Swimmer's Daily

  • Meet the talented synchronised swimmer Ona Carbonell, captain of the Spanish national team. She gives us an insight into just how much skill, commitment and passion it takes to become a master in her sport, in and out of the water.

  • Spectators at the Xixiajou Wildlife Park in China were horrified to watch a 3,300 pound walrus killing two people. The first was a tourist, a man from Liaoning in Northeast China, who was visiting the park and lost his footing, falling into the walrus pool. While hugging the man, the walrus inadvertently pulled him underwater, drowning him. The trainer of the walrus jumped into the water to try to save the visitor while he was still flailing and fighting for his life, but the monstrous animal wrapped its arms around both men and plunged them deep underwater, leaving the two men dead. According to Fox News, officials at the zoo told local media they initially thought the walrus was just demonstrating his usual playful behavior with his longtime trainer, engaging in a hug, so they didn’t think he was in any danger. Sadly, however, not only was the tourist dead, but the trainer lost his life as well.

    Read Inquisitr

    https://youtu.be/eytayxEi-Ws

  • The tragic death of a Taiwanese supermodel left the modeling and diving community wondering whether human error is to blame and whether diving is really safe for those with asthma.

    According to reports, Olivia Ku was taking part in a mermaid-themed shoot near Hengchun Township in Taiwan’s Pingtung County when she allegedly drowned.

    Taipei Times reported that she was already unconscious when members of Coast Patrol Corp 6-3 pulled her out of the water at 3:26 p.m., May 17.

    Despite the efforts to resuscitate her, doctors failed and she was declared dead.

    The Taiwanese community was further baffled knowing that Ku is an amateur diver. She regularly volunteered to help clean the seabeds along Pingtung. With three years of diving experience, Ku should have had no problem handling her breathing.

    Although further investigation is yet to be conducted, it has been suggested that the 25-year-old model was asked to remove her breathing apparatus for aesthetic purposes of the shoot, which has triggered an asthma attack.

    Read Nature World News

  • Two golds apiece for Hungary, GB, Italy clinches Championship Trophy

    Hungary finished atop in the swimming medal table, producing its best even European Championships run for the first time with double digits for gold medals. The hosts also had a great finish and with two titles in the medley relays they came first in the overall medal haul. In swimming Italy clinched the Championship Trophy.

    GREAT BRITAIN gold Medal WALKER-HEBBORN Christoph PEATY Adam GUY James SCOTT Duncan 4×100 Medley Men FINAL London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 14 22-05-2016 Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Boglarka KAPAS HUN Gold Medal 400 freestyle Women FINAL London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 14 22-05-2016 Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Florent MANAUDOU FRA Gold Medal 50m Freestyle Men FINAL London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 14 22-05-2016 Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    HALSALL Francesca GBR Silver Medal KROMOWIDJOJO Ranomi NED Gold Medal OTTESEN Jeanette DEN Bronze Medal 50m Freestyle Women Final London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 14 22-05-2016 Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Team ITA, Team GBR, Team FIN 4×100 medley relay London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Day 7 swimming Medals Day 14 22-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Team ITA Italy Len Trophy London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Day 7 swimming Medals Day 14 22-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    HENTKE Franziska GER gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Women’s 200m butterfly final Day 14 22-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    JOHANSSON Jennie SWE gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Women’s 50m breaststroke final Day 14 22-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    KAPAS Boglarka HUN gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Women’s 400m freestyle final Day 14 22-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    KROMOWIDJOJO Ranomi NED gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Women’s 50m freestyle final Day 14 22-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Podium – MANAUDOU Florent FRA gold medal, GOVOROV Andriy UKR silver medal, PROUD Benjamin GBR bronze medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Men’s 50m freestyle final Day 14 22-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Podium – JOHANSSON Jennie SWE gold medal, LUTHERSDOTTIR Hrafnhildu ISL silver medal, LAUKKANEN Jenna FIN bronze medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Women’s 4x100m medley final Day 14 22-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Podium – HENTKE Franziska GER gold medal, SZILAGYI Liliana HUN silver medal, IGNACIO SORRIBES Judit ESP bronze medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Women’s 200m butterfly final Day 14 22-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Podium – VERRASZTO David HUN gold medal, SVK silver medal, TURRINI Federico ITA bronze medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Women’s 4x100m medley final Day 14 22-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    VERRASZTO David HUN gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Men’s 400m medley final Day 14 22-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

    Hungary and Great Britain made a perfect 10 respectively – the Magyars achieved this in the swimming pool while the hosts in swimming and diving. As for the last day’s action, the Hungarians maintained their reign in the men’s 400m IM, since 2004 only their athletes captured titles here, now David Verraszto retained his with a convincing performance. Slovakia’s Richard Nagy – coming from the Hungarian minority living there – earned the silver, Italy’s Federico Turrini claimed the bronze.

    Soon Boglarka Kapas added the 10th gold to the nation’s tally making the long-distance hattrick for the first time at the Europeans by winning the 400m, 800m and 1500m free at the same meet. This time the title-holder Jaz Carlin (GBR) couldn’t match her rival’s speed at the end (at the short-course in Netanya she was able to catch Kapas in the finish), while Spain’s Mireia Belmonte was a distant third.

    A bit earlier Hungary was extremely close for another win, in fact Liliana Szilagyi led all the way in the 200m fly but Germany’s Franziska Hentke passed her in the last centimetres and won by the tiniest margin possible (0.01sec). Judit Ignacio Sorribes was also close to the top two, trailed only 0.29sec to Hentke who repeated her win in Berlin two years ago.

    The session opening dash events saw some deja vu winners: just as four years ago at the Olympics, the 50m free crowns went to France’s Florent Manaudou among the men and Dutch Ranomi Kromowidjojo among the women – interestingly, this was the first individual European title for sprinting queen Ranomi.

    The women’s breaststroke dash turned into a Nordic party with Sweden’s Jennie Johansson touching in first, the next three hit the wall in a span of 0.08sec, the silver was grabbed by Hrafnhildur Luthersdottir (the Icelandic completed a medalling hat-trick in the breaststroke with two silvers, one bronze) while the bronze was grabbed by Jenna Laukkanen from Finland.

    The event finished on a real high as the medley relays created a magnificent atmosphere with the Brit quartets delivering both in the women and in the men events. Adam Peaty’s 58.08 breaststroke leg was the most outstanding effort in the mix, and he finished his home campaign with four titles (two individual, two relay), the most in the male field. The queen of the meet was Katinka Hosszu with four golds and a silver, only matched by compatriot Boglarka Kapas with four titles.

    The quality of the swimming Europeans was highlighted by 21 Championship Records broken, and courtesy of Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri a European Record also fell in this week. It was also the meet’s best individual effort, based on FINA points (989, 14:34.04 in the 1500m free), among the women Sarah Sjostrom’s 100m fly swim tops this rank (986 – 55.89 in the 100m fly).

    Italy clinched the Championship Trophy with 702 points, ahead of Hungary (577) and Great Britain (564), while Hungary topped the swimming medal table for the third time in the history of the Europeans (1954, 2012, 2016). The overall medals favour the Brits who staged really unforgettable championships in the London Aquatics Centre. And in only a little more than two years the Old Continent’s aquatic elite will return to Great Britain as Glasgow will host the 2018 edition.

    For detailed results please visit LEN’s renewed website: www.len.eu

    Direct link: http://len.eu/?p=4378

    Press release from LEN, photos courtesy of Deepbluemedia

  • Hungary v GB 2-2 today, 8-5 in aggregate, one day to go

    The nations who topped the respective medal tables in the last two editions, Hungary in 2012 and Great Britain in 2014, kept their battle going on the penultimate racing day at the European Aquatics Championships in London. The Magyars managed to maintain the distance (8-5) as both teams added 2 titles apiece to their tallies. Italy is also in the hunt with 5 titles before the closing day, with 8 finals to be contested.

    Boglarka KAPAS HUN Gold Medal 1500m Freestyle Women Final London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 13 21-05-2016 Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    NETHERLANDS NED DREESENS Dion BRZOSKOWSKI Maarten STOLK Kyle VERSCHUREN Sebastiaan 4x200m Freestyle Relay Men London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 13 21-05-2016 Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Francesca HALSALL GBR Gold Medal 50m Backstroke Women London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 13 21-05-2016 Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Federica PELLEGRINI ITA Gold Medal 200m Freestyle Women Final London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 13 21-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    CZERNIAK Konrad POL Silver Medal CSEH Laszlo HUN Gold Medal MEDELLA Mehdi FRA Bronze Medal 100m Butterfly Men FINA London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 13 21-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    HEEMSKERK Femke NED Silver Medal PELLEGRINI Federica ITA Gold Medal BONNET Charlotte FRA Bronze Medal 200m Freestyle Women Final London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 13 21-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    NIELSEN Mie Oe. DEN Silver Medal HALSALL Francesca GBR Gold Medal DAVIES Georgia GBR Bronze Medal 50m Backstroke Women FINAL London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 13 21-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    TOUMARKIN Yakov Yan ISR Silver Medal KAWECKI Radoslaw POL Gold Medal RAPSYS Danas LTU Bronze Medal 200m Backstroke Men Final London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 13 21-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    STEVENS Peter John SLO Silver Medal PEATY Adam GBR Gold Medal MURDOCH Ross GBR Bronze Medal 50m Breaststroke Men FINAL London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 13 21-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    BELGIUM Bronze Medal CROENEN Louis SURGELOOSE Glenn DEKONINCK Dieter TIMMERS Pieter NETHERLANDS Gold Medal DREESENS Dion BRZOSKOWSKI Maarten STOLK Kyle VERSCHUREN Sebastiaan ITALY Bronze Medal D’ARRIGO Andrea Mitchell MAGNINI Filippo DOTTO Luca DETTI Gabriele 4X200 M FREESTYLE – FINAL London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 13 21-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

    Hungary took a flying start on Saturday – Day 13 on 21 May, lucky combination perhaps – and bagged the first two titles on offer. Boglarka Kapas clinched her third gold here, adding the 1500m free crown to her wins in the 800m free and 4x200m free. Today she was swimming in a different gear as she enjoyed an almost 10sec winning margin over her Spanish chasers, Mireia Belmonte and Maria Vilas while cracking the Championship record.

    Laszlo Cseh also hunted down the CR in the 100m fly, he was way ahead of the others while delivering the only sub 51sec effort. Poland’s Konrad Czerniak and France’s Mehdy Metella settled for the minor spoils.

    The Brits held a ‘gold-dash’ day. Fran Halsall won a thrilling race in the 50m back where the first three hit the wall in a span of 0.30sec, finishing off Denmark’s Mie Nielsen and compatriot Georgia Davies. Another home 1-3 came in the men’s 50m breast, title-holder Adam Peaty getting close to his WR set in Kazan (0.24sec), Ross Murdoch got the bronze so he had a hat-trick in the three breast events, 1-1-1). Slovenia’s Peter John Stevens earned a silver.

    Italy’s gold came in a classical thriller, Femke Heemskerk of the Netherlands led all the way in the 200m free but Italy’s Federica Pellegrini managed to out-touch her by 0.04sec, capturing her 4th straight title in this event, while France’s Charlotte Bonnet was a distant third.

    Radoslaw Kawecki was also on the winning trail in the 200m back, this was his third successive title. Together with the four short-course golds the Polish swimmer is unbeaten in this event since 2011 in Europe.

    The Dutch captured their third relay title in London with a great performance in the men’s 4x200m free – the race for the other medals couldn’t have been any tighter. Three teams reached the wall in a span of 0.03 seconds, Belgium came up the best with the silver, Italy got the bronze, just ahead of Poland.

    For detailed results please visit LEN’s renewed website: www.len.eu

    Direct link: http://len.eu/?p=4378

    Press release from LEN, photos courtesy of Deepbluemedia

  • Italy: High five

    Italy enjoyed a 5-medal haul on Day 5, with a couple of outstanding freestyle swims in the mix, courtesy of Gregorio Paltrinieri (1500m) and Luca Dotto (100m). Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom returned to the throne in the 100m fly, while Denmark’s Rikke Moller Pedersen retained her title in the 200m breast.

    Sarah SJOESTROEM SWE Gold Medal Jeanette OTTESEN DEN Silver Medal 100m Butterfly Women Final London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 12 20-05-2016 Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Gabriele DETTI ITA Silver medal Gregorio PALTRINIERI ITA Gold Medal Mykhaylo ROMANCHUK UKR Bronze Medal 800m Freestyle Men London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 12 20-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    ITALY ITA Silver Medal Erika FERRAIOLI, Federica PELLEGRINI, Filippo MAGNINI, Luca DOTTO NETHERLANDS NED Gold Medal VERSCHUREN Sebastiaan SCHWIETERT Ben V.D. MEER Maud KROMOWIDJOJO Ranomi FRANCE Bronze Medal MIGNON Clement STRAVIUS Jeremy BONNET Charlotte SANTAMANS Anna 4x100m Mixed Freestyle Final London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 12 20-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    DOTTO Luca ITA, gold medal 100 Freestyle men London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming day 04 heats Day 12 20-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Podium DOTTO Luca ITA ITALY gold medal, VERSCHUREN Sebastiaan NED silver medal, MIGNON Clement FRA bronze medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Men’s 100m freestyle final Day 12 20-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Podium SJOESTROEM Sarah SWE gold medal, OTTESEN Jeanette DEN silver medal, BIANCHI Ilaria ITA bronze medal, London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Women’s 100m butterfly final Day 12 20-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Gregorio PALTRINIERI ITA Gold Medal Gabriele DETTI ITA Silver Medal 1500m Freestyle Men FINA London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 12 20-05-2016 Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Jessica VALL MONTERO ESP Silver Medal, Rikke Moeller PEDERSEN DEN Gold Medal 200m Breaststroke Final London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 12 20-05-2016 Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Jessica VALL MONTERO ESP Silver Rikke Moeller PEDERSEN DEN Gold Medal Hrafnhildu LUTHERSDOTTIR ISL Bronze medal 200m Breaststroke Women Final London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 12 20-05-2016 Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

    One might wonder what’s going to happen to Gregorio Paltrinieri when he will be in a really top shape. The Italian cracked the European record and went really close to the global mark over the 1500m free, then, two days later, he smashed the Championship record in the 800m and was just 1.5sec shy of his ER from Kazan. For sure, in Rio he is going to be the man to watch, even with Olympic title-holder Sun Yang (CHN) in the field.

    Italy enjoyed a glorious evening. After Gabriele Detti came second behind Paltrinieri (the 800m featured the same three medallist as the 1500m as Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Romanchuk was third again) Luca Dotto won the blue-riband event of the meet, thanks to a tremendous first lap. Dutchman Sebastiaan Verschuren chased like a fiend in the second 50m but he missed the train by 0.07 sec and had to settle for the silver. The French sprint gloire was saved by Clement Mignon who was also close but came third, a further 0.04sec adrift.

    In the women’s individual events, Denmark’s Rikke Moller Pedersen retained her title in the 200m breast with the only sub-2:22 effort in the field. Iceland’s Hrafnhildur Luthersdottir won her second medal here in London – after a silver in the 100m she earned the bronze – while Spain’s Jessica Vall Montero surprised even herself by finishing second.

    The other women’s title also travelled north as Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom won her trademark event, the 100m fly, with a huge 0.94sec gap while bettering the Championship record and nearing her WR by 0.25sec, an amazing swim at the current stage of the season. In fact she hit back now for the loss in Berlin where Jeanette Ottesen out-touched her by 0.01sec for the title – this time the Dane didn’t have a chance to stay with her arch-rival.

    Ilaria Bianchi got the bronze, and the Italians clinched their 5th medal of the day in the session-closing mixed free relay, a silver – here the Netherlands got the title with a really convincing performance. Ranomi Kromowidjojo’s 52.27sec anchor leg was a brilliant individual effort, adding a second relay gold to the Dutch tally.

    For detailed results please visit LEN’s renewed website: www.len.eu

    Direct link: http://len.eu/?p=4378

    Press release from LEN, photos courtesy of Deepbluemedia

  • Hungary’s best ever single-day performance: 7 medals, 4 golds

    Hungarian swimmers put together the nation’s best ever single day performance by amassing seven medals in less than two hours, winning four of the seven finals and runners-up by a finger-tip in two others. The Brits also enjoyed a fine day with five medals, including Ross Murdoch’s upsetting of the title-holder and world champion Marco Koch in the 200m breast.

    MURDOCH Ross GBR gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Men’s 200m breaststroke final Day 11 19-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Podium NIELSEN Mie Oe. EN gold medal, HOSSZU Katinka HUN silver medal, DAWSON Kathleen GBR bronze medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Women’s 100m backstroke final Day 11 19-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Podium CSEH Laszlo HUN gold medal, BROMER Viktor B. DEN silver medal, KENDERESI Tamas HUN bronze medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Men’s 200m butterfly final Day 11 19-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Team HUNGARY gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Women’s 4x200m freestyle final Day 11 19-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    4×200 Free Women (L to R) ESP Spain; HUN Hungary; NED Nederland 4×200 Freestyle Relay Women Podium London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming day 04 heats Day 11 19-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    50 Back Men (L to R) Bohus HUN; Lacourt FRA; Tarasevich RUS 50 Backstroke Men Podium London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming day 04 heats Day 11 19-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    200 Breast Men podium (L to R) Koch GER; Murdoch GBR; Pizzini ITA 200 Breaststroke men Podium London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming day 04 heats Day 11 19-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    200 I.M. Women (L to R) O’Connor GBR; Hosszu HUN; Miley GBR 200 Individual Medley women Podium London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming day 04 heats Day 11 19-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    800 Free Women (L to R) Carlin GBR; Kapas HUN; Oder SLO 800 freestyle women Podium London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming day 04 heats Day 11 19-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Boglarka KAPAS HUN Gold Medal 200m Breaststroke Women Final London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 11 19-05-2016 Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Camille LACOURT FRA Gold Medal 50m Backstroke Men Final London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 11 19-05-2016 Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    HOSSZU Katinka HUN Team HUNGARY gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Women’s 4x200m freestyle final Day 11 19-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

    Boglarka Kapas kicked off the golden run of the Hungarians by winning the 800m free with a convincing performance, went first at the 350m turn and built a 2sec lead in the remaining legs. Britain’s title-holder Jazmin Carlin chased her in vain this time, while Slovenia’s Tjasa Oder earned a surprising bronze.

    Katinka Hosszu smashed the Championship record in the 200m IM with a fine in-season time (2:07.30), way ahead of the field, with two Brits coming next, Siobhan-Marie O’Connor and Hannah Miley. Hosszu was back for more, arrived at the start of the 100m back from the IM event’s victory ceremony, and this time she couldn’t gear up enough to catch Mie Nielsen – in Berlin, on the same day, they shared the gold, this time the Dane was 0.21sec faster. Another Brit earned a medal, here, Kathleen Dawson, a well-deserved bronze.

    For the Hungarians, the 200m fly final was a sure bet with Laszlo Cseh enjoying perhaps the best phase of his career. His only rival was the virtual red line on the screen, showing the pace of the European record – which he set in the shiny-suit era eight years ago. Indeed Cseh raced against a 22-year-old youngster, wearing a super suit, swimming in peak form at the Beijing Olympics – and he almost beat this ‘youngster’, only 0.21 sec separated him to equal his old mark. He swam 0.57sec faster than his world title winning time in Kazan last summer, this time with three kilos extra around his belly, to be burnt for Rio and getting ready for something big. Title-holder Viktor Bromer of Denmark came second, though the other Hungarian, the 19-year-old Tamas Kenderesi almost caught him for the silver, only 0.04sec separated the two.

    And only 0.05sec were missing for Hungary’s Richard Bohus to upset the backstroke king, Camille Lacourt, in the 50m but that gold went to the French in one of the tightest dash finals in history when the gap between the winner and the last places one was only 0.26sec.

    Hungary made it four in the session-ending women’s 4x200m free relay, they were third at the halfway mark, then Boglarka Kapas, returning one and a half hour after the 800m free, pushed the team to the first place in the third leg and there was no way back for the others as Katinka Hosszu roared through the homecoming leg, delivering the gold to the Hungarians once more after 2010.

    The only final without a Magyar threat was the 200m breast final – Olympic champion Daniel Gyurta is focusing on Rio and skipped the meet… – where the hosts could cheer for a gold as Ross Murdoch upset the title-holder and world champion, German Marco Koch, in a brilliant duel. The strength of British breaststroke cannot be demonstrated better than the fact that the newly crowned European champion couldn’t make the Olympic team in the trials in this event…

    The big duel between the Hungarians and the Brits ended up with the ‘visitors’ triumph this evening: Hungary clinched 7 medals (4-3-1), the Brits had 5 (1-2-2), they stand 13-13 in overall, though regarding the titles the Magyars lead 6-3, something of a well-known result connected to these nations in football, but while the world famous game was over long ago (in 1953), here we have three more days for the medal hunters.

    For detailed results please visit our renewed website: www.len.eu

    Direct link: http://len.eu/?p=4378

    Press release from LEN, photos courtesy of Deepbluemedia

  • Paltrinieri smashes the European record

    The first European record fell on the third day of the swimming competitions as Gregorio Paltrinieri reached an amazing speed in the 1500m free. Greece clinched a surprise gold in the men’s 200m (the third ever title of the nation), while the Netherlands had mixed fortunes in the free events, winning the men’s 200m but settling for the minor spoils in the 100m. Lithuania’s Ruta Meilutyte did a unique double in the London pool, winning again four years after the Olympics in the same event, the 100m breast.

    Gabriele DETTI ITA Silver Medal Gregorio PALTRINIERI ITA Gold Medal Mykhaylo ROMANCHUK UKR Bronze Medal 1500m freestyle Final London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Day 10 18-05-2016 Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    MEILUTYTE Ruta LTU gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Women’s 100m breaststroke final Day 10 18-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    PALTRINIERI Gregorio ITA ITALY gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Men’s 1500m freestyle final Day 10 18-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Podium VERSCHUREN Sebastiaan NED Gold medal, STJEPANOVIC Velimir SRB silver medal, GUY James GBR bronze medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Men’s 200m freestyle final Day 10 18-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Podium SJOESTROEM Sarah SWE gold medal, KROMOWIDJOJO Ranomi NED silver medal, HEEMSKERK Femke NED bronze medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Men’s 1500m freestyle final Day 10 18-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    SJOESTROEM Sarah SWE gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Women’s 100m freestyle final Day 10 18-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    VAZAIOS Andreas GRE gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Men’s 200m medley final Day 10 18-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    VERSCHUREN Sebastiaan NED Gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Men’s 200m freestyle final Day 10 18-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    100 Breast women podium (L to R) Hrafnhildu Luthersdottir ISL; Ruta Meilutyte LTU; Chloe Tutton GBR 100 Breaststroke women final London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming day 03 finals Day 10 18-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    200 I.M. men podium (L to R) Nevo Gal ISR: Andreas VAZAIOS GRE; Alexis MANAKAS SANTOS POR 200 I.M. Infdividual Medley men podium London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming day 03 finals Day 10 18-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

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  • Usely Michel, a 13-year-old who couldn’t swim, got saved last month at a Deerfield Beach pool by Angel Rivera, an 11-year-old who could. A 14-year-old in Cooper City got revived by CPR Sunday after a house pool nearly claimed his life.

    That’s why, last Wednesday, the stands surrounding Overtown’s Gibson Park Pool held 50 kids ready for the first of free swim lessons until the end of July, courtesy of the Kiwanis Club of Biscayne Bay. Drowning season’s upon us again.

    “We’re here because there’s so much water to have fun in all over South Florida,” William Reich, former Biscayne Bay Kiwanis Club president, told the kids. “Unless you have the skills you need to get in the water and be safe, you’re not going to be able to take advantage of that. That’s why you’re here today. And you’re going to be here all this week, all this month and all summer.”

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