Author: rokur

At the Japan Swim yesterday, Natsumi Hoshi crushed the Japanese record in the women’s 200 butterfly with a scorching time of 2:04.69, her old record a 2:05.91 from the Shanghai 2011 World Championships, closing in fast on China’s Liu Zige’s World textile best of 2:04.40. Aya Terakawa clipped her national record in the women’s 100 backstroke with a world best time this year of 59.10, old record a 59.13 from the Japanese Sports Festival in 2010. Both naturally qualifying for the Olympics. In the women’s 200 IM, Izumi Kato made the Olympic squad with a 2:11.79, other swimmers going under…

Apparently, an Ocean Beach woman with friends went swimming naked Tuesday night, and when she got out of the water, she couldn’t find her clothes, her cellphone or her wallet. So she walks home “drunk and naked” and falls asleep, while another beach goer finds her stuff, waits by it for an hour, before calling lifeguards. Big alert, “search and rescue” mode, out in boats to search for the woman and along the beach, for two hours (maybe even five), helicopter also, until they find her sleeping in a rear unit at home. Via OB Rag

Rebecca Adlington has confirmed she will not attempt to add the 200 meter freestyle to her tally of Olympic swims in June – meaning her individual medal bid in London will remain at two. She will swim the 200 at the final British qualification meet in Sheffield in June, but only to maybe make the 4×200 freestyle relay. “I am doing the 200m at the trials but I am not tapering back so to be honest I don’t really think I will make it because there are other girls like Jazmin Carlin who will rest back for it,” said Adlington.…

Stephanie Rice and Eamon Sullivan both deny recent reports that they are back together, read for instance Herald Sun [blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/ItsStephRice/status/187352343073923072″] [blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/Eamon_Sullivan/status/187361530612944897″]

The Danish Swimming Federation today announced that it will nominate Mathias Gydesen for the London 2012 Olympic Games, based on his 54.41 result in the men’s 100 backstroke prelims at the Indianapolis Grand Prix, only 1/100th of a second off the FINA A Olympic qualifying time but better than the FINA B Olympic Invitation time of 56.30. The Danish Olympic team therefore consists of 10 swimmers, biggest since 1996 and according to the Danish federation “clearly the strongest team of Danish swimmers ever seen at an Olympics.”

OK, not sure that this is an actual Spidercam, but it behaved pretty much in the same way, running along cables high over the Rome 2009 World Aquatic Championships pool. Pulled by hand, I’ve been told, but still cool :-) Update – a pro tells me this is a ‘wirecam’. Makes sense! :-)

At the Japan Swim today, Takeshi Matsuda posted a third-best time in the world this year in the men’s 200 freestyle, qualifying for the Olympics in 1:45.96, with Yuki Kobori (1:47.71), Syo Sotodate (1:48.15) and Chiaki Ishibashi (1:48.16) qualifying for the men’s 4×200. Satomi Suzuki and Mina Matsushima qualified in the women’s 100 breaststroke in 1:06.80 and 1:07.54 respectively, and Ryosuke Irie blazed the men’s 100 backstroke with a second-rank time in the world this year of 52.91. Read more here on SwimmingWorld Magazine.

Ouch, at the Chinese Long Course Nationals today, 15-year-old Xin Xin posted a second in the world ranked 8:22.76 in the women’s 800 freestyle, easily clearing the FINA A cut standard of 8:33.84, with Shao Yiwen also qualifying for the Olympics in 8:29.49. Sun Ye and Ji Liping qualified in the women’s 400 IM in 2:24.54 and 2:26.79 respectively, and Wang Shijia and Tang Yi in the women’s 200 freestyle in 1:57.26 and 1:57.74. Other swimmers also made the FINA B standard, possibly an Olympic qualification, read more here on SwimmingWorld Magazine.

Just a photo from the Shanghai 2011 World Championships, taken during the synchronized swimming competition a few days before the competitive swimming started. That is Egypt standing by to go on stage, and Australia getting their preliminary score.

FINA announces today that the city of Doha, Qatar has been awarded the organisation of the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (24), in December 2012. “We are very pleased to have the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in 2014 in the outstanding Aspire Sport Complex, and its Aquatic Centre, in Doha. I am sure that all swimmers, coaches, officials, and representatives of the participating National Federations will enjoy a great competition and be impressed by the Qatari hospitality”, considered FINA President Dr. Julio C. Maglione. See Press Release on FINA.org