After a break from racing last week collegiate athletes and national teamers were back at it this week, with lots of racing across the country and internationally. Read below to see the top performances from this week and check in all on the action domestically and across the world.
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The Week That Was #5 – Olympic Waters Around Rio Remain Contaminated
This week the Associated Press released the results of another study on the Olympic waters surrounding Rio that confirms that pollution has seen no improvement and that it is even more widespread than previously thought. The AP originally reported on this issue back in July, and Swimming World has been monitoring the situation in Rio before that. With the Olympics less than a year away, this news has to be disheartening for any open water athlete, including swimmers and sailors. The most recent report suggests that anyone having contact with the water would have a 99% chance of contracting one of the viruses present in the waters. Swimming World will continue to update the story surrounding the Rio water pollution as it develops.
The Week That Was #4 – Reece Whitley Named SI Sportskid of the Year
Photo Courtesy: Sports Illustrated
This week Reece Whitley, one of the most dominant young breaststrokers in recent memory, has been named Sports Illustrated’s Sportskid of the Year for 2015. Whitley has already broken a slew of national age group records, including his most recent 15-16 mark of 2:11.30 in the 200 breaststroke this summer at 2015 Nationals. Internationally, Whitley most recently took two silver medals at the 2015 World Junior Championships. The award was announced this week on Good Morning America, with Whitley in attendance and a special Twitter shout-out from the First Lady of the United States. You can view Whitley’s award online here.
The Week That Was #3 – European Short Course Championships
Photo Courtesy: Gian Mattia Dalberto/Lapresse
While there was plenty of racing going on stateside this week, the best of the best overseas battled it out at the 2015 European Short Course Championships in Netanya, Israel. The meet saw several Meet, European, and World records fall throughout the five day meet. In an event that saw more participants in it’s 18th edition than ever before, Italy won the team throphy through superior team depth.
Laszlo Cseh won three events throughout the competition, including a 1:49.00 on the final day of the meet to set the Championship and European records in the 200 butterfly. In typical Iron Woman fashion, Katinka Hosszu walked away from the meet with seven medals, six of them gold, and two world records in the 100 IM and 400 IM while barely missing a third in the 200 backstroke. But perhaps the biggest swim of the event came from Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri, who blasted Grant Hackett’s 14-year-old world record of 14:10.10 in the 1,500 meter freestyle after posting a 14:08.06 time in the final. That was the oldest world record on the books from 2001. All in all there were over 25 multiple medal winners through the five day event. Check out all stories from the meet at our Event Landing Page.
The Week That Was #2 – Winter Nationals in Federal Way
Photo Courtesy: Melissa Lundie
This week many members of the US National team joined swimmers from across the country at the 2015 US Winter Nationals in Federal Way, WA. There was no shortage of big names this weekend, including Olympians Natalie Coughlin, Matt Grevers, Elizabeth Beisel, Nathan Adrian, and many more as they continued on the road to Olympic Trials. Notable performances included the GOAT and newly expecting father (LINK) Michael Phelps racing to a triple with wins in the 100 fly and 200 IM as well as the 200 butterfly.
Not to be outdone, Phelps’ teammate Allison Schmitt continued her return to form with wins in the 200 and 400 freestyle (LINK), while Dana Vollmer posted a 57.9 100 butterfly as she continues her comeback after the birth of her son. Missy Franklin also had a busy weekend, posting a win in both backstrokes along with a runner-up finish in the 200 freestyle. Lilli King, a freshman at Indiana University, also posted an impressive win the in the 200 breaststroke that wiped out Amanda Beard’s 17-18 NAG record, the oldest 17-18 record on the books.
See all the stories from this weekend, including interviews and race video, on our meet landing page.
The Week That Was #1 – Records Rattled and Shattered Down in Austin
Photo Courtesy: Taylor Brien
While there was plenty of fast swimming going on in Washington, the University of Texas held the annual Hall of Fame Invite in Austin where some of the best swimmers in the NCAA came together to throw down some fast fall times. Swimmers from Arizona, USC, Wisconsin, and the University of Texas came together for some fast races, including Joseph Schooling notching the top times in the 100 and 200 butterfly, touching in 44.98 and 1:40.48 respectively.
But the highlight of the entire meet had to be University of Texas junior Clark Smith, who posted some incredible performances throughout the weekend. After scaring the American record in the 500 freestyle on the first night after posting a monstrous 4:08.82, Smith backed it up by breaking the NCAA and American record in the 1,000 freestyle while going out in the 1,650. Hitting the wall at 8:33.93, Smith surpassed the 2008 American record of 8:36.49 set by Erik Vendt and also crushed fellow Texan Michael McBroom’s NCAA record of 8:43.48 from 2013. See our Event Landing Page for more information on the meet.
In article #3 you misspelled ISRAEL w Isreal.
The mistake has been fixed. Thanks for alerting us!