[donmoore]

I heard from Pierre FROLLA via e-mail. It sounds like the door is not totally closed on Tom. I believe Pierre FROLLA is trying to make a good event and he and some others may have just made a bad decision based on inaccurate facts. Nobody can say they have never made a bad decision before!

His main issue right now seems to be that the competition is organized for 12 athletes with the go against elimination format and there are currently 12 who have accepted. I didn’t tell him this and maybe I should have, but I can’t imagine 12 world-class freedivers all being ready to compete on the same day anyway. Maybe they need 13 just because the probability of something happening to prevent one from competing is high!

If not it would be real classy for one of the twelve to give Tom a chance. Maybe they could say, “I will take the chance that if Tom was included I might draw him in the first round anyway so I will challenge him. If he beats me he can have my spot.”

Off course I am just a fan and not a competitor who may have already put money, training, and scheduling into the event, so who am I to make such a suggestion. But if was a competitor and I won the event, the bragging and peer admiration would be much better if Tom had been there!

Like I told Pierre FROLLA and Kars mentioned too, who knows too if Tom’s no-warmup, all-out approach will serve him well in this format, but it sure would be interesting to see!
don