Fourteen-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Michael Phelps is gearing up for the World Championships in Shanghai this summer, obviously an important meet and also a critical gauge of his form on the way to what would be his fourth Olympic Summer Games next year. He plans to race in four individual events and three relays in China. Read more here on sports.espn.go.com.
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Berlin swimming pool hosts underwater opera
“Aquaria Palaoa” is the brainchild of Claudia Herr, a champion swimmer in her youth before turning to singing. Playing the lead role, she dives into the Stadtbad Neukölln pool in her green evening dress, oxygen tanks strapped to her back, to sing underwater with the whale-like sounds she produces transmitted onto speakers situated around the swimming pool using special microphones. Other singers will join her, but the orchestra stays dry, seated around the pool, which I guess is just good for the Stradivariuses. See unterwasseroper.de via thelocal.de.
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This pool is an illusion
This is not a real pool, but an art installation created by the Argentine sculptor Leandro Erlich. He constructed a full-size pool, complete with all its trappings, including a deck and a ladder, where a large, continuous piece of acrylic suspending water on top creates the illusion of a real swimming pool full of water. See for instance ps1.org and kanazawa21.jp. Via webecoist.com.
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Sabir Muhammad writes children’s book, Born to Swim
World championship medalist Sabir Muhammad announces today the availability of his first book, Born to Swim, illustrated by Toni Scott Daniel. It is an autobiographical account of his fear-turned-fascination with water that led him to become a notable swimmer, which Muhammad hopes will educate parents about the importance and availability of swimming instructions, and inspire kids from all backgrounds to learn to swim. See press release here on prweb.com.
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Phelps tries the altitude tents too
Michael Phelps was recently beaten in his signature race 200 meter butterfly, when he at the 2011 Eric Namesnik Michigan Grand Prix swam 1:57.79, behind China’s Wu Peng in 1:56.62, Poland’s Marcin CieÅ›lak in 1:57.13 and USA’s Tyler Clary in 1:57.56. Maybe therefore he now tries sleeping in an altitude tent, to see if it gives the same positive effect as altitude camps. Via SwimNews.com, The Michigan Daily and The Detroit News.
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George Bovell uses spearfishing as cross-training
Right, following that Morning Swim Show interview, I had to go straight out and find that “spearfishing cross training” that they were talking about, and that George Bovell III even thinks gives him great adaptation, enjoying a weekend of diving 90 feet deep in strong current while breath-holding. Via georgebovellswimming.com.
spearfishing cross training from George Bovell on Vimeo.
I by the way found another video while searching, showing George Bovell III, Salim Iles, Duje Draganja and others spearfishing off Grenada.
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MSS interviews George Bovell
Olympic bronze medal winner George Bovell III has relocated his training base to his home of Trinidad and Tobago, working with his former coach, looking “to coach my own coach to coach me”. And then he spear-fishes as cross-training :-)
“At this stage in my career, after swimming 20 years, I think I’ve pretty much got it figured out and I understand the coaching and I’ve taken ownership of my swimming, but I need someone there to just give me one-on-one feedback”
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The Race Club interviews Lars Frölander
Gary Hall Sr speaking with Swedish legend Lars Frölander here, 5 time Olympian and 2000 Sydney Games Gold Medalist in the 100 meter butterfly. At 36 years old he is swimming as fast as ever and looking strong to be on his 6th Olympic team! How does he do it? Via theraceclub.net.
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Rebecca Soni feature on Trans World Sport
“Standing 1 meter 73 tall and weighing in at 64 kilos, Soni doesn’t have the imposing build that many modern-day swimmers possess. However, she more than makes up for that with an uncanny ability to focus when it matters.”