The Week That Was: Gearing Up For Fall’s Big Meets

This edition of The Week That Was focuses mostly on headlines that deal with three of this fall’s big competitions in the United States and Europe. We also look deeper into some news about an American’s bid to make the Olympic team and an honor for two Australians.

The Week That was is supported by AgonSwim.com

The Week That Was #5: Leisel Jones, Priya Cooper inducted into Sport Australia Hall of Fame

Two more swimmers were inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, with Olympic champion Leisel Jones and Paralympic champion Priya Cooper added to the prestigious list of Australia’s best athletes in history. The two amassed an impressive collection of medals in their swimming career, and Jones’ accolades include the world record in the 100 breaststroke for a few years. Jones won the 100 breast at the 2008 Olympics, eight years after making her Olympic debut as a 15-year-old in Sydney. Cooper competed in three Paralympics for Australia, serving as team captain twice and earning a total of nine gold medals.

The Week That Was #4: Hungary reportedly against Israel hosting short course European championships

In less than two months, Israel will host the short course European championships in Netanya. An article by an Israeli TV station reported that Hungary was opposed to having the meet in Israel, citing safety concerns. Israel’s swimming federation officials fired back, accusing Hungary of trying to steal the meet away from them. The meet, to be held in December at the Wingate Institute, will be Israel’s first time hosting a major swim meet that is not the Maccabiah Games and is costing them about US $2.6 million.

Shortly after the Israel Channel 10 News report – and Swimming World’s subsequent reporting – the Hungarian swimming federation put out a statement saying they have full confidence that athletes will be safe in Israel for the meet and refuted any of the claims made in the Channel 10 article. The statement also mentioned that Hungary is “in full force” to host the 2017 world championships in Budapest.

The Week That Was #3: Arena Pro Swim Series adds Indianapolis to 2015-2016 schedule

USA Swimming is bringing Indianapolis back into the fold for the Arena Pro Swim Series, with the famed IUPUI Natatorium set to host the final leg of the series in June, three weeks before Olympic Trials. The meet will be held the same weekend as the one in Santa Clara that has typically closed out the series, giving East Coast swimmers a chance to participate in the Pro Swim Series without having to pay a high airfare to California. The remaining meets in the series remain the same as before, with the Orlando stop scheduled for March instead of February.

The Week That Was #2: USA Swimming releases Duel in the Pool roster

The Duel in the Pool between the United States and the European All-Stars will be a very exciting event, given the list of American swimmers set to participate in the December meet. Among the headliners will be Ryan Lochte, Missy Franklin, Natalie Coughlin and Nathan Adrian, just to name a few of the 36 on the team. Some will be experiencing their first senior-level competition, while it will be a step toward the Olympics for many others. The meet will be held in short course meters, and the U.S. will be looking to extend its winning streak to seven meets, including the three won over Australia. The European roster is expected to be released this week, and we’ll see how Europe will stack up against what is easily one of the best Duel in the Pool squads the United States has put together in a long time.

The Week That Was #1: Simone Manuel taking redshirt year from Stanford swimming

Simone Manuel is putting a full focus on training for the Olympic Trials, announcing that she will not compete for Stanford University this season. The move comes almost as no surprise, as Manuel is the top sprint freestyler for the United States, but that doesn’t mean making the Olympic team will come easy. Manuel is one of several college swimmers taking the Olympic redshirt option, though most of them are men. The other two top females who are skipping this college season are deferring enrollment: Katie Ledecky and Abbey Weitzeil.

The news is bittersweet for the Stanford women’s team, which will lose its top scorer this season. But Manuel is still training with the team and going to classes. The good news is that she will return to racing next fall with another Olympian: Ledecky. The combination of those two will give Greg Meehan’s squad the best chance at an NCAA team title. For now, look for Manuel to get in plenty of training through the Arena Pro Swim Series. She’ll also be participating in the Duel in the Pool in December.