Swimming World Biweekly: Nic Fink, Veronica Burchill, Tech Suit Ban, Fighting Cancer

Description

In this issue of Swimming World Biweekly, you can read about why Nic Fink won’t stop swimming, swimming with illness, and stretching techniques to help reduce shoulder pain and much more.

010 PROS AND CONS OF POTENTIAL USA SWIMMING BAN ON AGE GROUP TECH SUITS
by Eamonn Keenan

USA Swimming’s House of Delegates will vote in September on a proposal that would ban the use of technical racing suits for athletes under the age of 13. Meanwhile, SW Biweekly explores the pros and cons of such a proposal.

012 DECODING SWIMMER JARGON
by Makena Markert

Swimmers have a language of their own. But whether you’re new to the sport and trying to get a hang of the lingo or a swim parent trying to learn the ropes, this guide can help you get a head start.

014 HOW A 17-YEAR-OLD SWIMMER FIGHTS CANCER
by Payton Titus

Teenage swimmer Payton Titus shares her journey through cancer diagnosis, treatment and remission—and what she learned from that experience.

016 KATHLEEN BAKER SHARES ABOUT SWIMMING WITH CROHN’S DISEASE
by Brie Harnden

Olympic gold and silver medalist Kathleen Baker suffers from Crohn’s disease: a debilitating, incurable, lifelong inflammation and scarring of the digestive tract. In this Q&A, Baker offers a much-needed success story for the Crohn’s community, and is a source of hope and inspiration to other swimmers struggling with chronic illness.

018 5 THORACIC SPINE STRETCHING TECHNIQUES TO REDUCE SHOULDER PAIN
by Mac Robertson

Dr. John Rusin, a physical therapist and leader in studying pain-free athletic performance, has completed research linking shoulder pain to the thoracic spine. Fortunately, there are several simple stretching techniques that can be done quickly throughout a day that will increase the flexibility and range of motion of your thoracic spine.

020 ESPN DOCUMENTARY ON ROWDY GAINES TO PREMIERE JUNE 3 IN GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT
by Andy Ross

ESPN’s Hannah Storm directed a documentary on Olympian Rowdy Gaines, which chronicles his life from his high school days in Florida to his college days in Auburn to his Olympic career and beyond.

021 KATIE LEDECKY’S ERA OF DOMINANCE
by Kevin Donnelly

In her first meet as a professional swimmer, Katie Ledecky set a world record in the 1500, ending the longest world record drought of her career at 642 days. It seems that Ledecky’s era of dominance has no end in sight. But just how dominant is she compared to the rest of the field? Here’s a look at the three distance events in which she holds the world record.

022 KATINKA HOSSZU ANNOUNCES SPLIT FROM COACH/HUSBAND SHANE TUSUP
by Taylor Brien

Four-time Hungarian Olympian Katinka Hosszu announced via Facebook that she and her coach/husband, Shane Tusup, will be splitting ways after attempting to work through personal and professional differences.

023 MISSY FRANKLIN TO RETURN TO COMPETITION
by Dan D’Addona

Olympic gold medalist Missy Franklin has not competed since the 2016 Rio Olympics. She missed all of 2017 after undergoing surgery on both shoulders. The Mare Nostrum Series in France, Spain and Monaco will be her first competition since moving from Cal to Georgia to train with Coach Jack Bauerle.

024 FLORIDA SPLITTING PROGRAMS WITH ANTHONY NESTY AND JEFF POPPELL AS NEW HEAD COACHES

The University of Florida announced replacements for long-time head swimming and diving coach Gregg Troy, promoting Associate Head Coach Anthony Nesty to lead the men’s program and Associate Head Coach Jeff Poppell to lead the women’s program.

026 ENGINEERING CAN WAIT: WHY NIC FINK WON’T STOP SWIMMING YET
by David Rieder

Nic Fink, who has swum for Coach Jack Bauerle the last seven years, has experienced both the failures and successes that often prompt retirement, but each time, he’s chosen to swim on. For now, he will keep staring at the black line for a little while longer…for exactly the right reasons.

028 VERONICA BURCHILL PUTTING TOGETHER THE PIECES FOR ELITE SPRINTING
by David Rieder

When Veronica Burchill was 14 and went to Omaha to watch the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials from the stands, her entire mindset changed, and that experience forever changed the course of her swimming career. With more learning experiences in the six years that followed, Burchill has matured as an athlete and has the pieces to take her career one step further.

031 USA SYNCHRO TEAM FINISHES FIFTH IN CANADA

032 HOW THEY TRAIN BETH BOTSFORD
by Michael J. Stott

034 WHY YOU SHOULD TRAIN YOUR OFF-STROKE
by Nick Pecoraro

Training other strokes can spice up your practices with a fresh set of challenges and create more ways to improve. Swimming is one of the most unique sports in the world, and utilizing your off-stroke can allow you to appreciate the true beauty and thrill of swimming.

037 RUSSIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE TO SIGN 4-YEAR ANTI-DOPING AGREEMENT WITH IOC
by Andy Ross

According to the Russian news agency, TASS, the Russian Olympic Committee intends to sign a four-year agreement with the International Olympic Committee on measures against violations of anti-doping regulations.

038 THE PURSUIT OF EMERSON SULLIVAN, TOP WATER POLO PROSPECT
by Michael Randazzo

Given the remarkable success of West coast polo programs, it takes a certain type of athlete to look East for college. And prize polo prospect Emerson Sullivan, who hails from California, is that special kind of athlete. This fall, Emerson—also a very fast swimmer—will be playing polo for Coach Ted Bresnahan at D-III Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, a top-tier academic school featuring both a strong engineering program and competitive water polo.

041 SPEEDO USA LAUNCHES LIMITED-EDITION PRIDE COLLECTION IN SUPPORT OF LGBTQ RIGHTS