Category: History
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Swim legend Mark Spitz backs the Big Splash mile
Fun fact in this video, Mark Spitz’s swimming career started with him doing well in a swim across a pool, mostly because he was called last because of his name starting with an “S”, and therefore was cold. Big Splash via the BBC
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Johnny Weissmuller and Duke Kahanamoku
Joel McKenna at the17thman found this gem, Johnny Weissmuller appearing at what seems to be a clip from the 1957 episode of “This is Your Life” honoring Duke Kahanamoku, also featuring Sam and (I think) David Kahanamoku.
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Johnny Weissmuller gets the Groucho treatment on YBYL
Grin, “You’re not allowed to say Amsterdam on TV”, via the 17thman.
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Mark Spitz on his iconic picture and the Munich massacre
Great article here on MailOnline, about how the iconic photo of Mark Spitz with his 7 gold medals from the 1972 Munich Games was taken in London rather than in Munich, because of the terror attack there right after his 7th win. About how he’s afterwards held contact with wives and kids of the athletes…
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Michael Phelps used to be scared to put his head in the water
There you go, anything is possible: “I started swimming at seven. The first couple of years I was afraid of putting my face in the water. I just wasn’t comfortable. Eventually I just put it in and off I went.” Via 2012olympicsblog.co.uk
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Do you know why there are so many swimming events ?
Pierre Knows (and sorry, breaststrokers and backstrokers around the world :-) Thanks Pierre !
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Pellegrini, Payne, Lurz and Alex are the 2011 LEN swimmers of the year
The European Swimming Federation LEN today announced the 2011 Len Athletes of the Year, elected by representatives of the 51 LEN Member Federations as well as aquatic journalists from all over Europe. In the pool swimming category, the men’s award was decided by a margin of very few votes in favour of Norway’s Alexander Dale…
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Leisel Jones looks beyond the London Games
According to the Australian, Leisel Jones is contemplating stretching her career to a fifth Olympics in Rio in 2016. She admits that it is only since Shanghai that she has returned to the level of training commitment she had before the Beijing Games, but says that now with the Olympics as the nearest event on…
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Did a seal save Cohen from being killed by the great white ?
British resident Michael Cohen was attacked within seconds of plunging into the water at Fish Hoek near Cape Town last Thursday, by a great white that ripped a good part of his right leg off and badly mauled this left foot. Two quick-thinking pensioners saved him by tying a makeshift tourniquet made of the leg…