SW Biweekly – Kylie Masse: Motivated For More

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008 FINA TO STAGE “EXTRAORDINARY” WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN BUDAPEST IN JUNE; FOUR GLOBAL MEETS IN FOUR YEARS 
by Liz Byrnes
FINA will stage an “extraordinary” World Championships in Budapest in June to make it four major global meets in as many years through 2025. It follows the postponement of the Fukuoka Worlds which were scheduled for May 2022 but which have now been pushed back to July 2023 because of the ongoing pandemic with the Doha edition switched to January 2024 to start the Olympic year.

010 FINA CONFIRMS FUKUOKA WORLDS RESCHEDULED FOR JULY 2023; DOHA EDITION SWITCHED TO JANUARY 2024
by Liz Byrnes
The 19th World Championships were initially scheduled for May 2022, but following consultation between FINA and the Fukuoka 2022 Organizing Committee, all parties agreed to delay the meet in order to “ensure a safe and successful event for everyone involved,” given the impact of the Omicron COVID variant. Consequently, the Fukuoka Worlds will be held in July 2023 and the Doha Worlds, originally scheduled for November 2023, were moved to January 2024.

011 ISL ANNOUNCES SEASON 4 SCHEDULE, KICKING OFF IN NORTH AMERICA
The ISL Season 4, 2022 schedule features a regular season consisting of 15 matches from June 3-Oct. 2, followed by a “wild card” match shortly thereafter. The regular season will see 10 ISL teams competing in North America and Europe. The Season 4 Final is planned for the last week of December at a location still to be confirmed.

012 USA SWIMMING RELEASES NEW TRANSGENDER ATHLETE POLICY; EVIDENCE OF MITIGATION REQUIRED
by Dan D’Addona
In response to the growing awareness regarding gender inclusion and equity, USA Swimming released its new Athlete Inclusion, Competitive Equity and Eligibility Policy. The organization has and will continue to champion gender equity and the inclusivity of all cisgender and transgender women and their rights to participate in sport, while also fervently supporting competitive equity at elite levels of competition.

014 HOW NEW USA SWIMMING RULES MAY APPLY TO LIA THOMAS AND THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
by David Rieder
After USA Swimming released its new transgender athlete participation policy, questions immediately turned to how this action would affect NCAA competition and, specifically, the upcoming Women’s NCAA Championships. Following the letter of the law around this new rule, a transgender athlete such as Penn’s Lia Thomas would almost surely be unable to compete at NCAAs, but there are several possible loopholes that may allow her to compete after all.

016 PENN TEAMMATES EXPRESS “FULL SUPPORT” FOR LIA THOMAS
by Matthew De George
Members of the University of Pennsylvania’s women’s swimming and diving team recently released a statement in support of transgender teammate Lia Thomas. Although it wasn’t specifically signed by any number of athletes, the statement appears to reflect a broad swath of the Quakers’ team. The statement counterbalances reported criticism from teammates or parents, all of it being voiced anonymously, objecting to Thomas’ participation.

018 UNLIKE NCAA AND ITS COWARDLY APPROACH, USA SWIMMING DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP WITH NEW TRANSGENDER POLICY
by John Lohn
In this commentary, USA Swimming deserves applause for its recent actions and how it has handled the current dilemma of transgender participation. The organization took a brave stance. It didn’t hide. It didn’t defer to another group, as the NCAA did earlier. It protected fairness for its female members.

020 A VICTIM OF DOPING, ALLISON WAGNER DESERVES GREATER RECOGNITION
by John Lohn
American Allison Wagner set a SCM world record in the 200 IM in 1993 that lasted nearly 15 years. However, through no fault of her own, she never won a gold medal at the Olympics or long course World Championships. At the 1994 Worlds in Rome and 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, the medley master collected three silver medals, each time finishing behind opponents suspected of doping.

022 SIPHIWE BALEKA: “I FELT BETRAYED BY MY SPORT AND FINA” AFTER OLYMPIC SNUB
by Matthew De George
Guinea-Bissau swimmer Siphiwe Baleka said he felt “betrayed” by FINA after his appeal to swim for his adopted country at the Tokyo Olympics last summer was denied. Baleka was bidding to become the oldest male Olympic swimmer in history at 50 years of age.

023 REPORTS: WINTER OLYMPICS APP HAS SERIOUS FLAWS; ATHLETE PERSONAL SECURITY AT RISK
by Dan D’Addona
The 2022 Beijing Olympics smartphone app—MY2022—that Olympic athletes will use to report health and travel data reportedly has some serious issues. The app’s intention is to track COVID-19 data and possible outbreaks prior to and during the Winter Games to keep athletes from bringing the virus into the general population.

024 MOTIVATED FOR MORE
by David Rieder
Canada’s Kylie Masse remains on her run of nearly unprecedented, sustained success in the 100 back after having also developed into an elite 200 backstroker. Her track record lends credence to the idea that Masse will remain a strong international medal contender for the years to come.

028 MADDIE MUSSELMAN SHINES AT UCSB WINTER INVITE
by Lauren Mattice
Twelve women’s water polo teams kicked off their water polo season at the 2022 UCSB Winter Invite in Santa Barbara, Calif., with none better than No. 3-ranked UCLA, which finished the tournament undefeated. Olympian Maddie Musselman led the Bruins with 14 goals on 20 shots (.700 percentage), five assists, 10 steals and 19 total points.

030 CATE CAMPBELL PLANS TO SIT OUT COMMONWEALTH GAMES
by David Rieder
As Australian sprinter Cate Campbell considers her future in the sport, the eight-time Olympic medalist decided she will not attend this summer’s Commonwealth Games.

031 CLAIRE CURZAN TAKES DOWN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL 100 BACK RECORD IN 50.47
by Chandler Brandes
Claire Curzan, a senior at Cardinal Gibbons High School, N.C., broke Phoebe Bacon’s national high school record in the 100 yard back at the North Carolina 4A East Regional Championships in February.

032 KATE DOUGLASS BECOMES SECOND-FASTEST WOMAN IN HISTORY IN 200 BREASTSTROKE AT CAVALIER INVITE
by David Rieder
Versatile Virginia swimmer Kate Douglass, who won the 50 free at last year’s NCAAs and placed second in the 100 fly and 100 free, turned in a midseason performance of 2:03.14 in the 200 yard breaststroke to become history’s second fastest performer in the event.

034 USA SWIMMING CANCELS TYR PRO SWIM SERIES DES MOINES
USA Swimming announced the cancellation of the 2022 TYR Pro Swim Series Des Moines, which was slated to take place March 2-5 at the MidAmerican Energy Aquatic Center at the Wellmark YMCA in Des Moines, Iowa.

035 HOW THEY TRAIN BAILEY HARTMAN
by Michael J. Stott