Sloudnov becomes first man under the minute!

21 year old student Roman Sloudnov has become the first man to break 1 minute for the long course 100m breaststroke. Having earlier set a new world record of 1:00.26 in the semi-finals of the Russian Championships in Moscow, Sloudnov proceeded to lower the mark again in the final to the magic figure of 59.97 causing the patriotic Russian crowd to go wild with delight.

Press release opens back door for Foster's 50 free

Mark Foster may yet get to swim the 50 freestyle at the World Championships next month after all. National Performance Director Bill Sweetenham has today issued a press release saying that swimmers already on the team for Fukuoka will be given the chance to perform in other events if they have achieved a time in this year's qualification event finals that would have been a top 16 world ranking 2 per nation in that event as of 31st December 2000. Foster, ranks number 2 on the current world rankings with his time-trial 22.13 but his time of 22.43 in Glasgow last weekend is now likely to be good enough to earn him the freestyle berth in Japan following the selectors' refusal to use the 22.13 time.  Whilst not exactly a reversal of policy, the move is more of a goal post shift from the previous position earlier this week where Foster was told his chance of swimming the 50 freestyle had gone. The shift may also open the door for other members of the team (such as Karen Pickering in the 200 freestyle) to widen their event entries in Japan although the 2000 rankings will need to be checked carefully first of all.

Sloudnov regains world record

Russian Roman Sloudnov has regained the long course men's 100m breaststroke record from the American Ed Moses. Competing at the Russian National Championships in Moscow, Sloudnov recorded a time of 1:00.26 to erase the old mark by 3/100ths second. Sloudnov had held the world record earlier this year until Moses broke it at the American World Trials in April. The record furthers speculation regarding who will be the first swimmer to break the minute mark for breaststroke as the critical time edges ever nearer. Moses and Sloudnov will certainly be in contention at the World Championships in Japan next month as will reigning Olympic Champion Domenico Fioravanti.

Talbot to step down

Australian Head Swimming Coach Don Talbot is to step down after next month's World Championships. The 68 year old has asked Australian Swimming to allow him to take a step back into a more advisory role following the formation of separate men's and women's teams for the national squad.

Foster Furious at Selection Decision

Mark Foster is furious over the decision of selectors to leave him out of the 50m Freestyle at the forthcoming World Championships in Japan. Foster, the short course world record holder, has gained selection for the 50m Butterfly but was also hoping to contest the sprint freestyle event in Fukuoka. At the Scottish Championships last weekend Foster missed the selection time of 22.41 by 2/100ths of a second but he was counting on the 22.13 he recorded in a special time trial at the North Eastern Counties Championships to sway the selectors. His personal best of 22.13 ranks Foster second in the world this year behind Alexandre Popov but was held in a one off time trial swim without any other competitors after a request by Foster to meet officials following him inadvertently wearing the wrong goggles in the championship 50m freestyle earlier. Foster claims he was misled into thinking that the time trial would count for selection and has appealed against the decision. If the appeal fails Foster may decide to withdraw from the 50m butterfly.

Britain Announces World Championship Team

Twenty-seven swimmers will represent Great Britain at the World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan next month. The team reads as follows: Women Zoe Baker (50m Breaststroke); Janine Belton (4x200m Freestyle Relay); Rosalind Brett (50m Freestyle, 4x100m Freestyle Relay, 4x100m Medley Relay); Nathalie Brown (1500m Freestyle); Rebecca Cooke (800m, 1500m Freestyle); Charlotte Dallas (4x200m Freestyle Relay); Joanna Fargus (200m Backstroke); Nicola Jackson (200m Freestyle, 4x200m Freestyle Relay); Jaime King (4x100m Medley Relay); Georgina Lee (200m Butterfly, 4x100m Medley Relay); Karen Legg (4x200m Freestyle Relay); Melanie Marshall (4x100m Freestyle Relay); Karen Pickering (4x100m Freestyle Relay, 4x200m Freestyle Relay); Sarah Price (50m Backstroke, 100m Backstroke, 4x100m Medley Relay); Katy Sexton (100m Backstroke); Alison Sheppard (50m Butterfly, 50m Freestyle, 4x100m Freestyle Relay). Men Ian Edmond (200m Breaststroke); Adam Faulkner (800m Freestyle); Mark Foster (50m Butterfly); James Gibson (50m Breaststroke); Darren Mew (100m Breaststroke); Paul Palmer (200m Freestyle, 4x200m Freestyle Relay); Jamie Salter (400m Freestyle, 4x200m Freestyle Relay); Edward Sinclair (400m Freestyle, 4x200m Freestyle Relay); Graeme Smith (800m Freestyle, 1500m Freestyle); Marc Spackman (4x200m Freestyle Relay); Neil Willey (50m Backstroke).

Records Tumble at Scottish Championships

Statisticians had to keep their record books handy this weekend in Glasgow at the Scottish Open Championships. The meet, held 22-24 June at the 50m Toll Cross pool was also doubling as the final opportunity for British swimmers to qualify for the World Championships next month. Highly impressive British records fell to Graeme Smith in the 800 freestyle (7:57.93), Nicola Jackson in the 200 freestyle (1:59.32), Alison Sheppard in the 50 butterfly (27.05), Jo Fargus in the 200 backstroke (2:11.05) and Loughborough University in the women's 4 x 100 freestyle relay with 3:45.68 smashing over 6 seconds off the previous national club time. Smith, coached by Dave Calleja, reduced the mark he set at the recent Super Grand Prix in Manchester by half a second to rank 7th globally for the event this year. Jackson (coached by Dave McNulty and Dennis Parker) became the third British woman to break 2 minutes for the 200 freestyle when erasing Karen Pickering's time last month from the books. With Jackson now ranked 3rd in the world this year, Smith 7th, Fargus (coach Ian Turner) 2nd and Sheppard (coach Gary van der Meulen) 4th on the 50 fly the medal chances for Britain in Fukuoka are increasing rapdily. Scottish records were also under constant threat over the three day meet with what must be one of the best performances in many years by a Scottish swimmer coming from Ian Edmond in the 200 breaststroke. Edmond, coached by Tim Jones, knocked almost 3 seconds off his personal best to record 2:12.70, set a World Championship qualifying time and smash David Wilkie's 25 year old Scottish record of 2:15.11 from the 1976 Olympics. Edmond's Edinburgh teammate Gergor Tait further reduced his three Scottish long course backstroke records with times of 26.25, 55.91 and 2:00.18 respectively but was very disappointed to fractionally miss out on World Championship selection in each one. Exciting female backstroke talent Louise Coull (coach Graham Wardell) was also in record breaking form taking the Scottish 50 and 200m marks in 30.36 and 2:15.71. On breaststroke it was the turn of Kirsty Balfour (coach Tim Jones) to improve her 100m Scottish record to 1:10.34 as she edged out Olympians Jaime King and Heidi Earp for the win while Marie Jones set a new Scottish Junior Record in the 1500 freestyle with 17:38.32.

Sweetenham furthers plans to take GB team to Australia

National Performance Director Bill Sweetenham is advancing plans to move the British swimming team to an Australian base as one of the options Britain needs in order to challenge for medals in Athens 2004. Sweetenham knows that the medals for 2004 will actually be won through the training done in 2002 and 2003 and thus, spending much of the year in ideal climatic conditions in Australia is becoming a serious possibility for Britain's elite competitors. A further major reason behind the plan is money. Offers have been received from bases in Australia to host the British team for £5000 per year whereas to keep the squad in the UK would be likely to cost upwards of £100,000 a year due to extortionate pool hire charges. In the wake of funding cuts following the dismal results in Sydney, such figures cannot be ignored. However, Don Talbot, Australia's equivalent to Sweetenham, has questioned the need for Britain to fly 27 hours for such training when he claims they could find the same access and facilities much closer to home in places such as France and North Africa.

Hatfield 50m pool plans dashed

Ambitious plans to build a 50m swimming facility capable of holding a major championships in Hatfield, north London have been dashed after Sport England failed to come up with lottery money to support the programme. The project needed an extra £2.5million to ensure a 50m pool was built, rather than a 25m facility, to add to the £15million of private finance that had already been attracted through the University of Hertfordshire. However, Sport England have turned down the bid. The bid organisers consider that the plans may have been rejected in preference for supporting the ASFGB's own ideas for the government to get behind a world class 50m facility for London.

Zhivanevskaya absence boosts British hopes

Spanish champion and Olympic bronze medallist Nina Zhivanevskaya has decided not to contest the 200m backstroke at the forthcoming World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. Instead, she will focus all her efforts on winning medals in the 50 and 100 metre distances. The women's 200 backstroke is one of Britain's best chances of a medal in Fukuoka with Jo Fargus, Sarah Price and Katy Sexton all currently challenging the world leading times this year. Hence, Zhivanevskaya's absence will be a great boost to the chances of these girls. With Fargus already selected only one of Price or Sexton can join her in the 200 and the forthcoming final selection opportunity at the Scottish Nationals will decide who it will be.

FINA want 'wild cards' at World Championships

FINA President Mustapha Larfoui this week announced plans to introduce a 'wild card' entry system for World Championship swimming events. Similar systems are already in place in athletics and tennis championships and would see the reigning World Champion in each event automatic entry to the next World Championships regardless of whether they qualify or not through their National Trials. For example, if it were introduced this year, American Bill Pilczuk would be able to swim the men's 50 freestyle despite not being placed in the first two at the American World Trials and thus America would be represented by three swimmers in that particular event. However, the system is not planned for introduction until the 2003 World Championships in Barcelona. 

Dutch World Championship team

The Netherlands has announced its team for the 2001 World Championships following their National Championships last weekend. WOMEN: Madelon Baans, Inge de Bruijn, Carla Geurts, Chantal Groot, Wilma van Rijn, Manon van Rooijen, Hinkelien Schreuder. MEN: Ewout Holst, Pieter van den Hoogenband, Joris Keizer, Johan Kenkhuis, Benno Kuipers, Mark Veens, Klaas Erik Zwering.

Brazil names World Championship Team

Brazil has named a 12 strong team to compete at the World Championships in Japan later this year. The squad of 3 women and 9 men includes Brazil's most famous swimmer Gustavo Borges.  The announcement of the team followed the end of the Brazilian National Championships in Rio de Janeiro. Women: Flávia Delaroli, Monique Ferreira and Nayara Ribeiro. Men: Fernando Alves, Gustavo Borges, Rodrigo Castro, Eduardo Fischer, Carlos Jayme, Alexandre Massura, Edvaldo Valério, Rogério Romero, Nicholas dos Santos.

German World Championship Team

Germany has selected its team for the World Championships following their recent National Championships last weekend. Twenty seven swimmers have been selected making it the smallest German team for many years. MEN: Lars Conrad, Steffen Driesen, Fabian Friedrich, Heiko Hell, Stefan Herbst, Jens Kruppa, Sven Lodziewski, Johannes Oesterling, Stefan Pohl, Thomas Rupprath, Torsten Spanneberg, Stev Theloke, Mark Warnecke, Mitja Zastrow. WOMEN: Antje Buschschulte, Peggy Büchse, Petra Dallmann, Meike Freitag, Sara Harstick, Nicole Hetzer, Katrin Meißner, Annika Mehlhorn, Alessa Ries, Hannah Stockbauer, Silvia Szalai, Sandra Völker, Simone Weiler. COACHES: Manfred Thiesmann, Henning Lambertz, Roland Böller, Thomas Rother, Bernd Henneberg, Ute Schinkitz.

Dolan to continue

Double Olympic 400 I.M. champion Tom Dolan has decided to try and make it three in a row in 2004. American Dolan has been out of the water since his Sydney triumph last year whilst deciding whether he still had the will and hunger to carry on in the sport. However, he has now made a commitment to return to training next week at the Curl-Burke club with the aim of becoming the first male swimmer ever to win three back to back Olympic gold medals in the same event. However, he is sure to face stiff competition, even within his home country just to make the team with swimmers such as Michael Phelps and Tom Wilkens already eyeing their chances in the 400 I.M. come Athens in 2004.

National Event camps underway

Britain's new National Event training camps have got underway this week in Bath and Barcelona. Bath is hosting a sprint freestyle camp that includes swimmers such as Ros Brett, Janine Belton and Vicky Cook, while Barcelona is the venue for the backstroke and I.M. camp under the leadership of Scottish National Coach Chris Martin. The camps form part of NPD Bill Sweetenham's vision and plans for the advancement of British swimming success. Each camp has an appointed head coach who must select a group of assistant coaches and set the programme for the week's activities.  

Japanese coach commits suicide

Yutaka Terao, a legend of Japanese swim coaching committed suicide in Florida today following a single gun shot to the head. Terao, 58, was in Fort Lauderdale to attend the induction of his friend Kouji Katoh into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Terao was a coaching veteran of Harvard University and the University of Alabama in the early 1970's before he returned to Japan where he set of a large chain of swim schools. He was instrumental in the formation of the World Swimming Coaches Association and a regular attendee of coaching conferences around the world. Although struggling with cancer, Yutaka remained upbeat in his final weeks and continued to discuss and plan coaching clinics as well as other swimming duties.

Frost earns top coaching accolade

Australian Doug Frost has been awarded the prestigious title of Coach of the Quadrennium this week at the World Swimming Coaches Conference in Australia. Frost has primarily made his name in recent years as coach to Commonwealth, World and Olympic champion Ian Thorpe. Thorpe's astonishing achievements, which include 13 world records, at his relatively young age have helped force his coach into the limelight of world swimming and become a highly sought after speaker. At the same conference, Frost was also named Australian Swimming Coach of the Year and elevated to the honour of Australian 'Master Coach' where he joins coaching greats such as Forbes Carlile, Don Talbot and Great Britain's National Performance Director Bill Sweetenham.

Titley, Robinson and Kelly learning down under

Three of Britain's brightest young coaching talents have visiting coaches in Australia this week as well as attending the World Swimming Coaches Conference. Ben Titley, Nick Robinson and Sean Kelly were awarded this trip following the top 3 success of their respective clubs at the recent British National Championships / World Trials. Titley has been a key player in Loughborough University's recent rise to prominence on the domestic scene heading up their sprint group that includes stars such as Melanie Marshall and Commonwealth record holder James Gibson. Nick Robinson is the assistant to Chris Nesbit at the forever highly successful Portsmouth Northsea Swimming Club while Sean Kelly is now the head coach at Stockport Metro where he takes charge of the country's leading 200 I.M. swimmer James Goddard.

21 swimmers make British World Championship team after Trials

13 female and 8 male swimmers have qualified for the Great Britain team to compete at this year's World Championships in Japan following the conclusion of the British National Championships and qualifying trials held in Manchester last week. Zoe Baker (50 breast), Janine Belton (800 free relay), Rosalind Brett (400 free relay, 400 medley relay)), Rebecca Cooke (800, 1500 free), Joanna Fargus (200 back), Nicola Jackson (800 free relay), Jamie King (400 medley relay), Georgina Lee (200 fly, 400 medley relay), Karen Legg (400, 800 free relays), Melanie Marshall (400 free relay), Karen Pickering (400, 800 free relays), Sarah Price (100 back, 400 medley relay), Alison Sheppard (50 free, 400 free relay) make up the women while the selected men are: Adam Faulkner (800 free), Mark Foster (50 fly), James Gibson (50 breast), Darren Mew (100 breast), Paul Palmer (200 free, 800 free relay), Jamie Salter (800 free relay), Edward Sinclair (800 free relay), Marc Spackman (800 free relay). Tough qualifying times based on 12th place in the 2000 world rankings were laid down by National Performance Director Bill Sweetenham and only the event winner at the Trials could qualify for an individual event. However, three further qualifying opportunities exist over the next two months for swimmers to post further times before the final team is announced after the Scottish National Championships at the end of June.

New world record in womens 200 breaststroke

China's Qi Hui set a world record of 2:22.96 in the women's 200 metres breaststroke at the Chinese swimming championships Monday. Hui, 16, broke the previous world record of 2:23.64 set by South African Penny Heyns in Sydney in August 1999. The swim was one of a number of impressive female performances at the Chinese National Championships that have been taking place this past week. Other notable swims included a 1:07.85 by Luo Xuejuan (16) for the 100 breaststroke to set the fastest time in the world this year, Yang Yu winner the 200 freestyle in 1:59.18, Xu Yanwei's 54.68 in the 100 freestyle and a 2:13.62 by Qi Hui in the 200 I.M. Chinese women dominated the world rankings in 1997 but have mysteriously disappeared from them since then following several embarassing high profile drugs busts of their swimmers. Chinese officials claim to have cracked down on drug use in sport and indeed some swimmers have been banned such as Wu Yanyan. However, doubt has been raised over this after news broke that national coach Zhou Ming is still coaching despite Chinese officials claiming he has been banned for 8 years. Further, an incident with Luo Xuejuan at the Melbourne World Cup meet when she locked herself in the changing rooms and refused to be drug tested until testing officers backed down has only added to suspicions. The Nationals also served as qualifying for the World Championships in July and China's National Games in November although the teams have yet to be announced.

Touretski charged over possession of steroids

Leading swimming coach Gennadi Touretski has been suspended from the Australian Institute of Sport following allegations of illegal possession of anabolic steroids, the Australian Sports Commission said on Tuesday.

Neethling concerned over drug use in swimming

South African national team swimmer Ryk Neethling has claimed drug use is widespread in top level swimming. He has even gone as far as suggesting that about half of the 1500 freestyle finalists in Sydney used performance enhancing drugs. In a letter to insweep.com, Neethling also critiscises the IOC and FINA for not been hard enough on drug users. Neethling, an Olympic finalist in the 400 free last year has now turned his attention to the sprint events as he feels drug use is less likely to control the results in such races.

Don Duncan out of Trials

Nick Selwood (Head Coach, City of Coventry SC) has today announced that City of Coventry swimmer and Coventry University Sport Science student, Helen Don-Duncan will not be fit for the Great Britain Championships and World Championship trials due to be held in Manchester this week. Don Duncan has had her training regime seriously disrupted by an arthritic condition that has affected her knees and elbows since December.

Sweetenham joins BSCTA

ASFGB National Performance Director, Bill Sweetenham, has joined the BSCTA/GMB. Sweetenham, who leads by example, took the step in Cardiff recently, by signing up when encouraging all coaches in Great Britain to be members of 'their' Association. 'Only BSCTA members will be selected for National Teams in future,' stated Mr Sweetenham at a seminar organised by the newly formed BSCTA Wales in Cardiff on Wednesday 4th April,'and it is my aim to have the BSCTA selecting the Coaches for National Teams.' Mr Sweetenham stated that because of the limitations placed upon him by lack of facilities and money (he states that ASFGB budget is less than 10% of the Swim Australia budget) the only way he can make a world class impact upon the sport in the timescale available to him, is to help British Coaches achieve their potential. 'There are some great coaches in Britain,' said Mr Sweetenham,'I want to help them achieve what they are capable of. So many of our programmes are a celebration of mass mediocrity, with coaches 'having' to play to the balcony to ensure job security. I want all coaches to work to the talent levels of their top swimmers, not those in the middle; only that way can we make significant progress'. Mr Sweetenham's membership of the BSCTA/GMB is immediate, and his willingness to do so is in stark contrast to his predecessor; it is also a clear sign of his willingness to work with the BSCTA and the importance of the Association in his plans.

BSCTA Wales branch launched

On Tuesday 3rd April, in Cardiff, the Welsh Swimming Coaches Association took the momentous decision of becoming BSCTA Wales. BSCTA members resident or coaching in Wales automatically become members in this new body. Members of BSCTA Wales will be given technical & coaching support from the BSCTA & legal and representational support & advice from the GMB. Gary Rosser was elected BSCTA Wales Chair and Keith Barrow, BSCTA Wales Secretary. The new body aims to develop and support coaches in partnership with the Welsh ASA, through their Director of Swimming, BSCTA member, Bryn Williams.

Rolph to miss World Championships

Commonwealth champion Sue Rolph will miss this year's World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. The sprint free and IM specialist requires an operation on a troublesome back injury and will need three weeks out of the water after the operation due to take place after next week's ASFGB Nationals / World Championship Trials. Rolph, now being coached by Dave Haller in Cardiff, will aim to be back to full fitness for the ASFGB National Short Course Championships in August where she intends to qualify for the European Short Course Championships.

Don Duncan in fitness battle

City of Coventry swimmer and Coventry University Sport Science student, Helen Don-Duncan is fighting a battle to be fit for the Great Britain Championships and World Championship trials due to be held in Manchester next week. Don-Duncan, the current British record holder at 200m Backstroke and previous World Short Course and Commonwealth medallist is facing a battle with an arthritic condition, which first struck prior to December's European Short Course Championships. The condition has attacked mainly her knee and elbow joints. Despite this she has still trained on the days when the condition has allowed her to. Additionally, she has maintained her coursework on her BSc Sport Science degree at Coventry University. Helen is one of a number of elite Sports Scholarship students, who receive lifestyling and financial support from the University to combine the pursuit of academic and sporting excellence. The University's flexible course arrangements have ensured that she could maintain her academic progress in spite of her condition. Following expert assistance via the British Olympic Association Medical Council, it is hoped that with time she could make a recovery, which will allow her to challenge for further international honours for Great Britain.

Commonwealth record for Gibson

Loughborough University's James Gibson today established a new British and Commonwealth record for the 50 breaststroke at a meet in Sheffield. His time of 28.1 was performed unshaved and unrested, clearly boding well for the World Championship Trials which start in Manchester in just over one week's time.

More World records fall

As well as the incredible time of 1:54.92 by 15 year old Michael Phelps to establish a new 200 butterfly world record, other Americans have also been showing their world record breaking colours at their Nationals / World Trials. Following Ed Moses' 100 Breaststroke record, compatriot Anthony Robinson slashed the 50 metre breaststroke record the very next day in a specially arranged time trial. Robinson, 21, recorded 27.49 to shave 15/100ths of the 1996 time of Ukraine's Alexander Dzhaburiya. After Moses had wrapped up victory in the 200 breaststroke with the 2nd fastest time ever (2:10.40) another 50 time trial was arranged. It was in this that Moses reduced the record even further to 27.39 leaving Robinson only 48 hours to savour his hold on the world record mark. Moses went on to state his desire to hold all three breaststroke world records at once by the time the World Championships are over.

America's answer to Thorpe!

Never ones to be overshadowed by anyone, let alone Australia, it would appear that America is beginning to unveil its own version of Ian Thorpe on the world. He comes in the shape of 15 year old Michael Phelps from the North Baltimore club that previously produced world breaststroke record holder Anita Nall. Phelps, already an Olympic finalist in Sydney last year, stepped up a gear this week to claim the scalp of Olympic champion Tom Malchow in his favoured event, the 200 Butterfly at the American Nationals / World Trials. However, even more incredible was the time recorded by Phelps for the distance, 1:54.92! A new world record! The first swimmer to go under 1:55 and the youngest American male world record holder ever at just 15! Incredibly, Phelps also placed 3rd in both the 200 and 400 IM events during this week's proceedings, just missing a triple World Championship selection with times of 2:02 and 4:15. This is one guy who looks to have a very bright future indeed and talk has actually already begun as to whether he might actually challenge Thorpe on freestyle one day!

Aussie team not too small after all!

Despite previously stating that budgetary constraints may limit their team size for this year's World Championships in Japan, Australia has announced a team of 44 swimmers and 13 coaches for July event in Fukuoka. The team, which includes 26 Sydney Olympians is just 8 short of the maximum permitted team size of 52. As expected, Doug Frost was named Head Men's Coach and Mark Regan Head Women's Coach with Don Talbot remaining in overall charge. Other coaches named on the team are: Roger Bruce, Greg Salter, Narelle Simpson, Alan Thompson, Ken Wood, Denis Cotterell, Jim Fowlie, Ian Pope, Barry Prime and Gennadi Touretski.

World records tumble

World records have been tumbling this month with new marks being set for different events throughout the world. Australian superstar Ian Thorpe has now notched up the 13th world record of his career still at the slender age of 18. This week Thorpe has destroyed both the 200 and 800 long course freestyle world records at the Australian Nationals / World Trials. He wiped over 4 seconds off Kieran Perkins 800 record to reset it at a stunning 7:41.59 including a last 200 of 1:51 and leaving teammate Grant Hackett 3 seconds adrift but also inside the old time. The swim has even caused distance legend Kieran Perkins to urge Thorpe to have a go at the 1500 world record as well. The next day, Thorpe became the first man to swim under 1:45 for the long course 200 freestyle winning the final in 1:44.69 and eclipsing the 1:45.35 time of arch rival Pieter Van den Hoogenband from the Olympics. Thorpe also won the 100 freestyle at the Australian Trials in 49.05. Such form only increases expectations of the much awaited return clash between Thorpe and Hoogenband at the World Championships in Japan in July. Meanwhile, at the American Nationals / World Trials, Ed Moses has reclaimed the 100 metre breaststroke world record and edged closer to that elusive 1 minute barrier with a swim of 1:00.29 to knock 7/100ths off last year's time by Roman Sloudnov.

Aussies separate swim teams

Australia has followed the example of the United States by announcing it will have separate head men's and women's coaches for its national teams. This is seen as necessary if they are to raise the standard of their women's team to one that is capable of beating the rest of the world. Doug Frost (coach to Ian Thorpe) has been named head men's coach while Mark Regan (AIS Head Coach) is expected to be announced as the head women's coach.

Britain soft on drugs says official

Britain is soft on athletes who test positive for banned drugs, a top Australian drug official said.'It may not be the sin of commission we saw in East Germany,' John Mendoza, chief executive of the Australian Sports Drug Agency, said at a seminar in London on Monday night. 'But it is the sin of omission.' Various British athletes, (e.g. Linford Christie, Mark Richardson, Doug Walker) have been cleared by UK Athletics after testing positive for the steroid nandrolone. However, the IAAF rejected these findings and suspended the athletes. Mendoza said there was a perception among Australian athletes that Britain was 'emerging to challenge China' for being lenient on combating drugs in sports. David Sparkes, chief executive of Britain's Amateur Swimming Association and one of the delegates at the conference, said the suspicions arose 'not because British competitors are cheating but there is a perception that people are cheating and we are not dealing with it in an effective way.' Sparkes said he and David Moorcroft, chief executive of UK Athletics, have written to Sports Minister Kate Hoey pushing for creation of a drug-testing agency funded by the government instead of UK Sports. Source: Associated Press

Aussies likely to send smaller team to World's

Australia is not expecting to send a full team to the July World Championships in Japan due to lack of finance. Traveling to, and staying in Japan is not cheap at the moment especially with the Australian dollar weakening recently. Only the event winners from the Trials currently taking place are guaranteed a place on the plane to Fukuoka as budget takes a bigger role in team selection than performances. A number of other countries are also likely to have small teams for the World's with Canada already having named just 16 swimmers for the meet and nations like South Africa and France also expected to stick with their policy of recent years of only sending medal hopefuls. The United States will no doubt field a strong team but with stars such as Tom Dolan, Lenny Krayzelburg and Misty Hyman opting to miss the World's while others such as Jenny Thompsen and Dara Torres have now retired a number of events could be thrown wide open at both the American Trials and World Championships.

Hoogenband stars at Glasgow Grand Prix

Double Olympic champion Pieter van den Hoogenband made a successful return to competition with a set of world class swims at the Glasgow Grand Prix meet in Scotland this weekend. Times of 22.7 and 24.9 in the 50 free and 50 fly heats were used as warm up swims for his main events, the 100 and 200 freestyle. Dominating the field from the start, Hoogenband showed his superior class to win the 200 by over six seconds in 1:47.54 and then capture the 100 in 49.54. After his Olympic triumphs, Hoogenband took 4 months out of the water in order to catch up on all the partying he had previously missed during his preparations for Sydney with friends and relations. Having only been back in the water a few weeks his times were both quicker than expected and bode well for the showdown with Thorpe come the World Championships in July.

Perkins worried for Australian swimming's future

Kieren Perkins has expressed his concerns about the future of Australian swimming. His worries centre around the retirement of several veteran swimmers after the Games and for young coaches who have a strong science background. 'I think we're going to find a new coaching staff coming through who are probably going in the wrong direction a little bit…They're taking the art of coaching far too scientifically and they're not paying enough attention to their athletes' needs individually…They are scientists more than teachers,' said Perkins.

Sweetenham wants Australian training base

British swimming National Performance Director has expressed his desire to set up a training base in Australia for Britain's elite swimmers to take advantage of better and cheaper facilities than back home as well as the obvious good weather. He sees this as being especially relevant in preparing for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, the time when he expects a new era of British swimmers to emerge on the big stage ready to challenge the world's best. Britain has just 7% of the long course facilities Australia has but these cost more to run and hire than ALL of Australia's long course pools.

Hoogenband confirms Glasgow race

Double Olympic gold medallist and world record holder Pieter Van den Hoogenband has confirmed that he will participate in the City of Glasgow British Grand Prix Meet later this month. The flying Dutchman has just completed an intensive three week training camp in South Africa and is looking forward to racing some of Britain's best over the 50, 100, 200 Freestyle and 50 Butterfly at the fast Toll Cross pool from 23-25 March.

New womens 100 backstroke world record

Japanese Olympic silver medallist Mia Nakamura has broken the womens short course 100 backstroke world record at a meet in Sagamihara, Japan this week. Nakamura clocked 58.45 to knock 5/100ths off the previous time set by America's Angel Martino in 1993 at the World Short Course Championships.

Records galore at Scottish Nationals

National records just kept on falling over the weekend at the Scottish National Short Course Championships in Glasgow. The two day meet at the fast Toll Cross facility was host to a bundle of records from Scotland's rising stars. Stirling coaches Chris Martin and Grant Robins and City of Edinburgh staff Tim Jones and Alan Rapley will have been particularly pleased with their charges' performances that dominated virtually every event. Triple European Junior medallist Kirsty Balfour (City of Edinburgh / Hearts) captured all three womens breaststroke events including new Scottish senior records in the 100 (1:09.21) and 200 (2:30.58). David Leith (City of Edinburgh /Warrender) became the first Scot to break 50 seconds for the 100 freestyle when he clocked an impressive 49.96 while teammate Gregor Tait (City of Edinburgh / Hearts) lowered his own 100 and 200 backstroke records with 53.72 and 1:57.98 respectively. The future looks good on backstroke for Scotland with Darren Ward (Stirling) setting a new British Junior record in the 100 (56.87) and a new Scottish mark in the 200 (2:04.21). Sprint specialist Kenny Clark (coached by Andy Figgins at East Kilbride) reduced his 50 freestyle Scottish record to 22.72 while Kerry Martin (Stirling) improved her 100 butterfly record to 1:01.36. Compatriot Todd Cooper captured the mens record with an excellent time of 54.73 while Chris Jones (City of Edinburgh / Hearts) lowered the 200 time to 2:00.27. Ian Edmond (City of Edinburgh / Warrender) continued his good form by taking the mens 50 breaststroke record in 28.38 with colleague Mike Cole (City of Edinburgh / Warrender) gaining the Scottish 400 I.M. record (and almost the British record too) with an outstanding 4:16.61. First Aquatic swimmer and Billy McGoldrick coached Rowena Cornish improved her 50 backstroke record to 29.33 while Scottish based Anglo Jamie Salter received the swimmer of the meet award after four wins including a very impressive 15:09.16 in the 1500 freestyle. Scottish swimmers will now look forward to converting these into long course results at the Glasgow Grand Prix later this month and the World Championship Trials in Manchester next month.

Leeds Grand Prix Meet - Review

Olympians Adam Ruckwood and Heidi Earp rounded off the Speedo Grand Prix in Leeds with a hat-trick of wins in the backstroke and breaststroke respectively. Former Commonwealth Games champion Ruckwood, 24, was made to work hard for his third victory of the weekend in the 200 metres backstroke. City of Edinburgh swimmer and Scottish record holder Gregor Tait led for the first 150m before Ruckwood finally overhauled him to touch home first in 2:03.51, just 0.23secs ahead of Tait.   Earp, 20, who hails from Newcastle-under-Lyme but is now based in Nottingham where she is studying at university, added the 200m breaststroke to the 50 and 100 she won on the previous day. The British 100m record holder, who swims for Nova Centurion, completed the race in 2:36.15, three seconds ahead of 16 year old Kirsty Balfour from City of Edinburgh. A trio of other busy swimmers claimed top spot on the podium three times each in this first long-course meet of the season. Home favourite Stuart Trees of the City of Leeds, already winner of the 1500m and 200m freestyle, completed his hat-trick with the 400m. Melanie Marshall, from Boston but now swimming for Loughborough University, captured the 50 and 100 backstroke as well as the 50 freestyle. Holly Fox, European junior medallist and reigning British short-course champion for the 400 I.M., from Reading won the 200m butterfly to go with the 200 and 400 I.M. triumphs that she had already clinched.

ASFGB appoints first chairman

The Amateur Swimming Federation of Great Britain has appointed its first ever chairman in Chris Baillieu. Baillieu, a silver medallist in rowing at the 1976 Montreal Olympics brings to swimming a wealth of experience from working with rowing athletes, to commentating for the BBC and close relations with the major stakeholders in British sport as part of rowing management. He views his lack of swimming specific knowledge as a strength in that he arrives in the sport with no baggage and is able to make a complete fresh start. The former four time Cambridge Blue in the Boat Race has children who swim and is looking forward to meeting swimmers and coaches as well as working with Bill Sweetenham, John Atkinson and David Sparkes to ensure Britain succeeds in Athens in 2004.

Supplements may elevate nandrolone levels - report.

Some nutritional supplements can produce levels of the banned steroid nandrolone up to 300 times above the permitted limit, according to research by an international doping lab. Professor Wilhelm Schaencer, head of the IOC accredited lab in Cologne, Germany, has reported that some supplements caused male volunteers to produce nandrolone levels way above the legal limit. His work has analysed over 100 nutritional supplements from the United States and Europe and plans to look at 600 more. Thus far, Schaencer reports 16 of these supplements produced contamination banned steroids. The IOC has allocated $75,000 to fund the research project in Cologne, with the aim of determining whether certain supplements contain steroids or their precursors. Recent years have seen a rash of positive nandrolone cases including high-profile British athletes Linford Christie and Dougie Walker.

Foster regains 'fastest man in water' title

Mark Foster has reclaimed the 50m freestyle world short course record to once again hold the unofficial title of world's fastest swimmer. Swimming at the final FINA World Cup meet of the season in Paris Sunday, Foster recorded a time of 21.13 smashing Olympic champion Anthony Ervin's previous mark of 21.21 set in March 2000. Foster can look forward to a prosperous spring after the clutch of healthy cash bonuses he has earned from his World Cup duties over the past few weeks. The Ian Turner coached sprinter will now turn his attention to preparations for the World Championships later this year.

Foster continues good form at Berlin World Cup

Britain's Mark Foster narrowly missed out on a second world record of the week at the Berlin World Cup meet Sunday, instead having to settle for a European record. Foster won the mens 50 freestyle in 21.24, just 0.03 away from the world mark currently held by American Anthony Ervin, citing a poor turn as the reason for not picking up another world record cash bonus. Foster was disappointed despite setting a new European mark and beating Alexandre Popov and Jason Lezak in the process. However, Foster will challenge the record again in Paris in a few days time.

Ponds Forge lays claim to another World Record at World Cup meet

Mark Foster stole the limelight at the Sheffield round of the FINA World Cup Wednesday when he smashed the mens 50 butterfly world record. Foster, who is coached by Ian Turner in Bath, became the first man to break 23 seconds for the event as he finished in an amazing 22.87 (10.33 split) slicing 0.33 off Lars Froelander's previous time of 23.19. The feat earned Foster a healthy cash bonus of $40000. Rebecca Cooke continued her rise up the female distance freestyle ranks when claiming the scalp of double Olympic champion Brooke Bennett in the 800 event. Cooke, a protege of Stephen Hill at the Reading club also came extremely close to breaking Sarah Hardcastle's British record for the event finishing in 8:24.01, just 0.05 outside the required time. However, it would appear to only be a matter of time before she captures the record. One swimmer who did break a British record was Chris Nesbit coached Commonwealth 200 backstroke champion Katy Sexton. Sexton, from the Portsmouth Northsea club won her favored event in 2:08.13 to narrowly eclipse Helen Don-Duncan's previous mark. The Sheffield event was witness to numerous other excellent performances but it was somewhat disappointing to see a relatively low entry from British based clubs.

British swimmers looking forward to home World Cup

British swimmers are looking forward this week to the home based World Cup meet in Sheffield starting Wednesday. A good entry has been received from both this country and foreign shores making for some exciting quality races ahead. Britain's top sprinter Mark Foster will attempt to regain the world records for the 50 freestyle and butterfly events although he will face tough opposition from American Olympic relay gold medallist Jason Lezak in the former race. An expectant crowd are sure to enjoy seeing other US Olympic champions Brooke Bennett and Megan Quann competing in their respective main events. British breaststroke record holders Darren Mew and James Gibson will be pushed hard by German Mark Warnecke who holds the 50 world record. Leading Britain's womens freestyle challenge will be Karen Pickering but apart from her main domestic rivals, strong challenges are also expected from Slovakian Martina Moravcova and Australian's Lori Munz and Elka Graham. Former world record holder Dennis Pankratov will push for honours in the mens butterfly events with South African Mandy Loots sure to be among the leaders in the womens fly races. 

Esposito betters Hickman world record

French fly specialist Franck Esposito has broken the mens short course world record for the 200 butterfly. Esposito recorded a time of 1:51.58 at the French team championships in Antibes to knock 0.18 off James Hickman's previous mark. This now leaves Hickman without any world records and Britain with just one, the womens 4 x 200 freestyle relay short course.

Mixed results for Scots at Imperia World Cup

Scottish swimmers had a mixed set of results this weekend at the Imperia round of the FINA World Cup in Italy. Teenager Louise Coull was the best of assembled team when showing her excellent promise for the future with a second place finish in the 200 Backstroke (2:11.70) and third in the 100 metre distance (1:02.49). Ian Edmond maintained his recent excellent form with a new Scottish record 1:00.81 to place 5th in the 100 Breaststroke and also placed 4th in the 200 Breast. Gregor Tait finalled in all three mens backstroke events while Kirsty Balfour did the same in the womens breaststroke swims. Kerry Martin, Gemma Ritchie, Andrew Jameson, Rowena Cornish, Chris Whitcombe, Lauren Greenshields and Sam Hunter all had top eight finishes to gain excellent international experience. However, many of the times produced by the team were well outside personal best swims and the standards now being expected of British swimmers abroad by National Performance Director Bill Sweetenham of 2% outside best in heats and 1% in finals.

Krayzelburg to miss World Championships

Triple Olympic champion Lenny Krayzelburg has noted his intention to take swimming less seriously in 2001 in favour of travelling and soaking up some of the culture he has missed in the past few years. The 25 year old American, who claims to have only had 5 days away from training in the 2 years leading up to the Olympics, will not compete at this year's US National or World Championships. Instead he plans to train less and compete more in Europe and at the Maccabiah Games in Isreal in July. However, the break will only be temporary as he also aims to defend his Olympic titles at Athens in 2004. 

Turner wins BSCTA Coach of the Year

University of Bath Head Coach Ian Turner won the BSCTA Coach of the Year Award last night at the BSCTA Annual Awards Dinner. Turner placed 13 Bath swimmers on the Great Britain 2000 Olympic Team and produced the best individual British finish at the Games with Paul Palmer's 5th place and British record in the 200 Freestyle. He also collected the Top Team Trophy on behalf of Bath who had the highest combined points score from the 3 major national championships of the year. Stockport Metro Head Coach Dave Calleja, who has now moved on to lead the new Manchester Performance Centre, was honoured with the Speedo Coaching Award for Excellence for his continual production of national champions and international swimmers in recent years. Junior Swimmer Coach of the Year went to Dennis Parker & David McNulty for their work with Nicola Jackson while Alasdair Whike won the Alan Hime Award for Kirsty Balfour's 3 medals at the European Junior Championships. Disabled Swimmer Coach of the Year was Emma Berwick, Paul Palmer won Male Swimmer of the Year while Karen Pickering, Ros Brett, Sue Rolph and Alison Sheppard were joint winners of the Female Swimmer of the Year following their 5th place 4 x 100 freestyle relay finish in Sydney.