Tuesday's Swim Report - The Terrible Truth About Swimming & More Swim Bits

Lane 1 - The Guardian Swimming Blog posts "Swimming lessons: Swimming Nature.  Third of our tested methods is the coaching system designed by Brazilian Eduardo Ferré, which prides itself on rapid progress.  They say: "Swimming Nature for adults is an intensive but patient teaching programme tailored to your needs. We can teach anyone to swim from scratch or improve your swimming to a level where you are a strong and confident swimmer, swimming for fitness."

Lane 2 - Arena France posts "Teasing Swim Academy Amiens septembre 2013.  La Swim Academy reprend ! Demain, Alain Bernard sera à Amiens en compagnie de Mélanie Henique et Jérémy Stravius!"

Lane 3- Gulf News posts "Top swimming stars bound for Dubai.  Chad Le Clos, Katinka Hosszu and Oussama Mellouli all confirmed for competition from October 17 to 18.  After brilliant performances in the first two rounds of the Swimming World Cup in Eindhoven and Berlin in Eamon_sullivan_kitchenAugust, which saw an unprecedented 10 world records broken over the two events, the competition promises to be tougher than ever this year."

Lane 4 - Good Food posts "Kitchen spy: Eamon Sullivan.  Eamon Sullivan first gained his public profile as a record-breaking swimmer, but with an injury-fraught career, chef training provided a fallback position. He won the Celebrity MasterChef series in 2009 with his Chocolate Delice but his continued swimming success meant he didn't need to cook professionally for some years. His swimming career was briefly marred by his admitted participation in a controversial bonding session before last year's London Olympics involving the taking of Stilnox sleeping pills. He lives in Perth with French bulldogs Duke and Baxter, and has two businesses on the go - Louis Baxter's Cafe and Bib and Tucker restaurant."

Lane 5 - Florida Gators Athletics posts "Florida Swimming & Diving: 2013-2014 Season Pump Up.  The Florida Gators men's and women's swimming and diving teams are ready to start the 2013-2014 season. Are you?"

Lane 6 - The Guardian posts "The terrible truth about swimming with children.  Everyone always goes about about how heavenly it is taking your youngster swimming. Unfortunately that's piffle."


Sunday's Swim Report - The Passion of The Swim

Lane 1 - NBC Latino posts "One of the hottest acts in Hollywood: The swimming troupe Aqualillies.  In a beautiful combination of ballet and swimming, a group of synchronized swimmers known as the Aqualillies will make anyone believe in the magic of mermaids."

Lane 2 - Garmin posts "Ben Collins on Garmin Swim: Sleek, simple and so much more.  Garmin athlete Ben Collins began participating in triathlons as a hobby in 2005. Collins found immediate success in the sport and quickly rose to the top of the amateur ranks – placing first overall in the Amateur Worlds Championships in 2007. In 2008, Collins began racing professionally and has racked up impressive results around the world. Here he shares his first impressions of Garmin's new swim-specific watch."

Lane 3 - The Australian posts "Stephanie Rice says she now has to watch her weight.  Swimming's 515930-stephanie-riceglamour girl has found it's not so easy keeping trim when not training full time.  Having recently relocated to Sydney, the Olympic champion has piled on the weight since competing in the London Games.  "I'm having to work a lot harder at watching my weight now," she tells Insider."

Lane 4 - NZ Week posts "Banned swimmer criticizes Cielo doping case.  Brazil’s disgraced former swimmer Rebeca Gusmao has criticized perceived double standards in the 2011 doping case surrounding compatriot Cesar Cielo.  Gusmao, given a lifetime ban in 2008 after testing positive to anabolic steroids, questioned the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s (CAS) decision not to punish the former Olympic champion after he tested positive to the banned substance furosemide."

Lane 5 - The Red & Black posts " PHOTO GALLERY: UGA vs. FL Swim and Dive Meet.  The University of Georgia swim and dive team competed against the University of Florida Gators on 508ab8fd9f313.imageThursday, October 25, 2012, in Athens, Ga. The meet was split with the Lady Bulldogs winning alongside the Florida men's team."

Lane 6 - Vanity Fair posts "Princess Charlene of Monaco: The Princess Grace Foundation Inspired My Own Swim Charity.  “Because I’m very passionate about swimming, and teaching children to swim, I’ve drawn the inspiration from this to put back into a sport that I love very much,” Princess Charlene continued. The former Olympic athlete noted the importance of water safety for children. “The awareness of the need to learn to swim, which is very important. I’m not saying I want kids to go to the Olympic Games, but to maybe give an opportunity to those that are not able to get to facilities.”  And she clearly is passionate about the subject. “You know, I can teach an 18-month-old toddler to swim,” Charlene said. These days, she swims four times per week, in the sea. And she laughed when we asked if her husband’s swimming has improved since they met. “He needs his backstroke!” Princess Charlene said."

Lane 7 - Innovation For Endurance posts via youtube "Ryan Lochte: What's In Your Fridge, Ryan? - Nissan Innovation for Endurance.  Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte shares the foods and drinks he uses to fuel his training and race performance, including his favorite Friday night meal tradition since he was 8 years old.  For more innovations in running, cycling, and fitness, join the Nissan Innovation for Endurance community on Facebook, where you can enter to win one of our weekly prizes or an all-new Nissan car!" http://www.facebook.com/innovationforendurance

Lane 8 - Indian Country posts "Native Americans Swim From Alcatraz to San Francisco To Inspire Healthy Change.  After six days of training, on October 8, a dozen Native Americans made the 1.2-mile swim from Alcatraz to the San Francisco shore—a challenging feat in the chilly, 50- to 60-degree water and rough Bay currents. Tribal representatives from Alaska, Washington and California participated in this year’s program."


Thursday's Swim Report - Princess Of The Pool #Swimtastic

Lane 1 - University of Florida posts "Dara Torres to host this year’s Gator Growl.   Gator Growl 2012 will feature 12-time Olympic medalist and Gators alumna Dara Torres as the host for this year’s event, starting at 7 p.m. Nov. 9 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.  The theme of Gator Growl 2012 is “United We Growl” and the show will be honoring both the Florida Gators and the United States military on the eve of Veterans Day Weekend."

Lane 2 - Broadcast Exchange via youtube posts "Never too old to swim with Olympic heroes.  Watch our video to learn more about this year's winners and see how Paralympians and Olympians, such as Ellie Simmonds, have inspired people to get involved.  You can go to http://www.kelloggs.co.uk/swimming for more information & for more exclusive content with the Team GB stars from the awards, visit http://www.facebook.com/KelloggsUK"

Lane 3 - OMG! posts "Get Movin' Monday - Summer Sanders' Fit For Life Plan!  "I'm thrilled to be 40. When you're 40 you feel empowered and you know who you are. I feel comfortable in my own skin," retired Olympic champ Summer Sanders reveals to Healthy Hollywood about her recent 176116milestone birthday.  Summer says her body looks as good today as it did when she was the most decorated U.S. swimmer at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona."

Lane 4 - Mail & Guardian posts "Medallist makes a splash.  After winning gold at the Olympics, Cameron van der Burgh is on a mission to help young blacks to learn to swim.  Cameron van der Burgh, the University of Pretoria commerce student who won gold in the 100m breaststroke at the London Olympics, has started a campaign to teach previously disadvantaged children at primary schools to swim.  He is convinced that black people can swim and win medals if exposed to the sport from a very early age. Van der Burgh was so impressed by the United States’s Cullen Jones, an African-American who won a silver medal in the men’s 50m freestyle final at the London Olympics, that he has been inspired to help previously disadvantaged children in South Africa to learn to swim and win medals."

Lane 5 - Trinidad Express posts "REAPING REWARDS.  Ace swimmer George Bovell pleased with recent good form.  Trinidad and Tobago's top swimmer George Bovell believes his form is peaking post-Olympics because he overtrained a bit in preparation for the London Games."

Lane 6 - ynet posts "Mark Spitz recalls 1972 Olympics tragedy.  Jewish swimming legend tells UJA supporters he didn't find out about tragic events that unfolded at Munich Olympic Village until rest of world did."

Lane 7 - IGLA 2013 posts via youtube "Juanita DeFuca's Dressing Room - IGLA 2013.  This is a glimpse behind the scenes of upcoming IGLA 2013 videos and commercials. TMZ eat your heart out."

Lane 8- The OC Register posts "Irvine honors its hometown Olympic winners.  Council recognizes swimmer Lezak, coach Klatt, two others in ceremony.  London 2012 Olympic swimming silver-medalist Jason Lezak and Dan Klatt, assistant coach for the 2012 gold-winning U.S. women's water polo team, were honored Tuesday by the City Council.  Lezak won a 2012 silver medal in the men's 4x100-meter freestyle relay. He also won medals at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympics. He competed in swimming for Irvine High School and after college returned to live in Irvine, where he still trains at Woollett Aquatics Center.  "It's a great honor to represent the city of Irvine," Lezak said."


Friday's Swim Report - And In Lane One We Have...

Lane 1 - AT&T posts via youtube "Ryan Lochte Crashes Swim Meet.  Watch what happens when Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte shows up as a surprise contender at a swim meet. It's a #DONTMISS moment, only from AT&T, captured on the HTC One X. To see more, check out the #DONTMISS Network, at dontmissmoments.com. Shoot it. Share it. #DONTMISS it."

Lane 2 - Straits Times posts "SSA responsible for cap-and-goggles fiasco at London Olympics: SNOC.  The Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC) has concluded its investigation into the Ssa1ecap-and-goggles fiasco at the London Olympics and deemed the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) responsible."

Lane 3 - NY Times posts "Out of the Pool, Phelps Finds the Water at Medinah.  Michael Phelps’s wedge shot was a little thin, but it got airborne, giving rise to abundant applause from the fans in the grandstand behind the Medinah Country Club practice range. Phelps, the 22-time Olympic swimming medalist, felt like a fish out of water Tuesday when he swung his clubs alongside golfers who formed a major titleholder’s row."

Lane 4 - AFP posts "Kosuke Kitajima keen to swim at Rio Olympics.  apan's four-time Olympic swimming champion Kosuke Kitajima, who missed out on an individual medal at the London Games, says he is keen to line up at the poolside in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.  "While younger swimmers are coming up, I want to go to Rio, too," Kitajima, 30, told a party held in Tokyo on Thursday in honour of Japanese swimmers who collected a record 11 medals in London, according to local media."

Lane 5 - Team USA posts via youtube "Dana Vollmer is a Hometown Hero after London.  After London 2012, Dana made a trip back to her hometown of Granbury, Texas where she was honored with a parade and commemorative sidewalk tile bearing her signature. In addition, Dana made appearances at her old high school and elementary school to sign autographs and speak to kids about her experiences."

Lane 6 - Gainsville Sun posts "Olympic star Beisel back with UF swimming.  She's back, and that is great news for the Florida Gators.  Following a whirlwind summer that was capped by winning a pair of medals at the 2012 Olympics in London, UF junior Elizabeth Beisel decided to return to collegiate competition.  “It's been crazy,” Beisel said. “When I went home to Rhode Island, it was like mayhem just because I was the only Olympian from that state. Everybody sort of knew about me, and that was a little weird because I would be recognized wherever I went."

Lane 7 - Herald Sun posts "Real estate agents ham it up on YouTube to drum up home sales.  Whether it's donning a pair of Speedos for an online tour, or perfecting a martial arts kick, it seems there is nothing some agents won't do to get a sale.  Real estate marketing trainer Glenn Twiddle said doing an "outrageous video" was designed to get attention and make the seller stand out from the crowd."

Lane 8 - Stack posts "Olympic Breaststroke Techniques.  Traditionally, the breaststroke is the easiest but slowest stroke in the sport of swimming. But breaststroke form improvements are rapidly occurring, propelling faster times, most notably as when Japanese schoolboy Akihiro Yamaguchi broke the World Record in the 200-meter."


Wednesday's Swim Report - The Swimming Bunnies Treaty

Lane 1 - The Independent Florida Alligator posts "Under Troy’s leadership, Lochte swims to Olympic history.  At the 2012 London Olympics, coach Gregg Troy led the U.S. men’s swimming team to 16 medals, six of which came from athletes Troy coached at Florida.  Team USA earned 31 medals in swimming overall, including 11 from former Gators."

Lane 2 - Disneyland Paris posts via youtube " Rebecca makes a splash at Disneyland Paris.  GB swim star Rebecca Adlington has just returned from a visit to Disneyland Paris, where she was given a VIP welcome by Mickey Mouse. After months of relentless training, Rebecca chose to celebrate her recent success in the pool with a well-earned family break at Disneyland Paris, where she enjoyed the park's 20th Anniversary celebrations.  Rebecca said: "Since the Olympics, it's been a complete whirlwind. I'm here at Disneyland Paris with my family and it's such a great chance for us to spend time together after being separated for so long for the games. It's amazing, it's my absolute dream!"

Lane 3 - CBS News posts "Michael Phelps gives Baltimore Ravens pep talk after practice.  Phelps, Ray_Lewis_Michael_Phelps_620x350a die-hard Ravens fan, has credited linebacker Ray Lewis with helping him get his competitive juices flowing up to the London Games."

Lane 4 - Des Moines Register posts "Olympic swimmer teaches need for swim lessons to Urbandale teens.  Olympic swimmer Cullen Jones taught six Urbandale Middle School students how to swim today at the public pool. The gold medalist met with the whole school earlier this morning to tell his story about how he got into swimming and why water safety is important.  Jones is working with USA Swimming Foundation on the Make a Splash tour to encourage students to get swimming lessons. Urbandale was one of six cities he will visit this year."

Lane 5 - Daily Trojan posts "Rebecca Soni continues USC’s Olympic success.  For Olympic swimmer Rebecca Soni, the last month of summer seemed nothing out of the ordinary for a Trojan alumna. She met up with old friends, relaxed as much as possible and took a trip to London."

Lane 6 - Chicago Tribune posts "Baghdad orphan Kelly eyes pool gold for Australia.  He has described himself as the happiest man alive, yet in 20 years Iraq-born swimmer Ahmed Kelly has risen above extreme hardship to become one of Australia's leading medal hopes at the London Magnussen395Paralympics.  Kelly, along with his brother Emmanuel, was born severely disabled, with under-developed limbs as a result of their parents' exposure to chemical weapons."

Lane 7 - TripleM Sydney posts "James Magnussen Denies Sleeping With Kobe Bryant But Can't Speak For Eamon Sullivan.  Australian swimmer James Magnussen joined the Grill Team on Wednesday morning and admitted he's grown up a lot in the wake of the London Olympics."

Lane 8 - WSJ posts "Swimming Bunnies Offer Android Game Solution to Island Spat. In the free game, Takeshima Struggle, players race a cartoon rabbit from either Japan or South Korea to an island representing the disputed territory in order to claim it. The Japanese maker of the game hopes the swimming bunnies will help lighten the tone of the debate and improve relations between the two neighbors as they seek to find a peaceful end to their island spat."


Wednesday's Swim Report - Gators Chomping For Gold

Lane 1 - Mail Online posts "Decking out the dive! UK swimming hope Rebecca Adlington furnishes her Olympic Village bedroom with Team GB paper-chains.  She's moved into her tiny Olympic Village bedroom and is getting used to her miniature bed, reportedly only 5ft 8in long.  So UK swimming hope Rebecca Adlington, 5ft 10in, is doing everything she can to make her digs feel like home, even hanging Team GB paper-chains all over her walls."

Lane 2 - Nine News Queensland post via youtube "Australian Swim Team Land In Manchester For Olympics Training and Preparations.  Australia's Olympic swimming hopefuls have moved one step closer to London, setting up camp in Manchester."

Lane 3 - Forbes posts "Subway's Partnership With Michael Phelps Brings The Brand Large-Scale Exposure.  Since 2006, Subway has partnered with athletes to promote the brand.  In seeking out “Famous Fans,” Subway looks for athletes who possess not only talent and popularity, but also a genuine love of the brand and what it stands for.  After signing a partnership agreement with Subway’s Chief Marketing Officer, Tony Pace, on 60 Minutes in the fall of 2008, Phelps has been recognized as a Subway “Famous Fan.

Lane 4 - The Grio posts (w/video) "Kids learn how to swim at Michael Phelps Foundation.  When you think of Michael Phelps, you probably think of gold medal moments in the Olympics. But for some residents of Broward County, that name means something more personal. Thanks to the Michael Phelps Foundation at the Boys and Girls Club, kids can dive into a future in the pool. “I love coming to swimming, because we have fun and we learn how to swim,” Terrelle Gay said."

1342454680_ryan-467Lane 5 - US Weekly posts "Olympic Swimmer Ryan Lochte's Rise to Fame.  Michael Phelps may have been untouchable during the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, but this time around, Ryan Lochte is here to give the gold medalist some stiff competition.  "I think overall, I'm just a lot older, smarter, and a better athlete than I was going into Beijing," Lochte, 27, tells Us Weekly, who swam four events at the Games and took home two gold (one earned as a group) and two bronze. "I changed my diet and I started doing heavier weight lifting."

Lane 6 - The Florida Times-Union posts "Gators going for more gold in London.  UF has star power in Lochte, Wambach among 35 athletes competing in Summer Olympics.  The University of Florida’s all-time Olympic medal count will likely hit triple digits during the Summer Games in London.  Exactly 91 medals have been claimed by UF athletes, and the Gators appear to have a strong contingent again as the games begin July 27."

Lane 7 - NY Times posts "Drowning in Features, a Watch for the Pool.  Swim training in a pool takes enough concentration without trying to keep track of your laps and statistics.  Garmin’s new fitness watch, the Swim, is made specifically for use in a pool and is designed to automatically log laps, tell what strokes were used on each lap, and record pace, distance and calories burned. In a test, though, the watch didn’t quite turn in a gold-medal performance.   I tried swimming freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke laps, but the watch registered them all as freestyle. On one lap it recorded backstroke, only on that one I was swimming freestyle. The 16gw-watch-articleInlineinstructions say good, steady strokes are required for an accurate reading, and while Michael Phelps has nothing to fear from me, I’m surprised the watch could not tell the difference between my breaststroke and backstroke. The company said that when the former Olympian Misty Hyman tried it last week, the recording was faultless."  I'm no Misty so I can wait to play with it since I have purchased this for myself and waiting for the FedEx truck to arrive with it.

Lane 8 - SI posts "Pellegrini goes to London in pursuit of perfection.  When Federica Pellegrini trots her statuesque 5-foot-10 frame around the pool deck at the London Olympics, it might be tough for her to keep track of past and present.  The standout Italian swimmer has changed coaches enough times to line each corner of the pool, then there's her ex-boyfriend and still teammate Luca Marin, her current boyfriend and teammate Filippo Magnini, plus her many competitors.  But it's the one person missing that has defined Pellegrini's career over the past three years.  Since her beloved coach Alberto Castagnetti died suddenly in October 2009 following heart surgery, Pellegrini has struggled to replace a man she often referred to as a "second father.''


Wednesday's Swim Report - Gunning For Gold

Lane 1 - Chicago Tribune posts "American scare tactics won't bother Aussies: Fraser.    Australian swimmers are unlikely to be intimidated by the dominant American's 'catch us if you can' boast and will go into the London Games with a quiet confidence, according to swimming great Dawn Fraser."

Lane 2 - CNN posts via youtube "Spitz: I would want to beat Phelps.  Mark Spitz talks to CNN's Piers Morgan about Michael Phelps and who would win if they ever competed against each other."

Lane 3 - WSJ posts "Swimming's Bad Boy Guns for Gold.  Nick D'Arcy, Back in the Doghouse, Still Hopes to Beat Michael Phelps in the 200-Meter Fly."

Lane 4 - ABC13 posts (w/video) "Alligator bites off swimming teen's arm in Florida.  MOORE HAVEN, FL -- An alligator at least 10 feet (3 meters) long lunged at a teenager swimming in a river and bit off the boy's right arm below the elbow, state wildlife officials said Tuesday. Kaleb Langdale, 17, survived the encounter Monday in the Caloosahatchee River west of Lake Okeechobee. Wildlife officers who caught and killed the alligator retrieved the arm, but doctors were unable to reattach it."

Lane 5 - al.com posts "Florida lifeguard fired for rescuing a drowning swimmer given key to the city."

Lane 6 - nine posts (w/video) "Swimmer Nay gets Games support.  Despite enduring unimaginable tragedy, Australian swimmer Meagen Nay has never given up on her dream of winning Olympic gold."

Lane 7 - The Race Club posts via youtube "VASA Race Club swim bench.  Prototype swim bench to improve strength and swimming technique."

Lane 8 - Minnesota Public Radio posts "Commentary: Improve swim safety by adding more urban pool.  On The Daily Circuit today, we did a segment on the number of drownings in Minnesota this year. One of our assistant producers, Meggan Ellingboe, wanted to have Minneapolis Swims founder Hannah Lieder on as a guest, but she was unable to make it. Lieder sent us her thoughts on the topic and we wanted to share her ideas…"


Sunday's Swim Report - The Magnificent Swimnificent Forties

Lane 1 - ESPN posts "Janet Evans embracing the comeback whirlwind.  Janet Evans walks out to Oly_a_evans2_sy_576greet her second interviewer of the day with her face still made up and television-ready. A CNN crew has just vacated her living room after filming a segment on women's health, set up by her corporate sponsors at Procter & Gamble; bagels and coffee procured for the shoot sit on the kitchen island…"

Lane 2 - The OC Register posts "West cheating Father Time to make Olympics.  Steve West's legs whip together on each powerful, underwater kick. His hands knife forward through the water's surface as he speeds toward the conclusion of another mid-day training session.  The Huntington Beach resident doesn't swim like a longshot for the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials in June. But admittedly, he is.  Last summer at age 39, the former Huntington Beach High and University of Michigan breaststroker became the oldest American male to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials, according to Swimming World.  Now almost a year later, West could break his own record this weekend at a star-studded TYR Fran Crippen Memorial Swim Meet of Champions."

Lane 3 - Florida Today posts "Trio excel in pool at Masters.  At 58, Pat Sargeant is a lifelong swimmer who holds an armful of age group records. Mo Hughes, who is the same age as Sargeant, was a standout swimmer who became one of the area’s most respected coaches. J.C. Mejia, who is 25 years old, never swam a competitive stroke until two and a half years ago.  Each was a multiple-event winner at the 2012 National YMCA Masters Championship April 12 to 15 at the Swimming Hall of Fame Aquatic Complex in Fort Lauderdale."

Polaris-9400-sportLane 4 - Engadget posts "Polaris' pool-cleaning robots get updated with added intelligence, four-wheel drive.  That includes the company's most advanced robot to date, the $1499 Polaris 9400 Sport (pictured), which adds four-wheel drive for the first time, as well as the company's new accelerometer-enhanced ActivMotion Sensor technology -- something Polaris says allows the robot to continually sense where it is in the pool and optimize its cleaning action accordingly."  We so needed this morning to pick up all the duck poop in the pool!

Lane 5 - The Australian posts "Magnussen swims under the radar.  NO ONE should worry that James Magnussen will suffer the same fate as Stephen Holland when the world champion makes his bid for Olympic gold, according to former long-time coach of the "Superfish", Laurie Lawrence.  Lawrence mentored Holland to 12 world records in three years in the 1500m freestyle.  Like Magnussen, Holland was the reigning world champion heading into the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He was viewed as a certainty to win gold. But after leading for two-thirds of the race he was overhauled by Americans Brian Goodell and Bobby Hackett. Holland took bronze, with all three swimming under the Australian's old world record."

21-04-2012-19-04-00-832tl_958027Lane 6 - Sportlive posts "Magnificent seven is Le Clos' Games goal.  NEW star Chad Le Clos is looking to do a Mark Spitz at the London Olympics by competing in seven events - a first for an SA swimmer.  Le Clos, 20, wants to enter four individual races as well as the 4x200m freestyle relay and the butterfly leg of the 4x100m medley relay."

Lane 7 - The Gainesville Sun posts "Gators will be well-represented at London Games.    Florida swimming coach Gregg Troy was surprised to learn the 2012 Olympics in London will start in 100 days.  “We've got a lot of different targets,” Troy said. “The Olympic Trials for the Americans and then we've got a few foreigners that are getting ready for the Olympics."

Lane 8 - WSJ posts "Getting Ready for the Social Media Olympics.  Pegged to the 100-day countdown to this summer’s Olympics in London, the International Olympic Committee Wednesday rolled out a hub pulling in Facebook messages and Twitter posts of Olympic athletes.  The Olympic Athletes’ Hub collects in a single directory the existing Facebook and Twitter profiles from athletes including tennis player Rafael Nadal and New Zealand rower Juliette Haigh, who posted a message Wednesday on Twitter and Facebook: “#100daystogo until London 2012.” The more athletes a person “follows, the more points he collects towards winning prizes and unlocking rewards, such as an online video about training tips from former Olympic swimmer Mark Spitz."


Saturday's Swim Report - Do The Olympic Swimmer Dance!

Lane 1 - SB Nation posts (w/ video) "Buzz Williams Hits A Half-court Shot, Goes Swimming.  Buzz Williams is already a college basketball favorite. He's emotional, he screams, he dances on the sideline and he's never afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve. The Marquette Golden Eagles coach just seems like a good dude to be around.  That extended to a lighthearted moment at practice this week as Marquette prepared for its Sweet 16 matchup against the Florida Gators. Sure, it's stressful preparing for a huge NCAA tournament game, but Williams keeps the mood light."

709046-james-magnussenLane 2 - The Herald Sun posts "Australian swimmer James Magnussen a 'threat, says US coach.  HOW can we get this guy on our team for the Games?  That was the reaction from world swimming's superpower, the United States, after James Magnussen's scorching performances at the Australian Olympic trials in Adelaide.  US swimming national team director Frank Busch yesterday heaped praise on Australian swimming's man of the moment, who he expected to be a thorn in the side of his team's relay ambitions in London."

Lane 3 - The Washington Post umm…posts "Shirley May France, who as a young woman tried to swim the English Channel, dies at 79.  With the words “Black Magic” emblazoned across the bosom of her swimsuit, Shirley May France captivated two continents with her attempt to swim the English Channel in 1949.  Then a 17-year-old Massachusetts schoolgirl, she would have been the youngest person in history to conquer the 21 miles of frigid double tides and currents between Cap Gris Nez in France and England’s white cliffs of Dover."

Lane 4 - NCAA posts "Cal swimmer learns from the best.  Shields always looking to improve, even by 1112SwimM Shields-Tom 979-REstudying dolphins.  Tom Shields is a workhorse. And because he is, Cal’s hopes of repeating as national champs at the NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships that conclude Saturday have rested squarely on the junior All-American’s shoulders.  “I hear that when they do the next Flipper movie, he’s going to be the stand-in,” Texas coach Eddie Reese cracked, not knowing just how close that could be."

Lane 5 - Alligator posts "UF men's swimming ranks eighth after first day at NCAA Championships."

Lane 6 - The Telegraph posts "Stephanie Rice's heart is biger than Texas - just don't mention her shoulder."

Lane 7 - Time Magazine posts (w/video) "Synchronized Swimming: No Joke.  TIME gets a lesson in synchronized swimming."

Lane 8 - ninemsn posts "Sunk Thorpedo had enough time, Ginn says.  Excuses that Ian Thorpe didn't give himself enough training time to qualify for the London Games doesn't wash with triple Olympic rowing champion Drew Ginn.  But Ginn, who made a comeback of his own in this Olympic cycle after taking two years off rowing as he recovered from delicate back surgery, labelled that as bunk.  The 37-year-old strongly believes older athletes only need six months of full-on hard training to return to their best.  "Having watched all the swimming last week and hearing 'oh they needed another year or two years', sorry to say it, I reckon that's bulls--t," he told AAP."


Sunday's Swim Report - Go USA! Florida No. 1 In Shark Attacks!

Lane 1 - Speedway Media posts "Three-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Ryan Lochte to serve as Grand Marshal for the first Gatorade Duel.  Ryan Lochte, three-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer and Daytona Beach native, will serve as Grand Marshal for the first of two Gatorade Duel At Daytona 150-mile qualifying races on Thursday, Feb. 23 at Daytona International Speedway."

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Lane 2 - The Sydney Morning Herald posts "D'Arcy Olympic dreams languish amid board silence.  THE fate of controversial swimmer Nick D'Arcy still hangs in the balance two days after the Swimming Australia board met to consider it."

Lane 3 - Gator Sports posts "Roundup: UF produces nation’s top swimmers, fall short at SECs.  The 2012 Southeastern Conference swimming and diving championships came to a close Saturday night at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tenn. In a tight finish, the Florida men (700) narrowly missed the top spot, to sit behind Auburn (730.5) in the runner-up spot, for the eleventh conseutive year, while the UF women finished third behind the University of Georgia (781), and host, Tennessee (629.5)."

Lane 4 - Sunshine State posts "2011 Report: Florida No. 1 In Shark Attacks, None Of Those Fatal (VIDEO).  Sharks are finally exacting their revenge on humans, according to the University of Florida’s (UF) recently released International Shark Attacks File."

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Lane 5 - ioL posts "Van der Burg wants secluded Olympic build up.  Olympic Games medal hopeful Cameron van der Burgh says he will swim in fewer races this year to keep his form secret from his competitors ahead of the global showpiece in July.  “I don't really want to give my form away to my competitors,” Van der Burgh said."

Lane 6 - The Canberra Times posts "A twit born every minute…Olympic swimmer Eamon Sullivan tweeted Tuesday he was on his way to Canberra for testing at the AIS. The Canberra Times picked it up and made inquiries, only for Swimming Australia to fall over itself quicker than Thorpie falling off the blocks at the 2004 Olympic trials. Swimming Australia said the session was secret and media was banned. The last time they chucked such a hissy fit to an AIS visit was in 2003, when superfish Michael Phelps and others were in Canberra testing the now outlawed LZR racing suits.  Turns out Sullivan and Geoff Huegill were just doing some wet-plate testing, a technology designed to measure reaction times off the blocks and smooth out any kinks in our relay changeovers before the Olympics. How do we know? Sullivan tweeted it."

Lane 7 - Fox Sports posts "Lezak preparing for next challenge in London.  Last Saturday, a plastic ice pack was placed around Lezak's right knee after he climbed from the pool at the Mizzou Aquatic Center following a second-place finish in a 50-meter freestyle heat.  At age 36, his body has changed from his world-record 46.06-second split in Beijing, but the veteran swimmer is confident in his speed as he trains for London."

Lane 8 - NatGeo posts "Shark-Attack Deaths Highest in 19 Years—Travel Trends to Blame?  U.S. fatalities down, possibly due to economic downturn."