Swimmer's Daily

  • He’s the most decorated Olympian of all time, but do you remember Michael Phelps before he became a swimming legend? We rewind 16 years to Sydney to look back on his first outing on the Olympic stage.

  • World Champion Swimmer Adam Peaty shares his journey to Rio 2010.

  • Swim London 2016 was set up as legacy project for the London 2016 European Aquatics Championships and offers those living in boroughs close to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park who are currently unable to swim, an exciting opportunity to take part in subsidised local swimming courses.

    https://youtu.be/nTL6lWAJbiE

  • As we get ready for Rio 2016, we look back at how the Youth Olympic Games prepared Chad Le Clos to become an Olympic champion at London 2012.

  • 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