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  Beijing Paralympics 2008 Day 1 - Promising start for GB swimmers

  Posted: September 7th, 2008, 6:41am CDT

  Dday One of the Beijing Paralympic Games saw Britain's swimmers make a strong start to their Paramlympic campaign with 14 out of their 17 competitors proceeding through to their finals.

  Sascha Kindred looked confident as he stepped out in front of a sold-out crowd in the Watercube and made a promising start to his Paralympic Games. Kindred, who is aiming to win a hat-trick of golds in the SM6 200m Individual Medley, set a new Paralympic record in this morning's heats. Swimming in the final heat, Kindred had a good lead throughout the race and looked well on track to break the Paralympic record. He touched in a time of 2:48.35 to qualify fastest for the evening final and give him a four second lead over his closest competitor.

  "I'm pleased with that," Kindred said. "I watched the first race so I knew what I had to do. It was comfortable and I paced it well. It was great to start with a Paralympic record and I'm going to go back to the village now and eat and prepare for this evening."

• 

  Aaron Peirsol interview

  Posted: September 6th, 2008, 12:21pm CDT

  In the first of two videos, backstroker Aaron Peirsol, a 7-time Olympic medalist (5 golds, 2 silvers) discusses with Forbes Adventurer Jim Clash his lead-off leg in the historic 4x 100 medley relay which gave Michael Phelps his 8th gold medal in Beijing, breaking the Mark Spitz record of 7 golds in Munich in 1972.

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  Free Swimming Confusion

  Posted: September 5th, 2008, 6:24am CDT

  Plans to provide the over sixties with free swimming in Dorset could end up being "a postcode lottery," a councillor has warned.

  At a meeting by Dorset County Council's cabinet, councillors provisionally agreed to the free swimming plan, pending decisions made by other borough and district councils in Dorset. Under the new scheme proposed by the Government, Dorset would be provided with £174,022 from 2009 to 2011 to enable free swimming for people aged over 60. Initially there would be two pots of money, one for the over sixties swimmers and then the second for phase two, which will offer free swimming to children aged under 16.

  Cabinet members were warned that there could be a possible shortfall of £93,866 throughout Dorset over the next two years.

  The county council's head of cultural services Paul Leivers said that Weymouth and Portland Borough Council had already decided that it was not going ahead with the scheme because of these financial implications.

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  Phelps uses bonus to start swim foundation

  Posted: September 5th, 2008, 6:12am CDT

  Olympian Michael Phelps has announced that he will put part of his $1 million bonus for tying Mark Spitz's seven gold medals into a foundation to encourage the growth of swimming. He went on to win eight golds in Beijing.

  The 23-year-old Baltimorean told NBC's "Today Show" host Matt Lauer that he will travel to eight cities in the United States to promote swimming among children. The brief TV announcement did not address whether his plans to promote swimming would involve buying North Baltimore Aquatic Club's Meadowbrook pool. Last month, Phelps told NBC's Nightly News that he and coach Bob Bowman had bought a pool in Baltimore and were looking to change the sport of swimming. Bowman was named NBAC's chief executive officer and is expected to start the job this month.

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  Swimming and diving most popular particpation sport

  Posted: September 5th, 2008, 6:01am CDT

  More people are taking part in swimming and diving then other sport or physical activity according to a government report.

  The Taking Part survey – which is commissioned by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport in partnership with a number of public bodies, including Sport England – asked people what sports they had participated in during the past four weeks.

  Swimming or diving (indoors) was the most popular activity, with 14.5 per cent having participated. This was higher than those who had taking part in gym activities, cycling, football or golf. And a further 3.4 per cent took part in swimming / diving outdoors.

  More than 24,000 adults took part in the second Taking Part survey which details all public participation in cultural, leisure and sporting activities between 2006-7.

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  British Swimming National Performance Director for Diving moves on

  Posted: September 5th, 2008, 5:09am CDT

  British Swimming today announced that Steve Foley, National Performance Director for Diving has decided to leave his position towards the end of the year.

  David Sparkes, Chief Executive, British Swimming said; "Steve has given us 10 years of hard work and commitment, and has significantly raised the level of British Diving during that period. At this year's Olympics in Beijing we had the biggest diving team ever who experienced the highest level of competition; fantastic preparation for London 2012. We now need to build upon Steve's success with the team and we have already put in place an international recruitment process to find his replacement."

  Steve commented; "Having decided that I was not going to go another four years , I felt it only fair to leave at this stage in order to give British Swimming as much time as possible to find a replacement and prepare for London 2012. I have enjoyed my time at British Swimming and will be sad to leave, but for various reasons I believe the time is right for me to move on. I wish the team the best of success over the coming years."

• 

  Sync or Swim

  Posted: September 4th, 2008, 2:10pm CDT

  The idea for "Sync or Swim" came to filmmaker Cheryl Furjanic while she was watching the 2000 Summer Olympics. Though always a fan of sports and the Olympic Games, Furjanic realized that synchronised swimming was like no sport she had ever seen; a fascinating and mesmerising blend of aquatic strength and grace made to look effortless. She quickly filed synchronised swimming in the "things to make a movie about one day" category.

  Three years later, in January of 2003, production began at the US Olympic Duet Trials in Federal Way, Washington. For two years the "Sync or Swim" crew tracked the progress of the team through every phase of Olympic trials and training process up to, and including, the Athens Olympic Games.

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  Regional Educational Legacy in Arts and Youth Sports

  Posted: September 4th, 2008, 1:43pm CDT

  RELAYS (Regional Educational Legacy in Arts and Youth Sports) is a programme of festivals, events and educational activities designed to engage young people and their communities in culture and sport. The programme intends to generate a positive legacy beyond the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games through raising aspirations, developing knowledge and skills and establishing distinctive new sustainable festivals and events.

  It will be delivered by the South West's higher education institutions (HEIs) who will work together with a range of cultural, sporting, environmental and other educational organisations.

  The overall objective of the programme is to transform Pierre de Coubertin's concept of the "wedding of art and sport" to a contemporary context, by drawing on the uniqueness of the South West environment and providing a platform for creative expression in alternative sports and their associated cultures. It has four aims:

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  Research on elite young swimmers risking burnout - Success only comes before work in the dictionary

  Posted: September 4th, 2008, 1:15pm CDT

  Young swimmers who try to emulate Rebecca Adlington’s gold-medal-winning feats at the London Olympics in 2012 will be subjected to an unacceptably heavy training regime and excessive "surveillance", a new study suggests [release follows]

  The extraordinary demands made on elite young swimmers, who begin competitive training at the age of eight and remain under the watchful eye of their coaches throughout their swimming careers, have been highlighted by a study by Melanie Lang of Leeds Metropolitan University.

  By the age of 11 or 12, the top young swimmers are expected to swim up to 32 miles a week. At 14, many are swimming 40 miles, which is the aerobic equivalent of running 160 miles. They are also required to complete a range of gym-based exercises, and still do their schoolwork.

  The training regime, which was introduced by Bill Sweetenham, the former national performance director of British Swimming, appears to have helped to end the country’s Olympic swimming medals drought. However, as Melanie Lang has told the annual conference of the British Educational Research Association in Edinburgh that young swimmers are paying a heavy price for such success.

• 

  Take part in the Aquatics Golf Challenge

  Posted: September 2nd, 2008, 8:07pm CDT

  15th October 2008 - Ashridge Golf Course in Berkhamstead

  Olympic swimming stars will be teeing off to help raise money for a charity that aims to get more people swimming – and golf fanatics are being asked to join them.

  The Swimming Trust – the official charity of the asa, the national governing body for swimming – is holding its first ever Aquatics Golf Challenge. The Trust’s major fundraising occasion of the yea will raise funds to help provide increased opportunities for all to learn, participate and benefit from swimming as a sport, for health, fund and leisure - for life.

  View more information on The Swimming Trust

  Olympic and world championship medallists James Hickman and Andrew Jameson are amongst the athletes who have accepted the invite to come down on the day and play at a gold course which has repeatedly featured amongst the top 100 in the UK.

• 

  High Tatras Water Polo Tournament, Bratislava

  Posted: September 2nd, 2008, 7:51pm CDT

  28 to 31 August 2008 - Nováky, Slovakia

  Britain’s men’s junior water polo players fought hard to claim a Silver medal in this Six-Nation-Tournament for men´s junior teams. The matches were contested in the marvellous outdoor pool of the Slovakian city which can covered by a moveable roof.

  The first game saw Britain lose to Australia 3-10, but the British team went on to improve their form and won the following three matches. They won 9-5 against Holland, beat Slovakia 13-7 and easily defeated the French 15-8.

  The final game against Slovenia ended in a 9-9 draw but the British team had already done enough to earn Silver with a total of 7 points.

  The British win over the Dutch is the first in recent memory and these promising results put the British side in a good position for the forthcoming European Junior Championships, which are being held in Istanbul from 7-14 Sept 2008.

• 

  Bob and Dave complete their Lido Challenge

  Posted: September 1st, 2008, 6:00am CDT

  Two friends with a passion for outdoor swimming set out last year to raise bucket loads of cash for charity Save The Children, which helps vulnerable youngsters. Bob Holman and Dave Pratten challenged themselves to swim a mile in every outdoor pool and lido still open in the UK. And their 2008/9 travels have seen them swimming several times a week, mainly in the summer months, in lidos from Cornwall to Scotland. And what's more amazing is Bob did it without diminishing his support for Bere Regis and East Dorset Open Water Swimming Clubs, Swim 21 and Dorset County ASA Water Polo.

  Bob said the pair were inspired by the book Liquid Assets, which focuses on Britain's lidos. "The book lists 98 pools but we gather there's another one that's reopened since," he said. "But generally there are more closing than opening, which is very sad indeed. Already we've proved there's still a demand. If they're properly managed it's quite feasible financially to keep these pools open."

  Bob began swimming at an open-air pool during the 1950s and swam the English Channel at the age of 47. He said the challenge brought back memories: "This really was us revisiting our youth. These lidos were the places where young people used to meet, it really is a journey back in time for us."

• 

  Records fall as England Central crowned Swimming Champions at UK School Games

  Posted: August 30th, 2008, 4:14pm CDT

  Day One

  England Central’s young swimmers showed their promise on the first day of the UK School Games (Friday 29 August 2008) at the Millfield Swimming pool. Half of the 44 swimming events (a full Olympic programme of 32 events and 12 Paralympic ones) took place, with the eight regions battling out for the medals. And it was England Central who led on points at the end of the first day, with 130, followed by England East with 122 and England North finishing third with 116 points.

  16-year-old Tsubasa Nakagawa, the current British junior record holder (SC) for the 50m Freestyle, was one of the Gold medal winners for England Central. He won the Men’s 50m Freestyle in 24.41, with Ross Mcauliffe taking the silver in 24.75 and Adam Ingdledew, 15, England East, taking bronze in 25.21.

• 

  British Disability Swimming at cutting edge of technology

  Posted: August 29th, 2008, 10:16am CDT

  British Disability Swimming has been actively involved within the development of a new water-proof heart rate telemetry system which looks set to revolutionise the world of swimming coaching.

  British Disability Swimming provides support for the athletes and coaches on the World Class Pathway through their High Performance Science Team, which includes professionals from the English Institute of Sport (EIS), the National Governing Body and Higher Education. The High Performance Science Team, led by Performance Scientist Cath Gilby, have been working alongside an Italian-based company, Hosand, to develop a water resistant ‘real-time’ heart rate monitor.

  The system that Hosand developed for dry-land training allows the heart rates of up to 32 athletes to be viewed on a laptop during one training session and 18 months ago EIS North West Physiology Technician Paul Barratt working alongside Hosand began developing a way of waterproofing the system.

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  Lucozade Sport and British swimming announce official supply deal

  Posted: August 29th, 2008, 10:13am CDT

  Lucozade Sport and British Swimming, the UK’s national governing body for swimming, are pleased to announce an official supply deal which offers a range of sports nutrition products which will help British Swimming’s World Class team perform to the highest level.

  Installed as an official sports drink and recovery product supplier, Lucozade Sport will supply the governing body with a range of contaminant-tested sports nutrition products. The products will play an integral role in the preparation, performance and recovery of elite swimmers in training and competition. The partnership also provides British Swimming members with a discount on the range of Lucozade Sport high performance products.

• 

  Strictly Mark Foster

  Posted: August 29th, 2008, 10:10am CDT

  Five time Olympian Mark Foster has been named as part of the new line up for this year’s Strictly Come Dancing competition where he will be looking to swap his swimming trunks for his dancing shoes as he aims to conquer the dance floor. The six time World Champion has broken eight world records and was recently given the honour of being flag bearer for Team GB at the Beijing Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.

  Foster’s dance partner is Hayley Holt a professional Ballroom dancer from New Zealand and like Foster this is her first appearance on the BBC’s popular dancing programme. Foster likes to be vocal about issues he feels strongly about and warns the Strictly Come Dancing judges to watch out.

  Foster says: "I'm sure I'll enjoy some good natured banter with them. I was an avid viewer when my friend Colin Jackson was the runner-up in 2005, and understand that this in a once-in-a-lifetime chance."

• 

  Swimming Superstars give back

  Posted: August 29th, 2008, 10:04am CDT

  Following record breaking performances from the Great British team in the Water Cube in Beijing, barely have the country’s best swimmers feet touched the ground in the UK before they are back in the pool once more.

  Working with Total Swimming the countries best swimmers are sharing these Olympic experiences with swimmers of all ages through a series of road shows and events all over the UK and Ireland.

  With a number of 2-day events open to swimmers of all ages and abilities, plus a series of UK wide club visits (The Aquateer Roadshows) Total Swimming’s team of ‘Aquateers’ are excited about giving back to the sport.

  Chris Cook, double Olympian and double Commonwealth Champion is working hard to share his knowledge and experience, “I’m excited about passing on what I have learnt in my career and helping swimmers understand what is important in swimming and why I know it’s such a great sport.”

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  Rebecca Adlington expected to open UK School Games

  Posted: August 28th, 2008, 11:39am CDT

  ASA South West Region Swim 21 Clubs given opportunities to secure tickets for the 2008 UK School Games have cause to be even more delighted on hearing reports that Rebecca Adlington, the double Olympic gold medallist, is expected to open the event for 1500 elite athletes in Bath. The success of Team GB in Beijing and the presence of Adlington will no doubt further inspire performances and the morale of PE staff and teachers.

  Steve Grainger, chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust, the body which organises the Games underwritten with Government funding of £1.5m a year up to 2012, says "We are trying to replicate that experience as closely as we can, through the village, the Opening and Closing ceremonies, the transport to and from venues. This is the most diverse Games of the three we have had so far, with events in Bath, Bristol, Millfield School in Somerset and at Filton College. There is every chance that several competitors at these Games will go on to represent GB in London in 2012."

• 

  Rebecca Adlington opens UK School Games

  Posted: August 28th, 2008, 11:39am CDT

  ASA South West Region Swim 21 Clubs given opportunities to secure tickets for the 2008 UK School Games have cause to be even more delighted to hear that Rebecca Adlington, the double Olympic gold medallist, opened the event for 1500 elite athletes in Bath. The success of Team GB in Beijing and the presence of Adlington will no doubt further inspire performances and the morale of PE staff and teachers.

  The ceremony, which was held at Bath Rugby Football Club, welcomed 15,00 elite athletes from across nine sporting disciplines. Alongside the 2008 athletes, who paraded with their home teams were twelve Olympic and Paralympic athletes including Olympic swimming gold medallist Duncan Goodhew, Paralympic swimmer Giles Long and Olympic judo medallist Kate Howley.

  Double gold medallist Adlington then took to the stage to declare the event officially open, with an accompanying firework display to finish.

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  Youth Sport Trust seeks squad STARS

  Posted: August 28th, 2008, 11:30am CDT

  Youth Sport Trust are seeking applications for the new STARS (Supporting Talented Athletes on the Road to Success) Squad Scholarship programme. To be considered, schools must have:
  

  • At least four high-performing young athletes in any sport.
  • A desire and commitment to developing a Squad culture.
  • An understanding of the specific difficulties facing their talented young athletes.

  Why are they launching STARS Scholarships?
  Potential Elite Athletes often appear in clusters rather than as isolated performers. This is no co-incidence. Talented young people working together can drive, inspire, challenge and support each other to achieve their potential. The Scholarship focuses on developing the mental side of elite performance. Becoming a champion involves natural talent but turning talent into triumph requires: ambition, hard work, coaching, determination and support.

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