Swimmer's Daily

  • Read The Sydney Morning Herald

    Olympic gold medallist Grant Hackett has denied claims by his manager that he is entering rehab for an addiction to prescription sleeping drugs, saying instead that he had travelled to the US for a planned “retreat”.

    The Australian swimming great touched down in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening, and immediately denied reports that he was there to receive treatment for a dependency to Stilnox medication.

    “No, I’m not calling this rehab whatsovever,” the 33-year-old told reporters at the airport.

    http://youtu.be/RypXhRNAaVc

    Read also Herald Sun

    Days after Grant Hackett’s messy divorce case a fortnight ago his parents were so worried about his welfare they planned an intervention for his drug dependency.

    But the confrontation with their son came earlier than expected — triggered by Hackett’s bizarre behaviour at Crown Casino late on Friday.

    On Saturday afternoon family members and Hackett’s manager, met the Olympic champion in his hotel suite, convincing him to seek help at a rehab facility.

    Dad Neville Hackett said: “I believe Grant knew he had a problem. He raised the idea of seeing a doctor.”

    The media is all over the story

    http://youtu.be/i-H8Xn0t82U

    Grant Hackett having drug problems?

  • Between this and the cat rescue the other day, it has been a big week for Swedish pet lifeguards.

    See Nothing To Do With Arbroath

    Kenth Rehn, 38, was out for a stroll in Kneippen, Sweden, when he saw a mallard caught by a fishing hook. So he jumped into a lake and rescued the bird.

    It was cold, he says. But he never hesitated about jumping into the water when he saw that the duck needed help.

    Kenta – Saving Life

  • See for instance Perth New

    A giant four-metre surfing croc has closed Broome’s iconic Cable Beach for a day before moving on.

    While Perth beachgoers were enthralled with a 2000kg sub-adult southern elephant seal which had “hauled out’’ on a city beach, Broome locals and visitors were captivated by the 4m croc which took to Cable Beach’s gentle swell.

    The croc hung around for most of Saturday but had moved on by Sunday.

  • Read for instance Herald Sun

    Scott Miller has vowed to remain drug-free after he completes his stint in rehab and devote his “energies” to helping other addicts following the shock suicide of his ex-wife Charlotte Dawson.

    The former swimmer’s family have revealed the Olympic silver medallist was taken to Melbourne by rehabilitation workers on Saturday just hours after Dawson’s body was found in her apartment.

    His mother Jenny Miller said he was in a state of shock but determined to stay clean after completing six months rehab for a methamphetamine addiction and narrowly avoiding jail last month for drug possession.

    “I don’t think this will push him back into drugs,” Mrs Miller said yesterday.

  • Image courtesy of Montclair Film Festival, CC BY 2.0
    Image courtesy of Montclair Film Festival, CC BY 2.0
    Read The Washington Post

    Jimmy Fallon is getting ready to do the Polar Plunge, Chicago-style with Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

    The new host of “The Tonight Show” said Monday on Twitter that he would join Emanuel for the frigid swim on Sunday in Lake Michigan. His decision came after Emanuel said he would appear on “The Tonight Show” if Fallon joined him for the event benefiting Special Olympics.

  • See for instance London Evening Standard and Better

    For the first time since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games the public will be able to make a splash in the same swimming pools as some of Great Britain’s greatest athletes. The iconic London Aquatics Centre at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park opens its doors on Saturday 1 March 2014.

    Designed by internationally renowned architect, Zaha Hadid, the London Aquatics Centre is one of the most recognisable venues from the Games with its unique wave like roof. The venue houses two 50 metre swimming pools. The Games time competition pool will be available for lane and fitness swimming. A 50 metre training pool will be available for family sessions, fun sessions with inflatables and swimming lessons. There is also a 25 metre diving pool with boards and platforms up to 10 metres, a dry diving zone, a state-of-the-art 50 station gym and café.

    From 1 March the venue, which is operated by Charitable Social Enterprise, GLL, will play host to a variety of activities. Swimming sessions will cost as little as £3.50, the same as a swim in any other local pool, there will be swimming and diving lessons, and inclusive community sessions. The venue also has an innovative lift mechanism called a ‘Poolpod’ for people who require mobility assistance.

    (more…)

  • Read LifeNews

    Jessica Long grew up in Baltimore but that’s a long way from where she was born. The Paralympics swimmer was born in Russia and adopted by American parents and the Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia gave her an opportunity to meet her parents.

    Long was featured on NBC’s Olympic coverage in primetime Saturday. The 20-minute feature, “Long Way Home: The Jessica Long Story,” chronicled her rise to becoming a world class swimmer. The double amputee has won 2 Paralympic gold medals.

    An NBC film crew followed Long as she retraced her early life with a trip back to Russia and meeting her biological parents for the first time.

    http://youtu.be/QkqXQVIU2is

  • Read The Australian

    Olympic gold medallist Grant Hackett is seeking treatment in a US rehab centre for an addiction to the prescription drug Stilnox.

    The former swimming star left for the US yesterday, just days after he was found wearing a singlet around his waist in Melbourne’s Crown Casino while apparently searching for his four-year-old child.

    The 1500m freestyle champion, who said he was “deeply embarrassed” and ashamed about the incident, is now seeking help after a meeting with his family.

    It is understood Hackett, 33, flew to the Gold Coast to see his family, including his parents Margaret and Neville, his brother Craig and his wife Nicole, and manager Chris White, before the decision was made to seek professional help overseas.

    A spokesman for Hackett told the Herald Sun Hackett was “currently in transit to seek treatment for a dependency to Stilnox medication.

  • We went whale watching on the Baja this weekend, for an excursion as a part of the Live Different Academy program (www.livedifferent.com), and unfortunately, Chelsea got smacked in the head by a whale’s tail. Luckily, she was fine and we got it on video!

    Girl gets slapped in the face by a whale