bscta : Archive Jan

ASA National Championships get under way

The ASA National Championships got underway this morning in Coventry. The meet is the final racing opportunity for the 41 strong England team prior to next month's Commonwealth Games in Manchester. However, the meet is not flush with entries with many events only requiring 2 or 3 heats in the morning sessions and early reports confirm that the atmosphere is a bit thin on the ground. Leading the qualifiers from the heats this morning are: Adam Faulkner 4:01.48 (Mens 400 free); Rebecca Cooke 4:17.95 (Womens 400 free); Seth Chappels 23.94 (Mens 50 free); Catrin Davies 26.47 (Womens 50 free); Darren Mew 29.49 (Mens 50 breast); Zoe Baker 33.02 (Womens 50 breast); James Hickman 55.82 (Mens 100 fly); Nicola Jackson 1:01.58 (Womens 100 fly); James Goddard 2:04.73 (Mens 200 back); Sarah Price 2:12.99 (Womens 200 back). Notable absentees from tonights finals will include: Karen Pickering (50 free, 27.4); Robin Francis (200 back, 2:11.7); Natalie Tunrer (100 fly, 1:05.7).

Further turmoil for Canadian Games team

© Swimnews. Nikki Dryden. For the third time in four months the Canadian Swim Team heading to the Commonwealth Games in one month's time has been changed. On March 24, 2002 Swimming/Natation Canada (SNC) announced the 40-member able bodied swimmers heading to Manchester. Poolside protests erupted immediately as the selection committee appeared to have overlooked three silver medallists in lieu of three higher point scoring bronze medallists from the Canadian Nationals / Commonwealth Trials in Winnipeg. Over a month later, on May 16, 2002, SNC announced that following the decision of an internal appeals panel, the selection committee had been instructed to review the selection of a portion of the Games team. Then on May 23, 2002 SNC announced that the three bronze medal swimmers were being de-selected from the team, in place of the three overlooked silver medallists. This meant that Annamay Pierse, Gord Veldman, and Doug Wake were de-selected from the team, and Kurtis MacGillivary, Chad Murray, and Karley Stutzel were added. However, the three de-selected swimmers took their appeal to the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Sport (ADR-SPORT-RED), where their appeal against SNC was heard. On June 23, 2002, (one day before the deadline SNC had to submit the names of its swim team members to the Commonwealth Games) the ADR allowed the appeal of Pierse, Veldman, and Wake, and found that the internal appeals panel was "unreasonable and directed SNC to restore the original team selection made by the selection committee on March 24, 2002."

Rolland added to Canadian Games team

Canadian selectors have included butterfly specialist Nadine Rolland to the team for next month's Manchester Commonwealth Games. Rolland, was originally left out of the team following a questionable interpretation of the selction criteria.

British Euro Open Water team

British Swimming has announced a team of 5 swimmers to contest next month's European Open Water Championships. Paula Wood is the only female athlete in the team and will take part in the 5k and 10k events. The remaining members are: Ben Lack 5k, Greg Orphanides 5k and 10k, David Proud 5k and 10k, James Leitch 10k and 25k.

Wales annouces Commonwealth team

The following swimmers has been selected to represent Wales at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester next month: Michelle BUSHELL, Bethan COOLE, Catrin DAVIES, David DAVIES, Georgia HOLDERNESS, Holly JAMES, Dawn JASON, Karla HANCOCKS, Howe MACKENZIE, Julia MARTIN, Owen MORGAN.

Which? survey reveals poor water quality in British pools

An inquiry conducted for the consumer magazine Which? on 61 water samples taken in British swimming pools has revealed poor standards of water quality. Only 50% of samples were deemed satisfactory. And although the majority of the remaining samples were catalogued as adequate and at the limit of acceptable parameters, nine were described as posing a health risk and three "potentially serious". All the samples presented contained varying amounts of sweat, mucus, faeces, urine, chemical residues from shampoo and comsetic cream and the presence of "Pseudomonas aeruginosa" a bacteria responsible for several ear and skin infections.

Records fall at Japanese Nationals

Three national and one Asian record have already been smashed during the first three days of competition at the Japanese National Championships currently taking place in Tokyo. Jiro Miki set a Japanese and Asian record in winning the men's 200m IM in a blistering 2:01.10. Miki pulled away during the breaststroke leg to touch out Takahiro Mori, who raced to a fast 2:01.64. Miki's time ranks third globally in 2002, behind the Italian pair of Massi Rosolino and Alessio Boggiatto. Sachiko Yamada set the second national record of the third day's racing, stopping the clock in 16:17.77 to win the women's 1500 meters freestyle, almost 20 seconds ahead of the second place finisher, Ai Shibata. On the first day of competition, Yamada won the 400 free in 4:11.84 and earlier this spring, broke the world short course record for 800m. Her time ranks her third in the world this year, behind the USA's Diana Munz and China's Chen Hua. It was Chen's record Yamada broke in the short course 800. Tomoko Hagiwara, was the third national record breaker when she breezed to a world leading time of 2:10.04 ahead of a fast field that included three other swimmers under 2:13. Hagiwara later claimed her second gold with a win in the 200 IM (2:13.65).

Touretski facing sack

Australian Commonwealth Games coach Gennadi Touretski could be sacked from his job with the Australian Institute of Sport if he is prosecuted over an alleged incident on a Quantas Airways flight. Police confirmed that 52 year old Touretski, who escaped a drugs charge last year, is under investigation after an incident on a flight from Singapore to Sydney last week. No charges have yet been brought. Qantas Airways said a passenger had "behaved inappropriately towards a number of passengers and crew" and was questioned by police on arrival in Sydney. ustralian Sports Commission manager of corporate communications, Doug Holden, confirmed the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) was looking into the incident.

Touretski was charged last year after police found banned steroids in a safe stolen from his Canberra home but the case against him was dismissed when his wife Inna Touretski was not compelled to give evidence against her husband. Under Australian law, a spouse can be excused from giving evidence if harm to the relationship is found to outweigh the importance of the testimony. He later underwent heart bypass surgery before returning to coaching, only to find most of his swimmers had deserted him. In April he claimed that fellow Australian coaches had poached his swimmers during his suspension on drug charges. One of Touretski's current swimmers, Ray Haas, ensured Touretski a berth on the Australian Manchester Commonwealth Games team with a win in the 200m backstroke at the Australian championships in March. Unfortunately however, Hass injured his elbow in a fall on the Mare Nostrum tour in Monte Carlo earlier this month and is now rated very doubtful for the Manchester Games. In 1995 the Russian born Touretski was jailed for a month and fined 10,000 dollars (5,000 US) after punching the pilot, biting a flight attendant's arm and poking a fellow passenger in the eye while intoxicated on a flight to the Pan Pacific Championships in Atlanta. He was reprimanded by Australian Swimming but remained in the fold because of his coaching brilliance with swimmers such as Michael Klim and Alex Popov. Touretski coached Popov to four Olympic gold medals and Klim to four world championship gold medals and three Olympic golds.

Ayres announces retirement

Welsh breaststroke swimmer Andrew Ayers has announced his retirement from competitive swimming after battling persistent problems with back injuries. Ayers, 25, swam for Wales in the Commonwealth Games in Victoria and Kuala Lumpur.

New Zealand annouces Commonwealth team

Vivenne Rignall, Dean Kent and veterans Toni Jeff and Jon Winter will head a ten strong New Zealand team at the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Manchester this July. The full team is: Moss Burmester, Cameron Gibson, Melissa Ingram, Toni Jeffs, Dean Kent, Hannah McLean, Vivienne Rignall, Nick Sheeran, Elizabeth van Welie, Jon Winter.

News from Super Grand Prix in Glasgow

Many of Britain's leading swimmers were in action in Glasgow at the ASFGB Super Grand Prix this weekend. Although a disappointing number of entries were received for the event (the heats lasted just over an hour!), some encouraging performances were produced as the preparations for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester next month continue. Manchester based Scot, Graeme Smith, the 1996 Olympic silver medalist in the 1500 freestyle will have been very pleased with the time of 15:12+ he recorded to win the event in Glasgow. Similarly, Scottish based English team member Rebecca Cooke swam a particularly impressive 8:34+ to claim victory in the 800 freestyle. Both swimmers look sure fire bets to medal in these events come the Games. As does Sarah Price. The Rhys Gormley coached Barnet Copthall swimmer continued her good form this season with world class times of 1:01 and 2:11 in the 100 and 200 backstroke events. For a full round up of all the results visit the SwimScotland website.

Claudia Poll tests positive!

1996 Olympic champion Claudia Poll, Costa Rica's greatest ever sportswomen and its only Olympic gold medalist, has tested positive for a performance enhancing steroid and will be suspended from competition for four years, according to an statement yesterday by FINA in Lausanne, Switzerland. 29 year old Poll tested positive for the substance Norandrosterone (metabolites of nandrolone) taken in an out of competition test conducted during a training session on February 25 in San Jose, Costa Rica. The decision to suspend her was taken at a FINA Doping panel hearing in Lausanne on May 31. Under FINA rules, all of Poll's performances achieved during the six months prior to her suspension will be nullified. Poll appeared at the hearing along with her coach, Francisco Rivas, and her attorney, Dr. Jürgen Schäfer. Under FINA rules, Poll has one month during which she can appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Poll insisted on her innocence, pointing out that she has undergone more than 55 drug tests during the past 9 years including 11 tests in 2001 and 2002, and had never previously tested positive. In addition, samples collected from her by FINA on March 26, 2002, were negative, as were a series of urine and blood tests initiated by herself at a hospital San Jose and another urine test conducted on April 2, 2002, and analysed by the laboratory at UCLA. She also alleged that the procedures used during her February 25 test were highly irregular and did not comply even with the required minimum standards established in the FINA rulebook. Poll won the 200m freestyle at the 1996 Atlanta Games, defeating world record holder Franziska van Almsick, and igniting a wild, day long celebration in Costa Rica. Four years later in Sydney she won bronze medals in both the 200 and 400 meter freestyle. Poll holds the world record in the short course 400 meter freestyle. Ironically, Poll's older sister, Sylvia, was a silver medalist at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, behind East Germany's Heike Friedrich. East German secret police (Stasi) files later revealed that Friedrich (along with all other East German Olympic swimmers) had systematically been doped as a matter of national policy.

Mafioso accuses Rosolino of drug use

Italian Olympic champion Massimiliano Rosolino has been accused of using performance enhancing drugs by a Mafioso. The allegations were published in Italian newspaper La Republica stating that Rosolino's name had appeared on a list supplied by an ex-trafficker of doping substances to Italian doping investigators. Rosolino's lawyer has announced that the swimmer will take out defamation of character proceedings against the newspaper. "I have never used any doping substances nor have I ever known anyone who could have led me astray like that," Rosolino told a news conference in Naples. "I am sick and tired of being knocked down in the newspapers for something which I have always been completely against." Rosolino added that the allegations had left him angry and bitter. "I feel wounded and afflicted," said the swimmer yesteday afternoon. Rosolino, holds both an Italian and Australian passport (due to his mother being Australian) and has threatened to quit Italy and compete for Australia instead at the next Olympics.

Brits face stiff competition in Monaco

A small contingent of British swimmers were in action at the Monaco leg of the Mare Nostrum tour this weekend. The Monaco meet regularly attracts big name swimmers and this year was no exception as superstars such as Pieter van den Hoogenband, Alex Popov, Yana Klochkova, Sandra Volker, Amanda Beard and Lenny Krayzelburg all turned out in the Mediterranean sun. Sprint breaststroke specialist Zoe Baker was Britain's leading swimmer. The New Zealand based, Kim Swanick coached swimmer completed a head to head 31.70 victory in the 50 breaststroke over American Kristy Kowal. Chris Nesbit coached Portsmouth Northsea swimmer Margie Peddar notched up a silver medal in her favoured 200 butterfly race with a 2:13.35 but was no match for Poland's Otylia Jedrejzcak who won in 2:10.59. Scotland sent three swimmers to the meet and all gained valuable experience by reaching finals. Gregor Tait placed 8th in both 100 (57.61) and 200 backstrokes but will be disappointed with his 2:06.39 time in the latter, some six seconds adrift of his personal best set in April. Kirsty Balfour returned two 6th place finishes in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes (1:12.77 and 2:36.61 respectively) while Aberdonian David Carry swam well to finish 4th in the 200 IM (2:05.66) and 7th in the 200 freestyle (1:53.02). The group moves on to the Rome leg commencing Tuesday before flying back to Glasgow for the British Super Grand Prix this weekend.

Haas serious doubt for Games

Australian backstroker Ray Hass will undergo elbow surgery this week following an accident yesterday while in Monte Carlo for the Mare Nostrum tour. "Ray had a fall in Monte Carlo while out with his teammates," Australian swimming chief Glenn Tasker said. "He was admitted to hospital and may need surgery on his elbow, which will almost certainly rule him out of both the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships." Hass, trained by Russian Gennadi Touretski at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, is ranked number one in the Commonwealth and number two in the world on the 2002 FINA world rankings for 200 backstroke. The news gives a serious boost to the Commonwealth Games medal chances of Scotland's Gregor Tait. Tait currently ranks third in the Commonwealth behind Haas and fellow Aussie Matt Welsh following his victory at the British Nationals in April in a lifetime best of 2:00.02.

Germany selects strong team for Europeans

World champions Hannah Stockbauer, Sandra Völker and world record holder Franziska van Almsick will lead a 34 strong German team to contest the 2002 European Championships in Berlin this July. Nineteen yearold South African Sarah Poewe is not part of the team although she does hold dual citizenship and did compete at the German Trials that concluded Sunday. Meanwhile, Lars CONRAD and Janne SCHÄFER have been granted another chance to qualify as they were sick during the trials. New faces on the team include Ernest Fahrland, Moritz Zimmer, Leif-Marten Krüger and Carolin Böhm. The full team list is as follows: WOMEN: Franziska van ALMSICK, Carolin BÖHM, Antje BUSCHSCHULTE, Petra DALLMANN, Meike FREITAG, Jana HENKE, Annika MEHLHORN, Katrin MEIßNER, Nicole HETZER, Janine PIETSCH, Anne POLESKA, Alessa RIES, Daniela SAMULSKI, Britta STEFFEN, Hannah STOCKBAUER, Sandra VÖLKER, Simone WEILER. MEN: Steffen DRIESEN, Ernest FAHRLAND, Jochen HANZ, Heiko HELL, Stefan HERBST, Jörg HOFFMANN, Christian KELLER, Leif-Marten KRÜGER, Jens KRUPPA, Stephan KUNZELMANN, Stefan POHL, Thomas RUPPRATH, Torsten SPANNEBERG, Stev THELOKE, Jens THIELE, Mark WARNECKE, Moritz ZIMMER. HEAD COACH: Ralf Beckmann.

Hodge pleased with progress

The Australian team is in good form in the run up to the Commonwelath Games in Manchester this summer. That's according to Greg Hodge, the Australian High Performance Director for swimming, following the Grand Prix meet in Cairns last weekend. "There were some surprisingly quick times, especially by some of our younger swimmers given the stage of their preparations," commented Hodge. "To be doing those times at this stage is really outstanding... Looking ahead to the Commonwealth Games we're in pretty good shape."

Germans swim fast at Trials!

The German swimmers were in great form at their Nationals Championships / European Trials that concluded in Warendorf today. Perhaps the biggest story of the meet was the welcome return to form of Franziska van Almsick who captured a hat-trick of titles when winning the women's 100 freestyle (55.25), 200 freestyle (1:57.74) and 100 butterfly (59.15). The 100 fly and 200 free were both world leading times for 2002 and the 200 free swim was van Almsick's fastest performance in the event since she broke the world record aged 16 at the 1994 World Championships. Other first class performances included Thomas Rupprath who set a European record for the 100m butterfly in 51.88 seconds during the morning heats of the third day's action. Rupprath took 0.22 off the previous best mark set by Sweden's Lars Frolander last year in Fukuoka, Japan. The 25 year old is also the short course world record holder of the 100 and 200m butterfly in 50.10 and 1:51.21. Another European record fell, this time to Stev Theloke when winning the men's 50m backstroke Saturday. Theloke touched home in 25.26 to finish 15/100ths ahead of second placed Rupprath, the former European record holder, who clocked 25.41 for silver.

FINA announces improved EPO detection measures

The international swimming federation, FINA, has announced that the combined blood and urine tests for the detection of the use of the banned blood booster (synthetic hormone erythropoietin (EPO), darbopoietin (dEPO) and/or related substances) will be introduced in June, it said in a statement on Thursday. The new procedure was tested at the World Short Course Championships in Moscow in April, when all 98 blood samples tested proved negative.

Canadian selection in turmoil!

Following the decision of an internal appeals panel, Swimming Canada's selection committee has been instructed to review the selection of a portion of their 2002 Commonwealth Games team. At issue is the wording of the selection criteria which, depending on the world ranking time and quality of a swimmer's performance at the recent Commonwealth Games Trials, could allow for the discretionary selection of bronze medalists (Category E of the selection process) over silver medalists (Category D of the selection process). Various appeals were made following the Trials which took in place in Winnipeg, March 19-24. In the rationale behind its decision, the appeals panel stated that the selection criteria is clear and requires the selection of all Category D swimmers before the selection of any Category E swimmers. The panel has referred the matter back to the selection committee for re-selection on the basis that all Category D swimmers must be selected before any Category E swimmers. It is expected that the selection committee will reconvene and report back regarding its final selection of the team within ten days. An appeal was also made arguing that the selection criteria was unreasonable because it was based on performances in Olympic events only. Swimmers attempting to make the team in the non-Olympics events of the 50m butterfly, 50m backstroke and 50m breaststroke, could only qualify for the team through Category F of the selection criteria, which is based on the discretion of the selection committee and the national coach. The panel's decision on this was to not interfere with the selection committee's decision in setting the criteria to give priority to Olympic program events, stating, "The Committee made this decision reasonably and the criteria were provided well in advance of the Trials." "We're pleased that this part of the appeals process is now over so that final arrangements can begin to be made for the team," said Karen Spierkel, CEO of Swimming Canada. "The process itself has been handled in a very professional, fair and open manner with the full cooperation of SNC, the athletes and the appeals panel. We've kept the best interests of the athletes in mind, and have made every effort to follow due process as efficiently and as quickly as possible so that the team can focus on its training and preparation for success in Manchester."

South Africa names Commonwealth Games team

Swimming South Africa have put forward their recommended team selection to participate in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester from July 26 to August 4. The recommended team was submitted Wednesday to the South African Commonwealth Association for ratification and final approval: MEN: Roland Schoeman (Northern Tigers), Ryk Neethling (KZN), Terence Parkin (KZN), Brett Petersen (KZN), Theo Verster (KZN), Nick Folker (KZN), Lyndon Ferns (Limpopo), Hendrik Odendaal (WP) and Gerhard Zandberg (Northern Tigers). WOMEN: Sarah Poewe (WP), Mandy Loots (Central Gauteng), Charlene Wittstock (KZN), Helene Muller (CG) and Renate du Plessis (WP).

Smoking banned at 2004 Games

The 2004 Athens Olympic Games will be a non-smoking Olympics. Games organisers have announced that smoking will be banned in all competition and non-competition venues, including the main press centre and all outdoor sport sites. "The aim of Athens 2004 is to organise a non-smoking Games but without disturbing the delicate balance between the rights of smokers and non-smokers. A concession to smokers will only be possible in specially identified areas", officals said.

Ireland gets Europeans

Dublin, Ireland will host the 2003 European Short Course Championships after beating the bid of Stockholm to stage the event, the European Swimming League (LEN) announced Saturday. The 2002 event will be held in Riesa, Germany (12-15 December), following the withdrawal of French city Montpellier, due to financial problems.

Australian swimming star Daniel Kowalski yesterday announced his retirement from the sport due to a persistent shoulder injury. Kowalski was part of the gold medal winning 4 x 200 freestyle relay at the 2000 Olympics and won silver behind compatriot Kieren Perkins in the 1500 freestyle at the 1996 Olympics. He is the 4th fastest swimmer in history for both 800 and 1500 freestyle long course and swam the 1500 in less than 15:00 three times in his career. Here is Daniel's personal reflection on his career and the sport of swimming:

"There comes a time in every person’s life when it's time to move on. My time came last week. After years of dealing with chronic shoulder pain, two shoulder reconstructions and endless hours of rehabilitation, I have had enough and decided to hang up the trusty Speedo and go cold turkey on the chlorine fumes. In recent times I have been troubled by neck pain that is causing loss of feeling in my mouth and severe pins and needles in my hand. I’m passionate about our great sport but not to the point of possibly doing further damage to my body. I will miss the sport immensely and everything that it represents. I have had an incredible journey that started at the age of six. I can still remember, as a nine-year-old, sitting in my lounge room watching the ‘84 LA Olympics and knowing: that’s what I wanted to do in life.

After an average age group career, I dropped close to one minute off my 1500 time and came third at the Australian Olympic Trials in ’92, going 15:15 as a 16 year old. From there it has been one incredible roller coaster ride. My first team was Pan Pacs in ‘93 in Kobe, Japan where I won three silver medals -- all behind Kieren Perkins -- in the 400, 800 and 1500m free. I spent most of my time running around getting autographs from other swimmers; I was in awe the whole time -- especially seeing Janet Evans and Jeff Rouse. Apart from wins at the World Short Course Championships, it’s mostly been minor medals for me at the Olympic, World, Pan Pac or Commonwealth level behind Perkins, Grant Hackett or Ian Thorpe or Kiwi Danyon Loader. My personal highlight was the silver behind Perkins in the 1500 in Atlanta. It was an end of a great week and to finish second to a great friend and an absolute legend made it that much more special. It was the race that literally stopped the nation and I was so honoured to be a part of it.

What I will miss most are my teammates at the Miami Swim Club. My coach Denis Cotterell has been amazing, and to train alongside the likes of Grant Hackett, Giaan Rooney, Michael Klim and a host of youngsters has made a very frustrating three-year period a little easier. The sport has given and taught me lot about who I am. Two non-swimming highlights have been addressing the UN General Assembly in New York City in 1999, delivering a resolution on behalf of the IOC, as well as my role as a UN ambassador visiting refugee camps. Swimming has also provided me with great life skills but, most importantly, it has provided friendships that will last forever.

So much is made of the rivalry between the Australians and the US. For me it was always so hard to buy into. Don’t get me wrong: I wanted to be a part of the world’s number one swim team. But I never got the whole rivalry thing. I have so many friends in US swimming. Kristy Kowal is one of my closest friends; in Sydney I was cheering for her, muc to the dismay of my teammates. I keep in close contact with Courney Shealy, Nate Dusing ans Ed Moses as well as coaches Eddie Reese and Mike Walker at Texas and Mike Bottom at Cal. Anytime I can help, I will -- just as I would any swimmer or coach, whether they be Australian, American or European. I would love to take part in the dual meets scheduled to begin next year, but it will be in some capacity other than that of competitor. What I do know is that if out sport is going to be “all-world,” then it needs to be embraced by the USA, and everyone has to play his or her part to ensure this happens.

I will never lose the passion and love I have for our great sport. I have been so lucky to compete for Australia, an amazing country, with a great tradition and fanatical supporters. To the current stars and future champions, I say: continue to fly the flag for the greatest sport in the world, work hard, but most importantly enjoy the ride."

Doug Frost, coach to Ian Thorpe, the Australian men's team and Sutherland Leisure Centre Aquadot Club in Sydney, has been named the Telstra Coach of the Year at the annual Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association Annual Awards dinner on the Gold Coast. It is the second year running that Frost has won the coveted title, this year holding off strong competition from the likes of Ian Pope, Denis Cotterell, Mark Regan and Ken Wood who all produced individual champions at the 2001 World Championships. Other major awards on the night went to: Greg McWhirter (The Hills, NSW) - Coach of the Year for Working with a swimmer with a Disability, for his work with Australian Swimmer with a Disability Award winner Alicia Aberley. Open Water Coach of the Year - Glenda Radley (Commercial, Qld): who coached Hayley Lewis to a bronze medal in the 5km World Championship last year. Rookie Coach of the Year - Glen Baker, for his work with the Southern Bay Club in Melbourne. Age group coach of the year - Shannon Rollason (Chandler Qld) who won this award for the second successive year for the outstanding results achieved by his young sprint team. The AUSSI Masters Coach of the Year which went to Jeff Price. In what was a very moving award, the late Terry Gathercole AM, Olympian, Olympic coach and past president of Australian Swimming Inc. received posthumous recognition for his Outstanding Contributions to Australian Swimming. One of his former swimmers, 1982 Commonwealth Games representative Richard Cahalan and popular National Team and AIS coach Barry Prime both paid tribute to a man who did so much for Australian Swimming and who died just 12 months ago. Other Outstanding Contributions to Australian Swimming went to Australia's recently retired head coach Don Talbot and the executive director of ASCTA, Michael Ursu.

Mark Foster and Paul Palmer have both been awarded Honorary Blues from Bath University. The award is the highest accolade given for sporting success by the university and comes as recognition for their services to university sport through performance at national and international level. Both swimmers were Olympic finalists in 2000 and Palmer won a silver in the 1996 Atlanta Games. Foster has just returned with two medals from the World Short Course Championships in Moscow and is a former World Short Course Champion as well as current world record holder in the short course 50m freestyle.

British Swimming has selected a 22 swimmers to contest the European Junior Championships in Linz, Austria, from 11-14th July 2002. The team list is as follows: GIRLS: Julia BECKETT, Laura CAMPBELL, Laura CHASE, Kate HAYWOOD, Georgia HOLDERNESS, Amy KONOWALIK, Joanne JACKSON, Sarah JAMES, Kerianne PAYNE, Danielle PLACE, Julia PRESTON, Natalie PRINCE, Kerrie WASSALL, Katherine WYLD. BOYS: David BARTLETT, Ross DAVENPORT, David DAVIES, Carl GROSVENOR, Tom HERBERT, Ross HUGHES, Martin WEBSTER, Paul WEBSTER. The coaching staff will be announced at a later date.

Dani Gyurta. That is the name of a phenomenal Hungarian breaststroke swimmer - aged 12. Gyurta does not turn 13 until late May and in his last meet as a 12 year old in Austria last weekend he produced some times that will be turning the heads of the world's best. One year ago at the same meet, Gyurta, then aged 11, swam the 200 breaststroke (long course) in 2:26. This season that mark was slashed down to 2:17.98 to finish second in the senior race behind World Championship bronze medallist Maxim Podoprigora. Swims of 30.16 in the 50 and 1:04.78 in the 100 breaststroke followed as well as a 2:10.83 in the 200 I.M. to further demonstrate his outstanding ability. Such times are clearly the fastest ever known for a 12 year old and allow Dani to already be eyeing a podium position in Athens in 2004 where he believes it will take a sub 2:09 to win the 200 breaststroke gold. Do not be surprised to see him in the shake up for gold!

Olympic 400m freestyle bronze medallist, 2002 World Short Course Champion and four time NCAA champion Klete Keller has announced he is going to drop out of college and train full time in the lead up to the Athens Olympics in 2004. Currently at the highly successful University of Southern California under the reign of Mark Schubert, Keller will leave at the end of Spring semester and join Jon Urbanchek's programme in Michigan as a full time athlete. Keller has taken the decision in order to give himself the best possible chance of beating the likes of Ian Thorpe and Pieter van den Hoogenband on the Olympic stage.

Japanese distance swimmer Sachiko Yamada set a new women's world record for the 800m freestyle at the Japanese National Short Course Championships Tuesday. Yamada stopped the clock at 8:14.35 to knock 0.8 off the previous record of 8:15.15 held by China's Hua Chen.

Australian swimming team staff will today decide if Olympic and World 1500m freestyle Champion Grant Hackett and breaststroker Brooke Hanson will be able to compete in the World Short Course Championships which begin in Moscow Wednesday. Both swimmers contracted a virus whilst at a training camp in Sweden last week and have been quarantined from the rest of the squad for the past two days.

Australian based Russian coach Gennadi Touretski is back in the Australian team staff after being included in the group to travel to Manchester for the Commonwealth Games in July later this year. Touretski, who has coached swimmers such as Alex Popov and Michael Klim to Olympic Gold, was charged with possession of anabolic steroids last year but then reinstated as a coach at the Australian Institute of Sport after all allegations against him were dropped. He refused to comment on his selection as a coach for the Manchester Games although Greg Hodge, Australian high performance director, welcomed his comeback, "Gennadi's got a lot to offer Australian swimming," Hodge said. "The guy is a magician. He's got great knowledge and great skills." The full line up of Australian coaching staff for the meet is as follows: Men's Coaches: Alan Thompson (head men's coach), Denis Cotterell, Doug Frost, Ian Pope and Gennadi Touretski. Women's Coaches: Ken Wood (head women's coach), Roger Bruce, Mark Regan, Shannon Rollason and Greg Salter.

World Champions Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett, Geoff Huegill, Matt Welsh and Petria Thomas head a 41-strong Australian team that was named yesterday (following the conclusion of the Australian Natioanl Trials) to contest the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester in July. The full line up reads as follows: WOMEN: Jessica Abbott, Dyana Calub, Rebecca Creedy, Elka Graham, Brooke Hanson, Jodie Henry, Nicole Irving, Leisel Jones, Sarah Kasoulis, Alice Mills, Amanda Pascoe, Jennifer Reilly, Yvette Rodier, Giaan Rooney, Sarah Ryan, Tammie Smith, Clementine Stoney, Petria Thomas, Kelly Tucker, Kelli Waite, Tarnee White. MEN: Ashley Callus, Jason Cram, Leon Dunne, Grant Hackett, Regan Harrison, Ray Hass, Brett Hawke, Geoff Huegill, Leigh McBean, Grant McGregor, Justin Norris, Todd Pearson, Adam Pine, Jim Piper, Heath Ramsay, Ethan Rolff, Craig Stevens, Ian Thorpe, Rob Van der Zant, Matt Welsh. Nova

Auburn University has captured its first ever womens NCAA title (in any sport) and had to hold off the fastest ever NCAA field to do it. The win means that Auburn coach Dave Marsh becomes only the second swim coach ever to win both men's and women's collegiate crowns (Randy Reese was the first). No less than fifteen American and NCAA records fell over the three day meet, several more than once. Auburn won the meet with 474 points, 88 ahead of three time defending champion Georgia (386). Pre-meet favorite Stanford edged a surprising USC team by half a point for third, 301-300.5. Arizona was fifth with 291, followed by Texas (267.5), Florida (249), Cal (245), SMU (178), and Arizona State and Indiana tied for tenth (136). Cal sophomore Natalie Coughlin was the undoubted star of the meet claiming three individual titles and setting four American records. Coughlin's series of swims can only be described as one of the greatest set of performances at a meet of all time. Her record assault was launched into full swing when she won the 100 yards butterfly in 50.01. Just a few minutes later she became the first ever female to break 50 seconds for the 100 backstroke as she stopped the clock in a stunning 49.97! In fact Coughlin is the only female swimmer to have broken 50 and 51 seconds for the event as well, with the second fastest in history remaining a positively slow 52.4! To give a better idea of just how fast Coughlin is, both her 100 fly and 100 back swims convert to approximately 55 seconds for short course metres, although one can never be exact. As if that was not enough, Coughlin then proceeded to lead off the Cal 400 yard freestyle relay in another American record of 47.47 to beat the hot off the press time of 47.56 that has been set in the 100 freestyle final earlier by Georgia's Maritza Correia. On the final day's action, Coughlin showed no sign of tiredness as she stormed to another victory and America record, this time stopping the clock at 1:49.52 for the 200 yard backstroke.

British interest in the meet was headed up by Southern Calafornia's Joanna Fargus and Southern Methodist's Georgina Lee. Fargus swam 1:56.62 to place 7th behind Coughlin the 200 backstroke while Lee swam a very fast 1:54.92 to take second place in the 200 butterfly.

Candian Morgan Knabe set a new Commonwealth record of 1:00.95 when winning the 100m breaststroke at the Canadian Commonwealth Trials in Winnipeg yesterday. There was further joy for Knabe who was later awarded the 2001 Canadian Male Swimmer of the Year award. The female winner was Jennifer Fratesi.

Irvine Novaquatics swim sensation Aaron Piersol re-wrote the the record books with a new world record swim of 1:55.15 to win the 200 backstroke at the US Spring Nationals in Minnesota Wednesday. Piersol, who's sister had returned a silver medal in the 800 freestyle the previous day, looked in control the whole way and was swarmed by emotional team mates and coach David Salo afterwards. Despite no serious college based athletes taking part at the meet, other events were also of a high standard. A 56+ was required to make the womens 100 free final and Olympic champion Megan Quann was made to work hard to win the 200 breaststroke in 2:27.42.

Thorpe leads the way at Aussie Trials

Swimming superstar Ian Thorpe has booked his ticket to Manchester for the Commonwealth Games in July with a victory on each of the first two days of the Australian Trials in Brisbane. On day one, Thorpe narrowly missed his own world record but improved the Australian Allcomers record in the 400 freestyle with a blistering 3:40.54. He followed this up with a convincing win on day two in the 200 freestyle in 1:45.09. Also on the plane to Manchester will be Grant Hackett who placed second behind Thorpe in both these events. Although outclassed by Thorpe, Hackett's times of 3:45.39 and 1:46.67 are still world beating by just about every other measure and he will certainly be hard to beat come Manchester. As the trials progress over the next few days both Thorpe and Hackett are aiming to add the 100 freestyle to their event quota for the Games while Thorpe also goes for the 100 backstroke and Hackett the 1500 freestyle.

Austria names 7 for World Short Course

European champion Maxim Podoprigora and triple European Junior champion Mirna Jukic will lead a seven strong Austrian team at the World Short Course Championships in Moscow next month. However, former european champion Vera Lischka is unavailable for the women's squad. The full team is: WOMEN: Judith Draxler, Mirna Jukic, Fabienne Nadajarah, Petra Zahrl. MEN: Maxim Podoprigora, Patrick Schmollinger, Markus Rogan.

Bovell signs for Auburn

Auburn University has won the race to sign Bolles School star swimmer George Bovell, a Trinidad & Tobagan Olympian, for its programme next season. It is a major coup for Auburn coach David Marsh who Bovell will hope can continue his dramatic rise within the sport over the past 18 months. Bovell was one of the big surprises at the 2001 World Championships where he placed 4th in the 200 I.M. with 2:01.50. His heat time of 2:01.35 ranks him 6th globally for the event in 2001. He is expected to make a big impact on the NCAA circuit in backstroke and freestyle events as well as the medley.

Swimming is Australia's most popular sport

A survey in Australia covering 56 sports and 1500 people has confirmed swimming as the number one sport in the country with 64% of answers in favour of this, while swimming champion Ian Thorpe was judged as the most appropriate sports star to be used by sponsors. However the report doesn't specify the age of the surveyed group and following an investigation held last february by the Australian Bureau of Statstics, swimming has decreased in popularity among teenagers, more of who now prefer cycling andskateboarding.

LaFontaine heads down under

Canadian coach Pierre LaFontaine has been appointed as an Assistant Senior coach at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra. Lafontaine, who will take up his duties from mid-April until the 2004 Olympics, joins head coach Mark Regan, Barry Prime and Gennadi Touretski at the AIS. LaFontaine is currently the head coach to the Phoenix Swim Club (USA) and has built a reputation as one of North America's leading middle-distance and distance coaches with swimmers such as Olympic medallist Klete Keller to his credit.

Baker loses world record

Sweden's Emma Igelstrom has recaptured Zoe Baker's World Short Course record in the women's 50 metres breaststroke at the Swedish nationals Thursday. Igelstrom set a new mark of 30.24 seconds, bettering the record of 30.31 by Baker set in Berlin in January this year. It is the third time that Igeslstrom has lowered the mark, since she shared the record with Chinese swimmers Luo Xue Wei and Li Wei in December 2001.

Polish World Short Course team announced

Poland has named a team of 2 men and 6 women to contest the 2002 World Short Course Championships in Moscow, Russia between April 4-8. MEN: Krzysztof Golon and Bartosz Kizierowski. WOMEN: Agnieszka Braszkiwicz, Malgorzata Gembicka, Agata Korc, Otylia Jedrzeiczak, Aleksandra Miciul, Angelika Olesky.

Small Dutch team for World Short Course

Johan Kenkhuis will lead a team of four to the FINA World Short Course Championships in Moscow next month: Inge Dekker, Chantal Groot and Suze Valen being the other squad members. Several of the national team including Olympic champions Inge de Bruijn and Pieter Van den Hoogenband have decided to skip the event, preferring instead to focus on the long-course Dutch Nationals in April (18-21), also valid as European Championships Trials.

Huegill targets world record

Australian swimmer Geoff Huegill will make an attempt to break Klim's 100m butterfly world record, during the Commonwealth Games selection trials in Brisbane later this month. "I'm still only 0.15, not even that slower, than his world record," he said. "…Personally I still feel like I'm growing and I'm swimming well in training and, you know, swimming really fast, so you know just whatever it takes I guess."

Hackett to try 100 freestyle

Olympic and World 1500m champion Grant Hackett will add a new event in his program at theforthcoming Australian national championships. The world champion will add the 100m free to test his performance in the speed event. "A sort of redirection in something that will keep my interest in the sport and keep me motivated," he said. If Hackett successfully negotiates the Australian trials he could therefore compete in the 100, 200, 400 and 1500 freestyles events plus relays at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester later this year.

FINA to test for EPO

The International Amateur Swimming Federation (FINA) will allow testing for the banned endurance drug, erythropoietin (EPO), at the world short course championships in Moscow in april. The tests will be conducted by FINA, both in urine and blood samples, for the first time at its own event. "We are determined to protect the athletes' fundamental rights to drug-free competition," Andrew Pipe, chairman of the FINA doping control review board, said on tuesday. The decision arose after EPO use created a major scandal in the Salt Lake City Olympics, where some athletes were tested positive to a new variant, the darbepoetin alfa (sold under the trade name Aranesp), which is 10 times more powerful than EPO. FINA was one of the few remaining major sports federations that does not test for EPO even though the IOC approved the combined test.

25th February 2002

Concerns over number of Aussies running British sport

British sports administrators are becoming increasingly concerned with the number of Australians that are now employed helping Britain improve its sporting results. Following the the Sydney Olympics the import of professionals from Australia has increased and now many are managing important positions as performance directors, managers and coaches, influencing future policies. "We've gone Aussie mad," a senior English sports administrator said. "Everywhere you turn there seems to be an Australian in charge; if not, a New Zealander or some other foreign national... if we can't produce our own coaches and administrators it is an indictment of our system." Of course, British swimming is managed by an Aussie, with Bill Sweetenham as the current National Performance Director.

25th February 2002

Thorpe to race 100 Backstroke at Commonwealth Games

Providing he can overcome the contenders at the Australian Commonwealth Trials next month, Ian Thorpe will be taking part in the 100 Backstroke at the Manchester Commonwealth Games this summer. Thorpe's main freestyle events are all in the first half of the week's competition in Manchester and he has been mulling over his options for the remaining days in order that he is kept busy. Therefore, it looks like the teenage superstar will be going for seven gold medals at the Games: 100, 200, 400 Free, 100 Back and the three relays.

24th February 2002

Portugese World Short Course Team

Portugal has selected its team for the Fina world short course championships in Moscow. ATHLETES: José COUTO, Ricardo COXO, Nuno LAURENTINO, Luís MONTEIRO, Pedro SILVA and Raquel FELGUEIRAS. TEAM MANAGER: Carlos Oliveira. COACHING STAFF: Filipe Coelho and Miguel Frischknecht.

23rd February 2002

Klim on the mend

Dual Olympic gold medallist Michael Klim will be released from hospital this weekend. Although the swimmer thinks he could be fit in time for the Manchester Commonwealth Games, he will be ineligible to compete as he will definitely miss the selection trials next month. Teammate Geoff Huegill said the Commonwealth Games trials next month would not be the same without his butterfly rival: "The competition is definitely going to be missed… Hopefully he can be back again next year," commented Huegill.

4th February 2002

Aranesp Test will be ready soon

A test to detect Aranesp in time for this year's Commonwealth Games, Australian Sports Drug Agency (ASDA) chief executive John Mendoza said to The Australian newspaper on Friday. Aranesp is a modification of EPO 10 times more powerful, which causes an increase in red blood cells and therefore improves the body's ability to carry oxygen. Last week British Authority become alarmed for its widespread use and worried to get a detection method as soon as possible. "It will be tight in order to get it in Manchester, but we're pressing ahead with a pretty ambitious research program here in Australia," Mendoza said. "We're probably only months away from having a confirmation test."

3rd February 2002

Klim to miss Commonwealths

Australian swimmer Michael Klim will probably under go an operation for a back problem. An operation means he will miss the world short course championships in Moscow in April and the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships in July. Rival Geoff Huegill, who recently set three world records, says the news is a blow for Australian swimming: "I didn't realise the situation was as bad as it is, which is really disappointing because you never wish it upon anyone that you race against," he said. "And you never ever want to see an athlete's career go down the drain, not down the drain sorry, or end I guess in an injury."

Concerns over home country fan support at Games

British swimmers have been denied the home advantage of employing massed ranks of flag waving fans against the feared Australians in Manchester this month by the latest ticketing fiasco to hit the Commonwealth Games. Only weeks after a Manchester company was caught up in a World Cup ticket scandal, the city's Games organisers are accused of reneging on a promise to keep home swimmers' families, friends and supporters together in a single block of support. British Swimming's National Performance Director Bill Sweetenham, said: "No way would this be tolerated in Australia. We are missing out on a huge home advantage. Someone in Manchester should be held accountable." Sweetenham is behind plans to unify support. However, flags and t-shirts in the four home nations colours will still be given to swimmers' families and friends.