Swimmer's Daily

  • At the Spanish Open National Championships, Spain’s Mireia Belmonte García broke the national record in the women’s 400 freestyle, with a time of 4:05.77 breaking Melanie Costa Schmid’s 4:07.02 from the Shanghai World Championships last year. Read more here on SwimmingWorld Magazine.

  • 24-year-old Lauren Boyle, who has qualified for the Olympics in three individual events and the 4×200 freestyle relay, has been honored for an outstanding 2011, including finals in the 400 and 800 freestyle in Shanghai, a semifinal in the 200 freestyle, helping the 4×200 to qualify for the Olympics there, and winning five medals at the following World University Games in Shenzhen. Read sport.msn.co.nz and nzherald.co.nz

    (4-year-old video featuring Lauren Boyle)

  • You would never know by looking at him, but Jeffrey is legally blind. He was born with a rare genetic eye condition. He has no color vision whatsoever, meaning that his depth perception is off, and cannot see longer than 10 feet in front of him. But get him in the water, and he’s just like everyone else. Great story, read CBS Sacramento.

  • In her new memoir “In The Water They Can’t See You Cry,” seven-time Olympic medalist Amanda Beard reveals how she has battled with bulimia and self-mutilation during her astonishing rise to the top. Struggling to cope with her parents divorce and her shot to fame at the age of 14, she began to battle with personal torments, only relieved when in the pool. Trouble with a boyfriend made her start cutting herself when in college, and then there was alcohol and drug abuse. Her book hits stores April 3, read more for instance on NYDailyNews.com, MailOnline and Radar.

  • A photo taken after the second semifinal of the men’s 200 freestyle at the 2009 FINA World Aquatic Championships in Rome, Italy. Germany’s Paul Biedermann posted the quickest time, en route to his 1:42.00 world record in the final the day after.

    Biedermann on the big screen in Rome

  • Behind the scenes at the Canadian Olympic & Paralympic Trials presented by RBC.

  • I’ll make it real quick, in case you’re in a hurry: 1) Know your shark, 2) Keep your eyes open, 3) Fight back, 4) Carry a big stick, 5) Run away. “Sharks are bullies, and the only way to handle a bully is to stand up to it.” Read more here on Inforum.

    GREAT WHITE SHARK - GANSBAAI, SOUTH AFRICA 2003

    (Photo courtesy of bellamy.andrews. Now where’s my big stick …)

  • On the 5th day of Canadian Olympic Trials, six more swimmers were added to the Canada’s nomination list, bringing the overall total to 29, two more than for the Beijing Games in 2008. In the women’s 200 breaststroke, Tera Van Beilen clocked 2:24.03 to nab a second Olympic assignment, with Martha McGabe also qualifying in 2:24.81, both coached by breaststroke coaching guru Jozsef Nagy in Vancouver. Julia Wilkinson collected a third and fourth Olympic assignment by winning the 100 freestyle in 54.73, Victoria Poon (54.86), Heather MacLean (55.06) and Samantha Cheverton (55.24) also qualifying for the 4×100 freestyle relay. Savannah King qualified for a second event by winning the 800 freestyle in 8:30.79, Alex Komarnycky also qualifying in 8:33.32. Joe Bartoch added his name to the nomination list by winning the men’s 100 butterfly in 53.01, and Tobias Oriwol of Toronto by winning the 200 backstroke in 1:58.79.

    On a sad note, world record holder Annamay Pierse didn’t make the Olympic team, ending up 5th in the women’s 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:27.14. She contracted Dengue fever when competing at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, and never really recovered.

    “It’s been the hardest two-three years of my life,’’ said a tearful Pierse, a silver medallist at the 2009 worlds. ‘’I didn’t have enough time. I’m heartbroken I won’t be in London but I’ll be 100 percent behind them. They are my family.”

    See all results from day 5 here , and read more on swimming.ca

  • On the 4th day of Canadian Olympic Trials, six more swimmers were added to Canada’s Olympic nomination, and one notched a second assignment. Already pre-qualified Brent Hayden solidified his nomination by winning the men’s 100 freestyle in 48.53, with Richard Hortness (49.21), Colin Russell (49.68) and Thomas Gossland (49.98) qualifying for the 4×100 freestyle. Audrey Lacroix qualified in the women’s 200 butterfly with a time of 2:09.01, winning with a remarkable last 50, Julia Wilkinson for a second assignment in the women’s 200 IM with a time of 2:12.78, and Erica Morningstar also in the 200 IM with a time of 2:12.99. Read more here on swimming.ca.