Author: rokur

Vintage swimming footage from the Japan 1933, Helsinki 1952, Melbourne 1956, Rome 1960 and Munich 1972 Olympics. WestCoastMedia have a DVDs from these Championships that you can purchase for $20 if you live in North America and $26 if you live overseas, see video description.

“The one thing that will keep the kids safe around the pool is a parental supervision. Watching your kids while they’re swimming to make sure that they are out of danger and they are not falling down hitting their head or having any types of accident while they’re in the pool.”

The just-turned-13-year old Michael Andrew kept in close against world championship medalist Tyler McGill, in a series of head-to-hear-races on Saturday. Already 6-foot-2 with size 15 feet and massive hands, the media is drawing comparison with Michael Phelps, but Andrew is fast to dismiss that: “When I hear that, I have to correct it,” the youngster said. “I would be more than happy to be as great as Michael Phelps, but I’d like to be the first Michael Andrew.” Read more Sports Illustrated, and watch video below.

Faroe Island’s Pál Joensen and British legend Mark Foster having a chat in the Budapest 2010 European Championships mixed zone. Foster really should have been on this side of the fence, but Hungarian security was admiringly tight.

Scientists off the coast of Kamchatka have spotted the first confirmed white adult orca. The white killer whale appears to be healthy, at least 16 years old judging by its two-metre high dorsal fin. The only white orcas seen before have been juveniles. Read BBC News via Neatorama, see also the Far East Russia Orca Project.

An interview with British swimming legend Mark Foster at the 2011 UAE International Swim Meet, talking about the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Sports Complex and the ‘lie’ that he was planning a comeback.

Two Michelin star Danish restaurant Noma, twice ranked as best restaurant in the world, will move into the 5-star hotel Claridge’s in Mayfair, London during the Olympics, to serve a five-course menu, lunch and dinner for 10 days, from July 28 through Aug. 6, for price of £195 (US$314). It will be the first time Redzepi has taken Noma overseas and demand for tables will be heavy. Diners from around the world wait months for a table in Copenhagen. Noma receives as many as 100,000 reservation inquiries a month, over which time it serves a total of just 450 tables.…

Bound to happen, I guess, with the cameras marketed (and proven) as rugged, survive-all ‘action cams’, but still incredibly sad: Police are investigating the death of Victorian competitor Joseph Scaturchio in the Australian Watercross Nationals in a crash on the Southport Broadwater on Sunday. Mr Scaturchio, 22, was killed during a collision between three jet-skis. Divers today found a GoPro waterproof camera that was mounted on the dead rider’s helmet. The police forensic crash unit, which is preparing a report for the Queensland Coroner, hopes the footage can be salvaged and yield clues to the cause of the crash. Read…

“If I only have one message to young swimmers about taking care of their body, it is to take care of your shoulders. Swimming is a very repetitive sport, and it is never too early to do ‘pre-hab’. You don’t want to get to the point where you have to do rehabilitation. Taking the time to do quick shoulder strengthening exercises will definitely pay dividends later on in your swimming career” ~ Eric Shanteau See D.I.S.C.

The South African nationals came to a close today in Durban with 12 swimmers on the plane to London 2012, spearheaded by Shanghai 2011 bronze medalist Cameron van der Burgh and 4-time individually qualifying Chad le Clos. Le Clos is by the way aiming for a magnificent seven entries including three relays. Via SwimNews.