Swimmer's Daily

  • The sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus, is most likely to be seen in British rivers at this time of year as the adults swim upstream to spawn.

    They are remarkable creatures but good looks are not one of their attributes. They resemble an eel and have a permanently open mouth with a great number of teeth. They also have some nasty parasitic habits.

    Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about them is that they have been around since well before the dinosaurs, and with 360-million-year-old fossils looking remarkably like modern lampreys, they are said to be the oldest vertebrates.

    Having thrived all that time they have suffered greatly in the UK from pollution and human interference with the flow of rivers, which has prevented them reaching their spawning grounds.

    However, the cleaning up of the rivers and provision of passes to allow them to get round weirs and other obstructions has allowed them to recolonize rivers that had not seen a lamprey for many years, including the Great Ouse, Trent, Derwent and Wear.

    Read The Guardian

    Photo by edans

  • A 23-year-old woman who was bitten by a small nurse shark Sunday in Boca Raton, Florida, and hospitalized with the shark still attached to her arm has been released.

    Crews arrived at Boca Raton Beach in Red Reef Park to find the 23-year-old female with a 2-foot nurse shark still attached to her right forearm, according to Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services.

    The shark had been killed prior to the Fire Department’s arrival at 1400 N. Ocean Boulevard, but it was still attached to her arm.

    See NBC News and NBC Miami

  • Twenty-year-old Ophelia Swayne, Ghana’s fastest swimmer, is trying to raise funds to achieve her dream of becoming Ghana’s first woman swimmer to make it to the Olympics.

    The freestyle and butterfly specialist needs to shave just a second off her time to qualify for this year’s Olympics in Rio, Brazil. She has however indicated that Ghana’s Olympic Committee is willing to foot the cost of her flight bill and the rest is up to her.

    The President of Ghana Swimmer Association, Theophilus Wilson Edzie, decried that funding allocated to the federation is inadequate. “ … the funding is not there for us…we are a small sports growing against bigger sports… the big sports get the bigger chunk of money,” he lamented.

    See GhanaWeb

  • Bob Bowman‘s book, “The Golden Rules,”came out Tuesday, and the decorated Olympic swimming coach discussed it with Matt Lauer on TODAY.

    See NBC Sports

  • The AquaSonic band would amaze you with their unique and somewhat weird way of performing music. This is because the members of the band can sing and play musical instruments underwater.

    See Science World Report

  • Italy, Hungary open strong, three medals apiece

    Italy and Hungary got a flying start on the opening day of the swimming competition at the European Aquatics Championships in the London Aquatics Centre by clinching three medals apiece. Gabriele Detti (ITA) and Katinka Hosszu (HUN) captured the individual golds on offer, and both nations got two more medals. In the free relays the Netherlands and France finished atop, both with quite convincing performances.

    DETTI Gabriele ITA gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Men’s 400m freestyle final Day 08 16-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    DETTI Gabriele ITA gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Men’s 400m freestyle final Day 08 16-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    HOSSZU Katinka HUN gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming Women’s 400m medley final Day 08 16-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    4×100 Relay M (L to R) Italy ITA; France FRA; Belgium BEL 4×100 freestyle Men relay Podium London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming day 01 finals Day 08 15-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    400 I.M. Women (L to R) MILEY Hannah GBR; HOSSZU Katinka HUN; JAKABOS Zsuszanna HUN 400 Individual Medley Women Podium London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming day 01 finals Day 08 15-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    France Relay FRA 4×100 freestyl Men relay London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming day 01 finals Day 08 15-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    NED Relay W (L to R) KROMOWIDJOJO, STEENBERGEN, HEEMSKERK, V.D. MEER NETHERLANDS 4×100 freestyle Women relay London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Swimming day 01 finals Day 08 15-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Scala/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

    Four years ago, in this pool, Katinka Hosszu aimed to clock a 4:30 time and finally earn an Olympic medal on the opening day in the 400m IM – but in the end she left empty-handed: the Hungarian finished 4th at the Olympics and heard the most dreadful sentence of her life from her then-coach in the team area when she asked, ‘what’s next?’. ‘Open a beauty salon in Budapest,’ was the answer and the Hungarian swimmer felt the utmost bitterness at that very moment. Soon she was set to quit but her boyfriend (now her husband and coach) Shane Tusup saved her – ultimately for swimming. If she had clinched the silver then – the times she clocked today in the heats (4:30.97) and in the final (4:30.90), both with ease, would have been more than enough to come second in 2012 – her journey might have been different.

    But the mental process required to bounce back made her tough, and today the Iron Lady showed something extraordinary: two Championship records in the 400m IM, her third straight title, plus two great swims in the 200m back, the second one in the semis, just 15 minutes after the 400m IM final. She is set to do something big on Tuesday when she will switch back to top gear for the backstroke as well.

    In the medley, the hosts also celebrated their first medal, courtesy of Hannah Miley, while the other Hungarian, Zsuzsanna Jakabos, came third.

    Italy’s Gabriele Detti managed to step forward, after clinching bronze medals in Berlin 2014 (800m, 1500m), silvers and bronzes at the short-course Europeans (came second in 2012 and third in 2015 in this event) now he finished atop at a big event, for the first time in his career. And he did it in style, with a seemingly effortless swim, setting a Championship record, gaining 2:48sec on the field. Causing a pleasant surprise even for himself, Norway’s Henrik Christiansen captured the silver, while Peter Bernek (HUN) out-touched Felix Auboeck (AUT) for the bronze by 0.07sec.

    In the relays the Dutch women team returned to the throne after eight long years. With a couple of 52sec legs in the mix – the only ones in the final – their win was never in danger. The battle for the silver favoured Italy, who hit the wall 0.16sec ahead of the Swedes.

    Among the men, the French quartet retained their title. This was a more exciting race but in the end their winning margin was 0.81sec. The fight for the minor spoils was tremendous, though. Three teams arrived at the wall in a span of 0.13sec, the Italians edged out the Belgians by 0.01 sec for the silver, though Pieter Timmers (BEL) swam like hell on the anchor leg. He had the biggest blast in the final, 47.37, which brought his team from fourth place to third (almost second), to the sadness of the Greeks who nearly caused an upset by reaching the podium.

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

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

  • The swim champ is either pulling our chain, or has started a pool cleaning business.

    Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe has launched what looks to be a premium pool cleaning business.

    The former Olympic champion announced the new business via his personal Twitter account on Friday afternoon.

    “After months of keeping it on the down low, I’m excited to launch my next venture,” the swimmer affectionately known as ‘Thorpie’ wrote.

    The website for Thorpedo Pool Cleaning currently features a countdown clock with two days remaining.

    It also features a bizarre, high-production short film, in which the swimmer channels cult film character Derek Zoolander amidst a dramatic storm.

    “How does one clean what they cannot hold?” asks Thorpie in dulcet tones, as he holds a pool net against a dark background.

    With all the pouting and satire, it’s difficult to know whether the sporting legend is pulling our leg, or whether he’s committing marketing genius.

    See The New Daily

    https://youtu.be/18RJ3G4G4Bk

  • One of the most famous sites in Austria – a lake with emerald-green, but clear, water that goes from a depth of three feet in winter to more than 40 in the summer and creates an underwater park – is having a …. how shall we put this …. a pee-pee problem.

    Locals are concerned that the Gruner See (or Green Lake) is turning colors from years of warmer weather – and from years of increasing visitors and a lack of bathrooms that has led tourists to relieving themselves in the lake.

    See Travel Pulse

  • Daley close to perfection, Cagnotto makes it 20

    Tom Daley’s outstanding performance highlighted the last day of diving action in the London Aquatics Centre. The Briton won the 10m platform with a 570-point overall score, which is higher than what was required here to clinch the Olympic title four years ago. Italy’s Tania Cagnotto added another historic chapter to her illustrious career by becoming the first athlete to reach the 20-gold barrier in the European Aquatics Championships. It was also their 8th win in the 3m synchro with Francesca Dallape. What a way to celebrate her 31st birthday.

    Tania CAGNOTTO Francesca DALLAPE ITA Gold Medal Women’s 3m Synchronized Springboard London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Diving Day 07 15-05-2016 Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    CAGNOTTO Tania ITA gold medal with her birthday cake London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Diving Women’s 3m synchronised springboard final Day 07 15-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    DALEY Tom GBR gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Diving Men’s 10m platform final Day 07 15-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    DALEY Tom GBR gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Diving Men’s 10m platform final Day 07 15-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    DALEY Tom GBR gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Diving Men’s 10m platform final Day 07 15-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    DALEY Tom GBR gold medal receives the LEN Award London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Diving Men’s 10m platform final Day 07 15-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    DALEY Tom GBR gold medal, MINIBAEV Viktor RUS silver medal, SHLEIKHER Nikita RUS bronze medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Diving Men’s 10m platform final Day 07 15-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    Team GBR Great Britain receives the LEN Award as winning team LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Diving Women’s 3m synchronised springboard final Day 07 15-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    CAGNOTTO Tania DALLAPE’ Francesca ITA gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Diving Women’s 3m synchronised springboard final Day 07 15-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
    CAGNOTTO Tania DALLAPE’ Francesca ITA gold medal London, Queen Elizabeth II Olympic Park Pool LEN 2016 European Aquatics Elite Championships Diving Women’s 3m synchronised springboard final Day 07 15-05-2016 Photo Giorgio Perottino/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto

    It was the Olympic year, 2008, and the European Aquatics Championships in Eindhoven. A 13-year old kid, Tom Daley, was placed 6th after three rounds but then, all of a sudden, jaws dropped. Two dives followed, and four 10s flashed on the scoreboard. After both dives. No one could believe their eyes but the tiny British boy was crowned European champion. A year later his feat was validated by the world title he added to his tally. Since then Tom Daley has been a trademark name in the diving world and a real sensation whenever a platform event is held.

    In fact, he had some ups and downs – however strange it may sound in the case of a diver – but in recent years he cemented his place among the best. He was third here in London at the Olympics and also in Kazan at the 2015 World Champs. Each time he was the highest ranked European. And today he delivered what the capacity crowd wanted to see while filling almost all seats even alongside the adjacent swimming pool.

    Daley had one bad attempt in the prelims, still he was first with a 36.90-point margin ahead of Russia’s Viktor Minibaev. In the final his performance neared perfection. Back in 2008 he had amassed 491.95 points. In Rome 2009 he won with 539.85. Four years ago in London he had 556.95, David Boudia, the US champion, got 568.65. Now Daley had 570.50.

    Among the 42 marks he got from the judges here, 8.0 was the lowest, he got two for his fourth dive. All the others were at least 8.5, but even more 9.0s, 9.5s and the perfect 10 three times. The opening, low DD dive was worth 83.20, not one of the remaining dives brought him fewer than 96 points.

    He had the answer to Minibaev’s challenge. The Russian also staged a strong start, just like Daley, he barely got marks weaker than 8.5, he got a 10 for his first attempt, led after two rounds but the gap opened up in the fourth when he produced a relatively weaker 77.40 pointer. In other meets it wouldn’t have meant the end of a duel but as Daley was close to perfection, this ended the Russians’ golden quest. This was Daley’s third European crown in the individual platform event – which has become a tradition in the Europeans held in Olympic years (2008, 2012, 2016). The bronze went to the other Russian competitor, Nikita Shleikher, who edged out Germany’s veteran Sascha Klein by 2.80 points.

    The closing event saw another milestone in European diving history as Tania Cagnotto clinched her 20th title in the continental event, as well as becoming champion for the 8th time in 3m synchro with Francesca Dallape – a stylish way to celebrate her 31st birthday. It was a clean job from the Italians. They opened up with a great dive, followed by a perfect one – a 10 came for synchronisation – and even a couple of good though not really excellent attempts were enough to secure the top spot.

    The local fans were delighted by the performance of Alicia Blagg and Rebecca Gallantree. The Brits did a fine job and as the Russians committed a slight mistake in the fourth they grabbed the chance and finished second, while Nadezhda Bazhina and Kristina Ilinykh had to settle for the bronze this time.

    The closing day’s performance was also a great kicker for the Brits in clinching the Championship Trophy ahead of the Russians and they also finished atop the medal table with 10 podium finishes (3-4-3).

    At the end of the ceremonies LEN President Paolo Barelli presented the 2015 LEN Trophy for the respective diving winners, Tania Cagnotto and Tom Daley, as a recognition for the achievements last season. Though based on their results here – Tania got 3 golds and silver, Tom 2 golds and a silver – they are already on their way to collecting these trophies for this year’s feats.

    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