The Week That Was: Olympic Roster Decisions, a NAG Record, And King’s Swim Around Bermuda Highlight The Week

Photo Courtesy: R-Sport / MIA Rossiya Segodnya

Although there are less than two months until the start of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, several countries are still mired in controversy surrounding their official Olympic rosters. Read below to read about the athletes who are fighting toward Rio despite doping controversies and catch up on a couple of the most impressive swims from the week, one lasting just over a minute and the other just over 21 hours in this week’s edition of The Week That Was.

The Week That Was #5 – Medeiros Tests Positive For Banned Substance

Jul 17, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Etiene Medeiros of Brazil celebrates after winning the women's 100m backstroke final the 2015 Pan Am Games at Pan Am Aquatics UTS Centre and Field House. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports

Photo Courtesy: Erich Schlegel/USA Today Sports Images

One of Brazil’s best hopes for an Olympic medal at their home games tested positive for a banned substance this week. Etiene Medeiros was found to have traces of fenoterol, an asthma treatment drug, in her system at an out-of-competition in San Paulo. Medeiros broke on to the international scene when she captured the gold medal and world record in the 50 backstroke at the FINA Short Course World Championships. She also captured the silver medal in the 50 backstroke in Kazan, and was the first Brazilian woman to win a gold medal at the Pan Am Games last summer. The positive test information has been sent to the Brazilian Swimming Federation where the disciplinary action will be determined.

The Week That Was #4 – Lori King Swims Around Bermuda In 21 Hours

This week Lori King completed only the second solo swim around Bermuda in history in just over 21 hours. An open water marathon swimmer, King completed the 36.5 mile swim in 21:19.45, making her circumnavigation the fastest in history. Sean O’Connell was the first person to complete the swim in 1977, when he swam around the island in 43 hours and 27 minutes. A 50-person relay group also completed the swim 10 years ago to commemorate O’Connell’s swim. King braved waves of more than two feet in addition to 12-14 knot winds in the process of completing the swim. Commenting on her swim, King praised her team for their role in the process: “This was a team effort. This was not my swim…I cannot own it. This would not have happened without the role that each of my incredible crew played. I owe this feat and share this incredible milestone in my career with all of them.” King has been competing in open water swims since 2010.

The Week That Was #3 – South Korea Rejects Park Tae-Hwan Olympic Plea

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

This week the South Korean National Olympic Committee announced that the ban placed on Olympic Gold Medalist Park Tae-Hwan will stand, meaning he will not be added to the South Korean Olympic Roster for the 2016 Rio Olympics Games. Park had previously been suspended for 18-months following a positive test for a banned substance before the 2014 Asian Games. Although the three-time Olympian has completed the 18-month suspension, the Korean Olympic Committee has a rule prohibiting any athlete with a positive test from competing for three years following a doping ban. While it was announced that the gold medalist would not be competing in Rio back in April, Park still competed at the 2016 Korean Nationals and has been trying to overturn the ban from the KOC. Given the KOC’s firm stance on their ruling, Park will not be eligible to compete until March 2, 2019.

The Week That Was #2 – Michael Andrew Lowers Kevin Cordes NAG Record

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

In a tune up meet in Omaha just a week before U.S. Trials are set to begin, Michael Andrew downed the 17-18 NAG record that was previously owned by Kevin Cordes. Touching in 1:00.46 in prelims, Andrew slipped by the record by just one-hundredth of a second. Andrew then came back in finals to lower the record again to 1:00.37. His previous best time was a 1:00.68 from 2015 Summer Nationals. This event may be the young pro’s best chance at making the U.S. Olympic Team. While Kevin Cordes, Andrew Wilson, and Cody Miller are all major national players, the U.S. has been without a dominant player in the men’s 100 breaststroke for the last few years. Notably, this swim also brings Andrew’s total number of NAG records between short course and long course to 25.

The Week That Was #1 – Yuliya Efimova Added To Russia’s Olympic Roster

Photo Courtesy: R-Sport / MIA Rossiya Segodnya

Following a provisional suspension for a positive test for meldonium that restricted her from competing at the Russian Olympic qualifying meet, Yuliya Efimova has now been added to the Russian Olympic roster. Efimova’s positive test came at the same time as several other high profile Russian athletes, including tennis star Maria Sharapova. FINA lifted the ban on Efimova on May 20, although her case was not closed as she still had to face a Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing. According to the FINA release, she would not be eligible to compete in the 2016 Rio Games until after her hearing. Efimova has called for an investigation into the Salt Lake City lab that reported her positive test. Her positive melodium test was not her first offense, as she previously served a 16-month suspension for testing positive for 7-keto-DHEA. Efimova currently holds the top time in the world in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.70) from the Arena Pro Series stop back in March and was the gold medalist at the Kazan World Championships.

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