Asian sinks human ‘submarine’

Press, 26 September 1988, Page 23

Asian sinks human ‘submarine’

NZPA-Reuter Seoul David Berkoff, the human “submarine” who swims nearly half the 100 metres backstroke race under water, was sunk at the Olympic Games on Saturday by a Japanese swimmer who said he had used the same technique for longer than the American. Daichi Suzuki powered home in 55.05 seconds, pushing the world record holder Berkoff into the silver medal spot in 55.18. The Soviet swimmer Igor Polianski, the 200 metre backstroke Olympic champion, took the bronze.

Five of the eight final-

ists, including the medallists, used the controversial technique, which involves kicking off under water and surfacing about 15 metres from the turn. “I started training under water for long distance seven years ago on a daily basis, so today’s result was the outcome of my practice,” Suzuki said. He was eleventh at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 and is little known abroad. He competes internationally only about once a year. Berkoff is widely regarded as the innovator of the submarine style, which has propelled him to three world records in

two months, including the fresh mark of 54.51 in the heats on Saturday morning.

The American university student adopted the technique in 1984. It remains controversial with some members of the International Amateur Swimming Federation (F.1.N.A.) but Berkoff rejected concerns that it could be dangerous. “You don’t just decide to stay under water for 50 metres. That’s stupid. You train for it,” Berkoff said. “Every time there’s some new technique or innovation F.I.N.A. says it’s too dangerous.

“They don’t say any-

thing about women synchronized swimmers who stay under'water for up to iy 2 minutes but when a man does it for 16 seconds they say it’s dangerous.”

He said the submarine, in which arm strokes are not used, was designed to maintain the momentum of the initial kick. Asked how it felt, he said: “It goes by so fast you don’t really notice.”

He blamed his defeat in part on a poor start and said he had not “felt the flow of the water” in the same way as during his record-breaking morning heat.