The Swedish Swimming Federation today selected the Istanbul 2012 national squad, including Therese Alshammar, Jennie Johansson and that controversial Simon Sjödin, but not Sarah Sjöström. Sjöström has said earlier that she was unsure about her World Championships participation, and would use the Swedish short course championships this weekend to gauge her form, I guess that part is settled now.
At the LEN 2012 European Short Course Swimming Championships in Chartres today, Denmark’s Rikke Møller Pedersen won the women’s 100 meter breaststroke in 1:04.12, beating her own 1:04.21 European record from the Salnikov Cup in St. Petersburg 2009, and her 1:04.49 Championships record from the prelims this morning. Petra Chocova (CZE) was second in 1:05.50, and Marina Garcia Urzainqui (ESP) third in 1:05.82. See result list here
At the LEN 2012 European Short Course Championships in Chartres today, Great Britain’s Hannah Miley won the women’s 400 meter individual medley in 4:23.47, breaking Mireia Belmonte‘s 4:24.21 European record from the Dubai 2010 World Championships, and Belmonte’s 4:24.55 Championships record from the Europeans last year in Szczecin. It was Miley’s mid portion that did the damage, starting out relatively slow with a 1:02.05 in the butterfly, but then completing the backstroke leg in 1:07.27 and backing that up with a 1:14.31 in the breaststroke and 59.84 in the freestyle. Oh and yes, SwimNews calls it a world textile best. See result list here
Comparative splits
Wow, Allez Le Bleus! Via transeet.fr
Championnat d'Europe de Natation en direct de… by ffn_eveil_aquatique
French phenomenon Camille Muffat clocking 3:54.85 and a new women’s 400 meter freestyle world record at the LEN 2012 European Short Course Championships in Chartres, France.
According to new research on sports coverage in 80 newspapers from 22 countries, sport journalism is clearly a soccer-focused man’s world. More than 90% of the named journalists are male, and 85% of the articles written about individuals – typically athletes – about men. FIFA’s football (soccer) can be called the only “world media sport”, dominating especially in Europe and South America (Romania the extreme with more than 85% of the coverage about soccer), whilst media coverage of different sports is more equally distributed in countries like the US. (baseball there leading with some 22%).
Camille Muffat was definitely the headliner at the Chartres 2012 European Short Course Championships today, with her world record in the 400 freestyle, France moving away on the medal table with that and Jeremy Stravius’ win in the mens 100 backstroke, plus Laure Manaudou’s win in the women’s 50 backstroke, Italy and Russia also moving up the medal table with Morozov’s (RUS) win in the men’s 100 freestyle and Paltrinieri’s and Scozzoli’s (ITA) wins in the men’s 100 freestyle and 50 breaststroke. Tomorrow will be another good day, I guess France will be gunning for a world record in both the men’s and women’s 200 freestyle. See the full race report on SwimNews
Swimming Australia chief executive Kevin Neil has quit his post in the wake of the team’s poor showing at the London Olympics, which was tarred by reports of pranks and ill-discipline. Neil has denied he was a casualty of the swim team’s below-par Olympic campaign but he admitted the pressure of the role has had an impact on his health. Read for instance AFP and The Age
Michael Scott has resigned as British Swimming national performance director following a review into Team GB’s performance at the London 2012 Olympics. Great Britain fell two medals short of their target of five podium places, initially Australia-based Scott had stated he would not resign from his post, but, after the five-man review panel recommended he should reside in Great Britain, he has opted to stand aside, leaving on November 30. Read for instance ESPN Star
