Swimmer's Daily

  • FINA expresses its deep concern after the publication of WADA’s Independent Commission report and its impact in worldwide sport in general.

    As a pillar of the Olympic movement, FINA, as world governing body for Aquatics, undertakes a strong and robust policy in order to optimise the efficacy of our anti-doping strategies; to preserve the validity and integrity of FINA competitions; and to protect the clean athletes in the five continents.

    Concerning Russia, the nation that is mentioned in this report, it has organised, for the first time, from July 24-August 9, the 2015 edition of the FINA World Championships. During this event, 645 samples were collected for analysis by the FINA Doping Control Review Board, led by Prof. Andrew Pipe, as part of the in-competition testing programme. These comprised 457 urine and 188 blood tests. There were a further 418 blood screenings as part of the Athlete Biological Passport programme. These tests were analysed in the WADA-accredited laboratory in Moscow, under the supervision of independent observers from the WADA-accredited laboratories in Barcelona (ESP) and London (GBR). Every single sample collected during the Kazan 2015 FINA World Championships will be transferred and stored in the WADA-accredited laboratory in Barcelona (ESP).

    Moreover, all of FINA’s unannounced out-of-competition doping control programme in Russia is conducted by IDTM, an independent Swedish company. In the 2014 season the majority of out-of-competition doping control tests had been analysed by the WADA-accredited laboratory in Moscow, which had been judged fully compliant with the WADA code at the time. However, following the announcement of the official investigation, FINA made the decision to move the overwhelming majority of the analysis of Russian athletes’ samples out of Russia. In 2015, over 80% of the samples collected in Russia were analysed in the WADA-accredited laboratories in Barcelona (ESP) and Köln (GER). The samples of Russian athletes living or training outside Europe were analysed in the WADA-accredited laboratories in Montreal (CAN) and Salt Lake City (USA).

    FINA President Dr. Julio C. Maglione said: “Of course this is a difficult time for sport, and as sports people we at FINA are shocked and saddened by WADA’s Independent Commission report. FINA upholds a strong and unequivocal stance on the practice of doping as we aim to eradicate doping from Aquatics. FINA is committed to do everything necessary to become the world’s cleanest sport.”

    Read FINA

    Photo by Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious

  • Chad Le Clos has dominated the butterfly events since the London 2012 Olympic Games, but South African swimming legend Ryk Neethling believes the country’s golden boy can become a force in the 100m freestyle, too.

    The 23-year-old has dabbled with the 200m freestyle on a few occasions but demonstrated he has the speed to drop down and compete in the 100m freestyle.

    At the first leg of the Fina Swimming World Cup in France, Le Clos unleashed a new personal best time in the 100m freestyle, clocking 48.16 seconds which was also the sixth fastest time this year.

    Neethling, a member of the “awesome foursome” that won the gold medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the 2004 Athens Games in world-record time, said Le Cos could dominate the blue-riband event in years to come.

    “We will always remember Chad for that one race but I think his best is still to come in the 100m freestyle – but maybe not in the next year,” Neethling said.

    “From 2016 onwards we will see him develop into one of the best swimmers in the 100m freestyle and butterfly.”

    Read IOL Sport

  • He’s almost 50, he’s got asthma, he’s about 235 pounds, and he’s also a world-class athlete. Meet ‘Kraken’, the sea monster – a Finnish freediver who only realised he had the makings of a national champion in his late 30s.

    See Huck

  • Navy combat veteran Chris Ring says some people are calling him crazy for attempting to become the first American to swim the length of the Mississippi River. But the 28-year-old Navy SEAL who served in Iraq and Afghanistan says the endeavor is worthwhile if it helps keep alive the memories of the country’s fallen service members and the sacrifices of their families. He began the journey, which Legacies Alive said will cover 2,552 miles, at Lake Itasca in Minnesota on June 6. Averaging 6.5 hours in the water and 14 miles a day, Ring aims to reach the 0-mile marker where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico in early December.

    https://youtu.be/6d7M9e1uftI

    https://youtu.be/bz_J_bmHPL4

  • Evening Edition Host Peggy Pico speaks with Diana Nyad, author of “Find A Way,” about her story of perseverance, swimming from Cuba to Florida at the age of 64.

  • His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam attended the 4th Brunei Open Swimming Championship at the Aquatic Centre, Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium, Breaks.

    Also in attendance were His Royal Highness Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Her Royal Highness Paduka Seri Pengiran Anak Isteri Pengiran Anak Sarah.

    HRH Prince ‘Abdul Wakeel and YTM Pengiran Muda ‘Abdul Muntaqim took part in the heats of the three day national competition.

    https://youtu.be/3FoApXMRnEc

  • Sky Digital Media. A profile of Olympic swimmer Siobhan Marie O’Conner. Sony F5.

    https://vimeo.com/145132964

  • Swim Across America Nantucket raised over $310,000 this year. Here’s a glimpse into that incredible day.

    https://vimeo.com/144986793

  • A video from the biggest open water swimming event in the world in Midmar, near Durban South Africa. The clip show the leading men in the elite race being lead by 6 time champion (and reigning 5k world champion), Chad Ho. It shows the elegance of world class swimmers, making amazing speed look so easy.