer, not even a mono-fin and wet swim could get him a 13 second time drop. The human body, even for the greatest swimmer of all time, can only do so much.
The Discovery Channel Shark Week show combines scientific data and television effects. To make this swimming contest a little more fair, the Discovery Channel team gave Phelps some tools to bridge the gap. First, Phelps wore a specially designed mono-fin. This fin, worn vertically, gave Phelps a tremendous propulsion advantage in swimming his leg. The vertical motion can, and did, help him swim faster.
Also, Phelps swam the 100M in a non-traditional swimming position. For the timed event, Phelps swam in a sideways position versus the stomach down position that is traditional for swimming strokes. Swimmers know that the turned body position can help them go faster through the water, but that position is not allowed throughout an entire swimming race. Additionally, it was unclear if Phelps swam the entire 100M under water. Swimming submerged is faster than swimming on the surface. But, I doubt Phelps swam 100M without taking a single breath.
Lastly, Phelps wore a specially designed wet suit. In swimming competition, only select swimming suits are allowed by the governing body. Full wet suits are not allowed. The full wet suit would help to decrease Phelps’ overall time.
A white shark has adapted to its conditions. The water off Cape Town and in Shark Alley is extremely cold. Water temperature in the mid-60s would cause Phelps’ muscles to not respond as quickly. The thin wet suit that he wore wouldn’t help his muscles perform optimally. Even with the cold conditions, Phelps swam really fast.
Don’t get me wrong, even with all the concessions, changes and gear, Phelps swam a 38 second 100M. That time is totally unreal. Watch this week’s World Swimming Championships in Hungary and no one, in a perfect indoor pool, will even come close. Still, the whole programming was great hype, but truly unrealistic.
Truthfully, Discovery Channel had to make adaptions and concessions to make this program interesting and even a possibility. The shark data confirmed that a shark is, and will always be, faster than a man. Like much of the Shark Week programming, the show was entertainment.
Let’s be honest, there is no way that Phelps could have ever won this epic battle. But, the show was fun television watching. I’m sure people who aren’t competitive swimmers, or part of a competitive swimming family, didn’t pick apart the details like my family and I did. Also, since I’ve gone diving in Shark Alley, I might be a little more critical.
Still, Phelps vs. Shark was an entertaining start to Discovery Channel’s Shark Week. We will continue to watch the remaining coverage because the programming is both educational and entertaining. Sharks aren’t the terrifying ocean creatures of people’s nightmares. Take the time to learn more about these fascinating animals and maybe they won’t be so frightening.