Olympic gold medalist\u00a0Ryan Lochte\u00a0<\/strong>will serve as International Swim Ambassador for the SPIRE Swim Academy and all SPIRE camp \/ club training and recreation aquatic programs and events. He will be conducting clinics and engaging with student-athletes at SPIRE, the largest indoor sports complex in North America.<\/p>\n

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Photo Courtesy: @SPIRE_Institute Twitter<\/p><\/div>\n
Lochte will also serve as SPIRE’s<\/a> industry spokesperson and will work closely with the SPIRE team on a complete strategy for building & developing its long term athletic development approach to swim training for athletes of all ages and ability levels.<\/p>\n
SPIRE is under new leadership and ownership, after having been purchased in December 2019 by Axxella, LLC a Baltimore-based investment firm helmed by Blue Ocean President & CEO Jonathan Ehrenfeld.<\/p>\n
Thursday, February 13<\/em><\/h3>\nDavid McKeon and the Dolphins raise $17,500 in Bush Fire Relief Clinic<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Huge congrats to two-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist David McKeon <\/strong>for bringing the swimming community together to raise $17,500 from his Bush Fire Relief Clinic.<\/p>\n
And from one extreme of Australia\u2019s diverse weather to another this summer it teamed raining in the outdoor pool at the University of Wollongong \u2013 which certainly didn\u2019t dampen the enthusiasm of the kids and their heroes \u2013 a welcome relief all round after a \u201cBlack Summer\u201d that claimed so many lives and homes.<\/p>\n
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MCKEON MAGIC: Dual Olympian David McKeon led the charge at the Bush Fire Relief Clinic.Photo Courtesy: University of Wollongong Media<\/p><\/div>\n
David was joined by Olympian sister Emma McKeon <\/strong>and father Ron McKeon<\/strong>, the Swimming NSW Head Coach and himself a two-time Olympian who were caught in the middle of the raging bushfires that brought Australia to its knees.<\/p>\n
The McKeons along with their Commonwealth Games representative mum Suzie (Woodhouse)<\/strong> are synonymous in the Illawarra (Wollongong) area in NSW through the McKeon Swim Schools after decades associated in the swimming and surf lifesaving world.<\/p>\n
Emma and her mum and dad spent a harrowing and terrifying News Year\u2019s Eve on Conjola Beach, south of Wollongong, shoulder-to-shoulder alongside thousands of people with Suzie telling the ABC: \u201cIt was dreadful, it was hard to get your head around \u2013 90 homes (gone) within an hour at Lake Conjola.\u201d<\/p>\n
Swimming World<\/em> broke the story of the McKeon’s plight when the bush fires raged through the idyllic Lake Conjola on New Year’s Eve:<\/p>\n
McKeon family survive catastrophic bushfires and appeal to all Australians for help<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
Luckily the McKeon home was spared \u201cbut heartbreaking just the same to watch the devastation caused to so many.\u201d<\/p>\n
And when the call for help went out for the Clinic their team mates on the Dolphins team like Ian Thorpe, Cate and Bronte Campbell, Tom Fraser Holmes, Jason Cram, Jess Hansen, Jarrod Poort<\/strong> and Monique Murphy<\/strong> all arrived to help the cause and coach and meet the kids of the Illawarra and surrounds – a day they will remember for a long time.<\/p>\n
David McKeon was quick to put out a call to arms for the Clinic saying \u201cthis is my background \u2013 this is what I know and I started to get some athletes on board and I\u2019m pretty proud of the calibre of athlete that we were able to pull.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t even have to ask twice for all the athletes \u2013 they were all about it \u2013 which was great.\u201d<\/p>\n
Thorpe didn\u2019t hesitate saying: \u201cI enjoy spending time and showing kids how to swim, for the McKeons, a family I have known for 20 years now, it is good to be able to support this initiative for them but also the community as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gibson Celebrates “Fantastic Recognition” Of Sjostrom<\/h3>\nFormer world 50m breaststroke champion and Energy Standard coach James Gibson<\/strong> has celebrated Sarah Sjostrom\u00a0<\/strong>being named FINA’s female world swimmer of the year<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Sjostrom is guided by Gibson at Gloria Sports Arena in Antalya, Turkey, where she trains alongside the likes of Ben Proud, Chad le Clos, Florent Manaudou<\/strong> and Georgia Davies<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
In a post on social media, Gibson, who won 50m breaststroke gold at the 2003 World Championships in Barcelona,\u00a0 urged the Swede to “enjoy the journey” with Tokyo 2020 just five months hence.<\/p>\n
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A post shared by J\u1d00\u1d0d\u1d07s G\u026a\u0299s\u1d0f\u0274 MBE (@jamesgibson____)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n