What wins in a race; training and technique or strength and physique?
My boyfriend and I have a long standing ( mostly joking) debate over who would win in a race swimming me or him. I’m a 5’2 woman, former competitive swimmer from 8-18 who just picked it back up for fitness after a 9 year break. he’s a 5’10” former college basketball player (d3)(but he was pretty good for that) who had swim lessons as a kid and a brief competitive stint that ended at 11 years old. He thinks he has me beat in a 25 yd and 50 yd race and then my experience would give me a 100yd race. I think the only one he has a shot in is a 25yd race since he’s got me by a lot in height ( I’ve also seen him try to flip turn and it ain’t great). I’ll put a comment with more of my background vs his to inform our situation more but I think I’m more interested in seeing thoughts on the overarching question: what do people see as more important for faster sprinting, better technique or more strength?