The Week That Was: ACC Champ Zach Yeadon to Transfer to Cal; Yan Zibei Hits 100 Breast Asian Record in Time Trial

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Photo Courtesy: @calmenswim

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The Week That Was sponsored by Suitmate.

ACC Champion Zach Yeadon officially joined the Cal Golden Bears for his senior year, as the distance swimmer originally from Notre Dame will provide a big boost to a Cal team that was seeded to finish second at the 2020 NCAAs before the meet was cancelled.

In international news, members of China’s national swim team participated in a meet in Shandong Province during what would have been the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Regardless of the coronavirus shutting down the Games until 2021, Yan Zibei broke his own Asian record in the 100 breaststroke.

Read below the five biggest stories in The Week That Was sponsored by Suitmate.

The Week That Was #5: Seán Kelly to Take Over as Spain’s National Performance Director

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Seán Kelly – Photo Courtesy: Seán Kelly

By Craig Lord, Swimming World Editor-in-Chief

Seán Kelly has been appointed National Performance Director to Spain. He takes up the new post on September 1 after 26 years coaching swimmers at the Stockport Metro program in Britain.

His charges have made every podium open to swimmers, while Kelly headed the place when it was an official Britain Performance Centre and led Great Britain to a stunning result of winning half the medals on offer at the inaugural Olympic Marathon at the Beijing 2008 Games.

Kelly stated: “It is a dream to work in Spain and this is an opportunity that comes at a perfect time for me. I led a very successful team in the UK and I would like to do the same here. Luis (Luis Villanueva, Sports Director) and Fernando (Fernando Carpena Pérez?,?????? President) have come up with a new and exciting structure, which is why I am excited about the future. I hope to bring a vision and a culture of success where everyone’s expectations are raised.”

#4: USA Swimming Ratifies Claire Curzan National Age Group Records

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Photo Courtesy: Connor Trimble

By Andy Ross

USA Swimming has officially ratified each of the three national age group records Claire Curzan set at her team’s intrasquad meet held earlier this month. Curzan, just 15, unofficially broke four national age group records in the SCY 50 free, 100 fly and 100 free, due to USA Swimming’s time restrictions during the month of July. However, Curzan’s swims will officially count as NAG records, as listed in its times database.

Regarding her records that weren’t official at the time, Claire Curzan said:

“I didn’t go into the meet expecting much except that I was excited to race. Getting NAG times is always an honor and so I was disappointed when some people referenced they may not count. I know that I just turned 16 so I will have more opportunities in the near future.”

The Week That Was #3: No Decision Yet on Sun Yang’s 8-Year Doping Ban Appeal

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Sun Yang and his legal team arrive for the hearing Photo Courtesy: Craig Lord

By Craig Lord, Swimming World Editor-in-Chief

The Swiss Federal Tribunal (SFT), the last court of appeal for Sun Yang after the Chinese swimmer received an eight-year ban from the World Anti-Doping Agency for ‘manipulation’ of an anti-doping test sample, has confirmed that there is no decision in the case as yet.

Sun’s initial appeal, made in April, was not the first in a long process that ended up in a hearing before three judges at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last November aheads of a ruling in favour of WADA in February. Last month, Sun’s lawyers lodged a second appeal that aims to have the eight-year ban reduced.

#2: Yan Zibei Hits 100 Breaststroke Asian Record at Time Trial

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Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant

By Craig Lord, Swimming World Editor-in-Chief

Yan Zibei scorched a 58.61 Asian record over 100m breaststroke in prelims on the first day of the Summer Test Competition organized for the Chinese swimming team over three days in Shandong Province.

According to screen shots of results being posted on social media by Chinese swim fans, the time is official but the nature ion the meet will determine whether the mark will stand as an Asian record. Time trials only count in certain circumstances, though it appears that the meet is official and full race conditions apply at the Shandong event.

Heats are being held in the evening, with morning finals the following day to mirror the Olympic Tokyo 202One Olympic program.

The Asian record had stood to Yan Zibei at 58.63 since he claimed bronze behind Britain’s Adam Peaty and James Wilby at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju last year.

Yan Zibei now holds the top 15 best times ever among Chinese swimmers over 100m breaststroke.

The Week That Was #1: ACC Champion Zach Yeadon to Transfer to Cal

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Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

By Andy Ross

The California men’s swimming & diving program added four newcomers, including a trio of transfers, to its roster this week, further strengthening the Golden Bears’ depth heading into the 2020-21 collegiate season.

Former Notre Dame swimmer Zach Yeadon, former Indiana swimmer Kai Bathurst, former Cal Poly diver Tyler Wesson and incoming freshman swimmer Tavis Siebert will make their new homes in Berkeley starting this fall. The four additions round out a group of 13 total newcomers on Cal’s 2020-21 roster. Cal previously announced its first nine newcomers in November.

Zach Yeadon, a native of San Antonio, Texas, was a seven-time CSCAA All-American and two-time ACC champion over three years with the Fighting Irish. The distance freestyler scored at both the 2018 and 2019 NCAA Championships and was poised for a strong performance in 2020 before the meet was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic; Yeadon was seeded third in the 500 free (4:10.39) and second in the 1650 free (14:27.93) after earning ACC titles in both events.

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Lyle Campbell
3 years ago

Sean Killion

Sean Killion
3 years ago
Reply to  Lyle Campbell

Lyle Campbell –
Saw this! This guy is a stud and will be a great addition to Dave’s squad.

Anonymous
Anonymous
3 years ago
Reply to  Sean Killion

sean……I remember you!!!!!……you were fast but I outouched you in ps 64!!!!!…….bob kravutske….rip andy coan…

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