The Week That Was: Recapping Fast Racing Around the World

With the FINA World Cup and various U.S. high school championships taking place in the past week, swimming fans had a lot of competitions to follow. Those meets are among the top five headlines we’re recapping on this edition of The Week That Was.

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The Week That Was #5: Greta Andersen receives ISHOF Lifetime Achievement Award

In the 1950s and 1960s, Greta Andersen was a trailblazer in the open water marathon swimming community, becoming the first person to complete a double crossing of the English Channel. She would further advance the sport by beating men in the 1960s in special races across the English Channel, and become one of the first women to complete various other marathon swims. For her efforts, she was honored with the International Swimming Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award last weekend. Andersen, now 88, still is involved in swimming with her Greta Swim School in southern California.

The Week That Was #4: High school state meets crown new team champions

Many states held their fall high school championships over the weekend. Florida, Missouri, Arizona, Alaska and Iowa were just a few states that saw new records set. Some dynasties continued, while others went down as some of the country’s best swimmers took to the pool. In Arizona, Ryan Hoffer put up a 19.95 in the 50 free, which will likely be one of the fastest times in the event among high school swimmers. At that meet, Brophy Prep won its 28th consecutive Division I title, while Notre Dame Prep and Salpointe Catholic won the Division II girls and boys team titles, respectively, with perennial winner Catalina Foothills moving to a new division. Missouri had a new boys team champion, as Rockhurst lost the team title for the first time in 11 years, crowning Rock Bridge as new champions. The Bolles School ran away with the 1A Florida team titles, continuing a dynasty that is not likely to end soon.

Visit our high school news channel for more recaps from fall high school championships.

The Week That Was #3: European All-Stars roster for Duel In the Pool announced

The United States will have a difficult time continuing their streak of wins at the Duel In the Pool, as the European All-Stars has a roster of 33 that includes five gold medalists from this summer’s world championships and even more that won a few silver and bronze medals. The roster includes IM world champion Katinka Hosszu, 200 free winner James Guy and 200 fly champion Laszlo Cseh. The Europeans fell short of winning the 2013 meet by one point, but on paper it looks like Europe will stop USA’s unbeaten streak.

The Week That Was #2: Katie Ledecy chases 500 freestyle American record

Katie Ledecky often doesn’t wait for a championship meet to make a run at a lifetime best, as was proven last weekend when she went after her American record in the 500-yard freestyle at the Delaware Swim Cup. Ledecky posted a 4:27.21, just seven tenths off her record. Ledecky is deferring her enrollment to Stanford University and staying at Nation’s Capital Swim Club to train for the Olympics, so this might have been her only short course yards meet before she puts a full focus on long course racing (beginning with the Arena Pro Swim Series) next weekend. Of course, that record will be put on notice when Ledecky races for Stanford beginning next fall.

The Week That Was #1: FINA World Cup concludes with fast swims, big paychecks

Once again, Katinka Hosszu has won the overall women’s FINA World Cup points standings, earning a $100,000 bonus. Cameron Van Der Burgh returned to the top of the men’s rankings after letting fellow South African Chad Le Clos win for a few years. The final meet in Dubai showed us some great performances as we approach nine months until the start of the Olympic Games. Among the standout swimmers was Australian Mitch Larkin, who got within two tenths of the world record in the 100 back with a 52.11, and swam the sixth-fastest 200 backstroke of all time with a 1:53.17 in Dubai. Alia Atkinson showed that she’s going to be a medal contender in the 100 breast with a lifetime best 1:05.93. And though it wasn’t a barrier-breaking swim, teenager Viktoria Gunes showed that she can swim with the best by winning the 200 breaststroke, about three months after she first broke 2:20 and won the world junior title.