Streamlined News

PHOENIX, Arizona, September 12. WE’RE back in the Phoenix studio after a few days in San Diego at the American Swimming Coaches Association’s clinic. Yes, we were there when the power went out Thursday afternoon, and fortunately none of the interviews we did at the clinic were lost. Some of those interviews are available right now on swimmingworld.tv, including an interview I did with Michael Phelps. We’ll have the rest online this week.

South Africa was the dominant team at the All Africa Games last week, winning 33 gold medals and 74 overall in swimming. The times we saw throughout the week were not as fast as expected, but the South African team shouldn’t be counted out at the Olympics next year. Karin Prinsloo was the top female swimmer of the meet, taking seven gold medals in the 50 back, 50 free, 100 free, 200 free and all three relays. Chad Le Clos had the most impressive meet on the men’s side. The 19-year-old won the 200 fly, 200 IM and 400 IM in Mozambique, earning best times of the year in the 200 IM and 2000 fly. He also swam to an impressive silver medal in the 100 fly. Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe was one of the few to break up the South African strangehold on the gold medal tally, with four gold medals in the 100 back, 200 back, 200 IM and 400 IM.

At the Commonwealth Youth Games on the Isle of Man this past weekend, several young swimmers got some international racing experience on their quest to represent their country at future Olympic Games. Corey Main might be someone we see racing in Rio de Janeiro at the 2016 Olympics. The New Zealander won all three backstroke events with times that almost put him in the top 25 in the world in the short course meters rankings. Ami Matsuo of Australia also won three events, taking the 50 free, 100 free and 200 free. Matsuo, just 14 years old, is being touted in Australia as a likely shot for a 400 free relay alternate position at next year’s Olympics.

You can read more about both meets on our world channel at swimmingworld.com.

Back here in the United States, another coach has been punished for alleged inappropriate communication with a swimmer. Ben Sheppard, who was working as a diversity specialist for USA Swimming and was head coach for the Oakland Undercurrent swim team, was reportedly sending messages of an inappropriate nature to young girls who are currently on his team or were former swimmers of his. USA Swimming has fired Sheppard from his position as diversity specialist, and he has been suspended as coach while the Undercurrents investigate the allegations.

David Nolan competed in his first dual meet as a member of the Stanford swim team, helping the Cardinal trounce Centenary College in Louisiana 111-77. Nolan swam on the 200 medley, 200 free and 400 free relays, splitting a respectable 45.5 on the 400 free relay. Stanford conducts a training trip in Louisiana every year and caps off the visit with a dual meet, which is part of NCAA rules. You can read about Stanford’s first meet of the year by going to our college channel at swimmingworld.com.

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