Thursday's Swim Report - Showing Beauty and Strength Through Swimming

Lane 1 - The Gainsville Sun posts "Olympic swimmer in town to share message about

swimming safety. Olympic gold medalist Cullen Jones has a compelling life-and-death story to tell that should resonate with all parents, among all races.  It's quite a story, and Jones is in Gainesville to share it with the many minority children (and everyone else) who will be in attendance tonight at the Gainesville Sports Commission's 24th Annual Meeting presented by Shands Health Care.  Jones' story comes with a well-defined message: Learn how to swim, it could save your life."

Lane 2 - PR Week posts "Speedo UK seeks brand boost in run-up to London 2012 Olympics.  Speedo UK has shortlisted four agencies as it seeks to strengthen the brand's connection to swimming and watersports in the run-up to the Olympics.  The international swimwear brand, which sponsors British Swimming and Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington, is threatening to end its five-year relationship with specialist sports PR agency Brandnation.  The company is understood to be seeking an agency to help with brand comms, with the aim of strengthening Speedo’s connection with waterspouts."  (spelling error from pr week not mine.  waterspouts, ha!)  Speedo.com posts "Speedo Roadshow Celebrates its 10,000th visitor at John Lewis Fitness Event at Cribbs Causeway, Bristol.  The Speedo Roadshow hits the road again to support John Lewis’s health and fitness event at the The Mall at Cribbs Causeway in Bristol 26th to 29th January. During the fitness event weekend the Speedo Roadshow will welcome its 10,000th visitor on board and to celebrate will offer this lucky individual £100 (or 10,000 pennies) to spend on board the wagon as well as a bottle of champagne."

Lane 3 - Adelaide Now posts "Superfish racing at aquatic centre.  AUSTRALIAN and world

champion swimmers descend on Adelaide this weekend, with the State Long Course Championships at the SA State Aquatic and Leisure Centre today until Sunday.  James Magnussen, the 100m freestyle world champion, will feature alongside his 4x100m team-mates who won gold at the World Championships last July, Eamon Sullivan, Matthew Abood and Matt Targett."

Lane 4 - Bloomberg posts "Power 100: Five Athletes to Watch in 2012.  Ryan Lochte: He’s been swimming in Michael Phelps’s wake for years, but Ryan Lochte is poised for a marketing breakout in 2012, thanks to the London Summer Olympics. Lochte was one of the hottest names at the end of 2011 as sponsors finalized their Olympic brand ambassador lists. His impressive sponsorship portfolio includes Gatorade, Speedo, Gillette, and Ralph Lauren. Having won five gold medals at the 2011 world championships, Lochte took home all major Swimmer of the Year awards. A strong showing in London will result in more gold medals and a spot in next year’s Power 100."

Lane 5 - The Australian posts "New plan to save Ian Thorpe's Olympic Games.  IAN Thorpe has made late changes to his training regime in an effort to find form before the Olympic trials in March, following disappointing performances at the Victorian titles in Melbourne last week."  Meanwhile Yahoo's Fouth-Place Medal posts "Ian Thorpe’s defeatist circular logic about his comeback.  Ian Thorpe is returning to the pool next month in hopes of making an Olympic comeback in London. Except, he's not at all confident about his prospects and already is making excuses for his failure. In a rambling interview with The Telegraph, Thorpe laid out his modest expectations for the comeback, then contradicted himself a few times before restating said modest expectations."

Lane 6 - Marketwatch posts "Olympic Swimmer Natalie Coughlin Showcases Beauty and Strength as the New Pantene Brand Ambassador.  Pantene Puts Beauty on the Podium for the London 2012 Olympic Games.  Pantene makes a splash with an exciting new campaign featuring one of the most decorated female American athletes. Two-time Olympic swimmer and 11-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin has partnered with the brand to showcase Pantene's performance in achieving healthy, moisturized, shiny hair."

Lane 7 - This Is London posts "Rebecca Adlington: Am I going to win gold at the Games?

Well, I've not even qualified yet.  Sleepless nights have not kicked into the psyche of Rebecca Adlington. Her gruelling training regime doesn't allow it, the two-time Olympic champion crashing to sleep the moment her head hits the pillow.  But when she thinks about qualifying for London 2012, her stomach is in knots, a bundle of nerves while her head is awash with the permutations of the unthinkable . . . namely that she won't make it to the startline for her main events in which she is the defending champion, the 400metres and 800m freestyle."

Lane 8 - Charlotte Observer posts "Olympics prep work in Charlotte.  Michael Phelps at UltraSwim in May; group of pentathletes coming for three days in March."