Streamlined News: May 1, 2012

PHOENIX, Arizona, May 1. THE swimming community is reeling this morning from the news that Alexander Dale Oen, the reigning world champion in the 100 breaststroke, died yesterday from apparent cardiac arrest while training in Flagstaff, Arizona. Dale Oen, just 26 years old, was found in the shower of his room last night and was unable to be resuscitated. Dale Oen's last communication to the world was via Twitter on Sunday, saying “2 days left of our camp up here in Flagstaff, then it's back to the most beautiful city in Norway.”

Many took to Twitter today to express their thoughts about Dale Oen's passing. Kosuke Kitajima, considered to have been Dale Oen's rival for gold in London, wrote: “In shock over the passing of a dear friend and great rival.”

Cameron van der Burgh, who had trained a few times with Dale Oen, said in tweet, “To my greatest rival. My greatest friend. My brother in breaststroke May you rest in peace. One love.”

Jessica Hardy called Dale Oen on Twitter “A man of example, whom the world will truly miss.”

Swimming World is believed to have done the last interview with Dale Oen, and we'll bring that to you later today on swimmingworld.com.

We learned of another death in the aquatics community this morning. Ervin Zador, who was a water polo player for Hungary during the infamous Blood in the Water final at the 1956 Olympics against the Soviet Union, died Saturday in California. That match was politically charged, as the Soviet Union had invaded Hungary just months earlier. After retiring from playing water polo, Zador moved to California and founded Ripon Aquatics in Linden California. Zador was 77 years old.

We'll end with some good news today. Gary Hall Sr. reported on Facebook yesterday that his son, Gary Hall Jr., was informed that he will be inducted into the US Olympic Committee's Hall of Fame later this year. Gary Jr. won Olympic gold in the 50 free at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, tying with Anthony Ervin in 2000.

And USC will be upgrading its famous Swim Stadium soon, thanks to an $8 million gift from Trojan alum Wilfred Uytengsu. The upgrades will include new locker rooms and dryland training areas for divers, as well as a new scoreboard with video capabilities and increased seating. The Swim Stadium, which was the site of the aquatics competitions at the 1984 Olympics, will be renamed in honor of former coach Peter Daland, who was Uytengsu's coach.

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