Swimmer's Daily

  • The country’s top swimmers are competing at the SA championships in Durban this week in a bid to qualify for the world gala in Kazan in August.

    Cash-strapped Swimming SA (SSA) has imposed a tough two-tier qualifying system‚ with the faster time in each event guaranteeing a free ticket and the lesser time a partially funded trip.

    It is not yet known exactly how much swimmers will have to pay‚ but estimates range from R6000 to R10000.

    In 19 of the 28 men’s and women’s individual events‚ SSA’s lesser times are faster than the A-qualifying times stipulated by the world governing body‚ Fina.

    That is because SSA has opted to use the qualifying times for next year’s Olympics‚ where only nine times are the same as for this year’s world championships.

    “Olympic performances don’t start at the Olympic trials next year‚ they start now‚” said SSA chief executive Shaun Adriaanse. “The world championships are a dress rehearsal for the Olympic Games.”

    Read Times Live

  • When the European and Commonwealth 100m breaststroke champion Adam Peaty strides to the blocks at the British Championships on Tuesday at London Aquatics Centre he will do so with very different ambitions than those he held a year ago.

    Peaty’s sole aim then was simply to qualify for the team to swim at the Commonwealth Games, but the 20-year-old went on to win his first British title, kickstarting a series of performances in which he won six European and Commonwealth gold medals and set a world record in the 50m breaststroke.

    With this year’s national championships doubling as the trials for the worlds in Kazan, Russia, Peaty is aiming not only to qualify for the team but to lay down a marker for the summer.

    “Compared to last year I am a lot more confident obviously,” says Peaty, who competed at last year’s championships only four months after making his international debut. “I am still the same guy but my circumstances have changed. Going into this trials and without putting too much pressure on at the moment I am looking to make the team but also medal. I think that is the difference and hopefully it will be fast enough to prove it.”

    Read The Guardian

    Image courtesy of deepbluemedia.eu

  • Snyders, Lauren Boyle, and Matthew Stanley and expected to lead the charge over the next four days at the West Wave Aquatic Centre in Henderson.

    Snyders, chasing a third Olympics in Rio, has returned from his base in Los Angeles where he trains under famed American coach Dave Salo in a star-studded programme.

    The breaststroker, who turned 28 last week, attended his first world championships a decade ago. After a medal in the Pan Pacific Championships last year, Snyders is looking to again qualify in all three distances this week

    “I see the worlds as a stepping stone towards Rio,” Snyders said.

    “Obviously I want to do well at the world champs so all my focus for this year will be on that and making the final in the 50m and 100m breaststroke, which will set me up nicely for Rio next year.

    “I am confident in myself and preparation. Since taper has started I am feeling good in the water. I just need to be patient – that is the hardest part of tapering.”

    Read stuff.co.nz

  • Recently hit by injury and illness, swimmer Karin Prinsloo heads into the national championships in Durban today undercooked but determined to get the times she needs for the world championships.

    The gala at the Kings Park pool, from today until Saturday, also serves as the trials for the world championships in Kazan, Russia, in August.

    Prinsloo, SA’s top female swimmer, was first hit by a back spasm so painful that she was forced to go to hospital.

    Then she was struck by tonsillitis, a recurring problem since before the Commonwealth Games last year.

    “I’m having my tonsils removed next week,” said Prinsloo, 25.

    “Injuries I can’t prevent, but tonsillitis I can.”

    Read Times Live

    https://youtu.be/rltsnJhD5wA

  • The 24-year-old hit top form last year as she romped to Commonwealth, European and British titles in the 800m freestyle, as well as European and British gold and Commonwealth silver in the 400m – lowering her Welsh records over 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle over the course of the season as well.

    But there is no time for Carlin to rest on her laurels with the World Championships and Rio Olympic Games looming over the horizon, and first up is the British Swimming Championships at the London Aquatics Centre this week.

    And with the Championships doubling up as the trials for this summer’s World Championships in Russia, Carlin insists she is up for the challenge.

    “Last year was an incredible year for me and I was over the moon with how I swam then, but obviously it is now about moving that forward the next couple of years and building on that,” she said.

    “With my coach moving away last year I had to relocate programmes, so I’m still getting used to the change but I’m really looking forward to trials and hopefully it will be a good event in London.

    “It’s the Olympic pool, so it’s an incredible venue and just swimming there will be great. Hopefully there will be a good crowd in there as well.
    “The British Champs are always a great meet. When you’re racing the best in Britain you’ve got such great talent there.

    “The trials are all about trying to qualify for the World Championships, and the times that British Swimming have put out are really tough times this year.

    Read Eurosport

  • Some of the best swimmers in Australia give their number one tips to beat pre-race nerves ahead of the 2015 Georgina Hope Foundation Age National Championships in Sydney, Australia.

  • Swimming coach John Fowlie says five-time Olympic Games medallist Alicia Coutts missing this year’s world championships squad could be a “blessing” ahead of next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

    Fowlie added Coutts’ fellow Canberran Ben Treffers would use this year’s worlds to gain valuable experience and ensure he’s also part of the Rio squad.

    There’s been speculation Coutts would retire, given she missed out on the worlds and has recently struggled with injury, but Fowlie said she would be back training on Monday with Rio the goal. […]

    Coutts tore her labrum three months ago and Fowlie said it was a remarkable effort just to compete at the nationals, let alone post such a competitive time.

    He said missing out on the worlds meant she could now focus on next year’s Olympic selection trials and expected her to be in peak condition to push for a spot at Rio.

    “Looking at the bigger picture for Alicia, this allows her more time to keep progressing now and focus on a 12-month preparation to Olympic trials and a 16-month preparation until the Olympics,” Fowlie said.

    “In some ways it’s a bit of a blessing to give her some more time to get ready for the Olympics.

    Read Sydney Morning Herald

  • Two of swimming’s legendary figures are providing Lauren Boyle with inspiration as she eyes next year’s Olympics.

    Boyle’s chances of winning gold at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro appear a long-shot – despite being a world-class performer, the 27-year-old is contesting the distance freestyle events dominated by American superstar Katie Ledecky.

    The 18-year-old holds women’s freestyle world records at 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m and won gold in the 800m at the 2012 London Olympics when Boyle finished fourth.

    Ledecky has clearly held the upper hand over Boyle in recent years, but the Kiwi has nothing but admiration for her.

    “The way she’s performed – she won the Olympic gold medal when she was 15 – I think she’s done a lot for the sport of swimming; especially for females,” Boyle said.

    “She’s really pushed boundaries past what I think even a lot of coaches believed were . . . not maybe possible, but I don’t know if many people thought those kind of times were possible this soon.

    “I think it’s really exciting – it shows what the human body is capable of.

    Far from being dispirited by Ledecky’s dominance, Boyle counts herself fortunate to be a rival.

    “I’m honoured that I get to swim in her races, because she could well be the swimmer of our generation – the female [Michael] Phelps. She’s an amazing swimmer.””

    Read stuff.co.nz