Swimmer's Daily

  • “Can you swim as fast in 12,000 gallons of syrup as you can in water? Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage swim for science.”

    See also The Physics of Swimming in Syrup

  • See azcentral.com

    An independent review has recommended 39 changes to USA Swimming’s anti-abuse program in the wake of a series of sex-abuse incidents involving coaches and the swimmers they oversee.

    USA Swimming issued a statement in response to the review:

    “We find the independent report by Victor Vieth, executive director of the Gundersen National Child Protection Training Center, to be fair and balanced and we are motivated by its content. USA Swimming asked for our Safe Sport program to be reviewed so we could know the areas in which we’re exceling and what areas we can improve. We see this report as a way to help us make our Safe Sport program more effective in helping to end abuse in our sport.

    “We’ve appointed a task force to review the report’s findings and recommendations, and they will then determine an immediate plan for implementation within USA Swimming.”

    (Video autoplays, therefore pushed below the break)

    (more…)

  • See king5.com

    The Winter Olympics in Sochi begin in just over a week and KING 5 has teamed up with NBC once more to bring you 18 days of coverage, as well as spotlighting Northwest athletes going for gold!

    This year, the KING 5 Olympic team is welcoming a new addition – Olympic swimmer and world record holder, Ariana Kukors! We’ve gotten to know Ariana here on New Day as Director of Health Inspiration at LifeWise Health Plan of Washington.

  • Athletics, Brad RudnerRead mgoblue.com

    University of Michigan head swimming coach Mike Bottom announced Wednesday (Jan. 29) an unprecedented plan to bring the world’s swimming community closer to U-M’s men’s and women’s teams during Saturday’s (Feb. 1) meet at Ohio State through live “Aquatics Analysis” from the coaches on the program’s Twitter account, @umichswimdive. […]

    “Here at Michigan, we want to try new things and we feel this is a unique and different way to let the swimming community become a part of our team,” Bottom said. “We want the fans that interact with us to feel like they are on deck with us during what is promised to be a very fast, ultra-competitive meet.”


  • As the video description says, “Free Willy Vs Free Willy”

    Will Gerard was visiting family in Pelorus Sound for Christmas and decided to take a swim while out on a fishing trip.

    While swimming he spotted what he thought were signs of dolphins and had his family pass him his waterproof camera.

    “I’ve always loved filming dolphins following our boat when we’re out fishing, but have always wanted to swim with them. When I saw the dorsal fins and realised it was an orca I was so excited I didn’t have time to be afraid and get out the water,” he said.

    “I know you are not supposed to swim with them, but it just happened so quickly and I knew this would be a once-in-a-lifetime chance for me,” Gerard said.

    The orcas didn’t seem bothered by his presence so he swam slowly after them and another large orca approached him.

    “I didn’t expect that, there was a calf with the pod and I think the big male came to make sure they were safe.”

    Read stuff.co.nz

    Image courtesy of Thomas Hubauer, CC BY 2.0

  • See fox4kc.com

    The University of Missouri is launching an independent investigation into allegations that several football players raped an MU swimmer.

    That swimmer, 20-year-old swimmer Sasha Menu Courey, killed herself three years ago, but a recent report airing on ESPN initiated new calls into investigation.

    See also original story on ESPN

    The University of Missouri did not investigate or tell law enforcement officials about an alleged rape, possibly by one or more members of its football team, despite administrators finding out about the alleged 2010 incident more than a year ago, an “Outside the Lines” investigation has found. The alleged victim, a member of the swim team, committed suicide in 2011.

  • A Vimeo Staff Pick – “William Trubridge dives deep on a breathtaking journey into the big blue sea while by land breathing the zen of freediving. More on theavantgardediaries.com”

    William Trubridge – Freediver from The Avant/Garde Diaries on Vimeo.

  • UPDATE! Ian Thorpe’s management now denies this story

    Read The Herald Sun

    Ian Thorpe – Australia’s greatest Olympian – has been admitted to a Sydney hospital to fight his decade-long battle with depression and alcohol abuse.

    http://youtu.be/O2T8fI-M3Rw

    Family members have revealed Thorpe was injured in a fall earlier this week before they sought medical help, and he was admitted to hospital on Wednesday night. The 31-year-old remains under the care of specialists, facing a long, lonely battle to find a settled life after swimming and his failed comeback attempt for the London Olympics.

    Read more here on the Herald Sun

    Ian Thorpe, photo courtesy of mtlin, cc by-nc-nd

    http://youtu.be/cYqYDWKaAps

    http://youtu.be/TwD6ZqD_SCw

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M5uXhLzCPM

  • See PBS Newshour

    Filipino divers disappear into water as opaque as chocolate milk as they blindly dig in search of gold trapped in muddy sediment. It’s risky business: As miners go deeper, underwater tunnels could collapse or the compressor that provides air may fail. Hari Sreenivasan reports on a dangerous venture undertaken by adults and kids.