Swimmer's Daily

  • Read Emirates 24/7

    The Buildings Department of Dubai Municipality has issued new circular for all consulting and contracting companies in the emirate of Dubai making the protection rails for balconies and swimming pools mandatory in new buildings. […]

    “Safety of the people is the first priority of the civic body. We don’t want to hear any more tragic stories in our city,” Marwan said.

    “Hence, all consulting and contracting companies should ensure the availability of handrails for balconies and swimming pools in all new buildings with immediate effect, in line with the specifications stipulated by the civic body,” he said.

    “Minimum height of the handrail should be 90 cm and should be installed in a way that kids cannot use it mistakenly. It should not allow kids to climb on or creep though it,” he explained.

    “It is recommended to put a protecting fence of minimum 90 cm height around the swimming pool with a lockable door and a warning system as kids touch the door or rail when they are not allowed to use it. It is also good to have an alarm whenever the pool is not attended by the rescue staff,” he added.

    Image courtesy of Jan, CC BY-SA 2.0

  • See kshb.com

    More than 1,100 swimmers took to the freezing waters of Longview Lake on Friday all for a good cause.

    It’s part of the “Polar Plunge,” a 21-hour fundraising event for the Special Olympics.

    “It’s one of those things, as soon as you hit the water, its pins and needles,” described swimmer Mike Day. “But there are 12 of us, and we know this is going to Special Olympics.”

  • jarin-timmermanSee CBC and WPTV

    A 104-year-old Winnipeg man swam his way into the record books, finishing two races and becoming the world’s oldest masters swimmer. Pan Am Pool was packed with family members, friends and swimming fans who cheered on Jaring Timmerman as he completed the 50-metre backstroke and 50-metre freestyle races at a masters swimming meet Friday night. Simply by finishing, Timmerman — who turns 105 in February — has established two world records and created a new competition category for swimmers aged 105 to 109. Until now, the oldest age group recognized in masters swimming has been 100 to 104 years old. “I’ll be the only one that will have a world record at 105 because no one else has it at this time,” he said in an interview before the meet.

  • john-wallaceRead The Gympie Times

    A Sunshine Coast veteran swim coach has poured cold water on suggestions to ban backyard pools.

    This week an Australian mummy blogger caused outrage when she suggested swimming pools in Australian homes should be banned because they presented an unacceptable risk to children.

    Jo Abi wrote in her iVillage column that if any other product contributed to as many deaths as pools, it would be banned and the subject of mass litigation.

    However, coach John Wallace, from the John Wallace Swim School at the Caloundra Aquatic Centre, said the suggestion was outrageous and banning pools would only increase drownings.

    “How many kids have been saved because they learnt to swim?” Mr Wallace said.

    “It’s all about learning to be responsible in the water and doing the right thing. That saves a lot of lives.”

  • gwangju2019Read Reuters

    Two South Korean government officials were handed suspended six-month prison sentences on Friday after they were found guilty of forging documents for southern city Gwangju’s successful bid to host the 2019 World Aquatics Championships.

    Last September, bidding committee director Kim Yoon-seok and a female official identified by the surname Han were indicted for forging the signatures of former prime minister Kim Hwang-sik and former culture minister Choe Kwang-sik in documents that guaranteed government aid for the event.

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  • Swimming between tectonic plates

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  • See ABC Action News

    Why wait until summer to swim?

    The St. Petersburg Master Swimmers made daily laps in a pool with water around 81-degrees; while the air temperature hovered around 47-degrees.

    The group of about 50 people jump into the pool around 5:30 each morning and swim until 7:00.

    “We’re crazy! We know it,” said one swimmer when he jumped out of the pool and scurried to the heated shower room.

  • endless-poolRead PR Web

    The Endless Pool Elite is the latest high tech addition to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, the flagship training center of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

    The facility’s aquatic center, used for instruction and development of Team USA’s world-class swimmers, triathletes and paralympians, now boasts the most advanced counter-current swimming machine available.

    “We are excited Team USA selected Endless Pools as a new vendor and see this as another validation of our product’s quality and hope it continues to improve the efficacy of our Nation’s athletes,” said Endless Pools founder and President, James Murdock.

  • susan-taylorRead The Hinckley Times

    A coroner has praised the selflessness of a charity fundraiser who collapsed and died as she neared the end of her attempt to swim the English Channel.

    Susan Taylor was trying to fulfil a childhood ambition, as well as raising funds for a children’s hospice, when she was taken ill a mile off the French coast last July.

    An inquest in Loughborough was told Mrs Taylor suffered an acute cardio-respiratory collapse despite being well-prepared for the cross-channel swim.

    And Coventry Telegraph

    Recording a verdict of misadventure, the senior coroner for North Leicestershire, Trevor Kirkman, ruled that prolonged open sea swimming had caused the accountant’s death.

    Paying a personal tribute to the vastly experienced swimmer, Mr Kirkman told her brother and parents: “I understand that Susan was undertaking this swim not simply for personal glory, if I can put it that way, but because of her love for other people, because of her desire to help other people.

    “I am told she was a kind and caring person. She was very involved in work for charities and she has probably achieved far more in her life than many of us will ever hope to achieve.

    “As a family you can be very proud of her. It’s tragic that her attempt, which was so very nearly successful, should end in this awful way.