The Week That Was: Beata Nelson Breaks American Record During Fast Weekend Of Swimming

Photo Courtesy: Dan D'Addona

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This week was highlighted by another big week of college invitationals, including one short course American record coming down. Swimmers in the states also had their first crack at their 2020 Olympic Trials cuts at Winter Nationals in Greensboro, making this a busy weekend across the U.S. Check out the biggest stories from those meets below from the week that was!

The Week That Was #5 – Ryan Lochte And Kayla Rae Lochte Announce Second Pregnancy

Photo Courtesy: JD Lasica

Four-time Olympian Ryan Lochte and wife Kayla Rae Lochte announced via their social media accounts that they are expecting a second child who is due in June of 2019. The Lochte’s had their first child, Caeden Zane Lochte, back in June of 2017. Lochte credits the birth of his son with rejuvenating his love for swimming. Lochte, who is 34, is planning on training for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, despite receiving a USADA suspension through July of 2019 for using an IV without an exemption. Lochte also was reportedly entered into alcohol rehab in early October. On his social media post announcing the couple’s pregnancy, Lochte wrote that he “can’t wait to bring (my) fam of four to #Tokyo2020.”

The Week That Was #4 – Peter Verhoef Announced As Next Head Coach At Bolles

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Photo Courtesy: Donna Nelson

Bolles President Tyler Hodges announced the hiring of Peter Verhoef as the next Head Swim Coach and Aquatics Director at The Bolles School this week. Verhoef will be taking over for Jon Sakovich, who announced back in September that he would be stepping down in December. Verhoef comes to Bolles from SwimMAC, where he has spent the last three years as a Senior Coach and High Performance Director. Prior to that, Verhoef was an assistant with the Team Elite program from 2010-16. Verhoef is a 2007 graduate of the University of Georgia, where he was a finalist at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Trials. Verhoef also owns a silver medal from the 2007 World University Games, where he was a team captain for Team USA.

The Week That Was #3 – Richard Foster’s Appeal Against Dagny Knutson Denied

Photo Courtesy: Peter Bick

Richard Foster’s final appeal against former swimmer Dagny Knutson has been denied, reinstating a verdict in Knutson’s favor that awarded her $617,810 in damages. Foster’s initial appeal denial was announced back in August, which reinstated the 2016 verdict awarding damages to Knutson. Foster is Knutson’s former attorney, and was responsible for advising Knutson to accept a financial settlement with USA Swimming following Mark Schubert’s exit as USA Swimming National Team Director. Knutson had made a deal with Schubert that would support her national team training at a newly established professional training center in Southern California just two months before Schubert ultimately left that position and the program was terminated. Knutson was then told that only part of her agreement would be honored by USA Swimming, with Foster ultimately encouraging her to accept the lesser deal without revealing his longtime relationships with Schubert, former USA Swimming Executive Director Chuck Wielgus, and other USA Swimming officials.

The Week That Was #2 – Ledecky Claims Three Wins At 2018 Winter Nationals

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

The 2018 U.S. Winter National Championships kicked off this week in Greensboro, North Carolina, with some of the best swimmers from around the country gathering for one of the first opportunities to qualify for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials. Katie Ledecky kicked off the meet with the first U.S. Trials cut in the 800 freestyle on night one, winning the event in an 8:14.40. Ledecky would go on to win the 400 and 200 freestyles as well. The meet also saw the return of Madisyn Cox after she was ineligible to compete this summer due to a doping suspension that was later overturned. Cox would go on to win the 200 IM in 2:10.76 and the 400 IM in 4:38.52. Dana Vollmer also continued her return to racing after giving birth to her second child last year. Vollmer’s highest finish was fourth in the 100 fly (59.38). You can see all recaps of coverage for the 2018 U.S. Winter Nationals here.

The Week That Was #1 – Beata Nelson Breaks American Record In 100 Back

Photo Courtesy: Dan D’Addona

Like the week heading into Thanksgiving, this week was filled with fast college invitationals across the United States. The highlight of the weekend had to be Wisconsin’s Beata Nelson cracking the American and U.S. Open records in the 100 backstroke at the 2018 Texas Invitational in Austin. The Wisconsin junior touched the wall in 49.67 to sneak under Ally Howe’s 2017 record of 49.69 from the Pac-12 Championships. Nelson was the second fastest all-time in the event with her 48.78 from Big Ten’s last season. There were plenty of other notable performance from this weekend, including a 1:30.86 in the 200 free from Andrew Seliskar and a 49.97 from Maggie MacNeil in the 100 butterfly. You can check out all the results from the many college invitational meets on our college news landing page, and also in our compilation of the best times from the weekend here.

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Thomas A. Small

5 years ago

Congratulations