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[PHOTO CREDIT: MINE KASAPOGLU/ISL]
In this issue of SW Biweekly, read about the Top 10 Best Performances of the 2000s… so far! Selected not just based on speed, each carried a certain level of significance or marked a defining moment in the sport. Also featured is a look at the role of swimming in presidential history; News on Amy Bilquist’s successful shoulder surgery; A study on how time of day affects the performance of Olympic swimmers; Swimmers who have followed the spirit of Martin Luther King, fighting for equality, diversity, and social justice in the sport; The rise and fall of Klete Keller, from gold medalist to Capitol insurrectionist; Klete Keller apologizes to his coaches; Australia’s two-time Olympian David McKeon retires at age 28; Adam Peaty, Duncan Scott, James Wilby and Luke Greenbank confirmed as first four swimmers for Team GB for Tokyo; Japan declares State of Emergency as COVID-19 cases spike; IOC committed to Tokyo 2020; On the record with USA Water Polo’s Chris Ramsey; Michigan State Women’s Swimmers File Title IX lawsuit against university
FEATURES
USA NEWS
008 AMY BILQUIST UNDERGOES SUCCESSFUL SHOULDER SURGERY, AIMS FOR OLYMPIC TRIALS
by Dan D’Addona
Amy Bilquist has overcome injury after injury during her stellar swimming career, but she will need to overcome one more before the U.S. Olympic Trials. Focusing on her long-term health, she recently had surgery on her left shoulder that required shaving the bone down as well as repairing issues with the muscle and tendon.
011 TIME OF DAY “STRONGLY AFFECTS” PERFORMANCE OF OLYMPIC SWIMMERS
by Matthew De George
A study by a Stanford postdoctoral fellow published recently finds that Olympic swimmers are more than a third-of-a-second faster, on average, in the evening than in the morning. The best results come around 5 p.m. local time.
012 SWIMMERS FOLLOWING SPIRIT OF MARTIN LUTHER KING ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE
by Dan D’Addona
Martin Luther King’s spirit lives on as activists continue to fight for equality, diversity and social justice—even within the sport of swimming, where several athletes have spoken out for change.
014 GOLD MEDALIST TO CAPITOL INSURRECTION: TRACING THE RISE AND FALL OF KLETE KELLER
by Matthew De George
In addition to winning five Olympic medals, 38-year-old Klete Keller has also endured a failed marriage as well as professional failures. After turning himself in to police in Colorado for being a part of the unruly mob of protestors who stormed the United States Capitol in early January, he now faces three federal charges that carry a possible sentence of up to 15-1/2 years.
017 KLETE KELLER APOLOGIZES TO COACHES: “I LET YOU DOWN”
by Matthew De George
Klete Keller issued a tearful apology to former coaches—including Mark Schubert and Jon Urbanchek—about his role at the U.S. Capitol insurrection.
WORLD NEWS
018 DAVID McKEON, TWO-TIME AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIAN, RETIRES AT AGE 28
by Matthew De George
David McKeon will be remembered as one of the real gentlemen of Australian swimming who lived to represent his country: two Olympics, three World Championships, a Commonwealth Games and a Pan Pacs. “This isn’t a goodbye to swimming by any means, this is just the start of a new chapter in my journey,” says McKeon.
020 PEATY, SCOTT, WILBY AND GREENBANK CONFIRMED AS FIRST FOUR SWIMMERS ON TEAM GB FOR TOKYO
by Liz Byrnes
Adam Peaty, Duncan Scott, Luke Greenbank and James Wilby have been confirmed as the first swimmers to be named to Team GB for the Tokyo Olympics. The quartet earned their place on the team following their medal-winning performances in individual events at the 2019 World Championships.
021 JAPAN DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY IN TOKYO AS CORONAVIRUS CASES HIT DAILY RECORD by Liz Byrnes
Japan declared a state of emergency in Tokyo and three nearby areas recently as coronavirus cases continued to surge, with the Olympics due to start in a little over six months. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who issued the declaration, indicated it will last until Feb. 7 and centers on restrictive measures as opposed to a lockdown.
022 IOC REMAINS COMMITTED TO TOKYO 2020 DESPITE STATE OF EMERGENCY; ISSUES STATEMENT ON VACCINE
by Liz Byrnes
The International Olympic Committee has responded to the state of emergency declared in Tokyo by stating it has “full confidence” in the steps being taken and remains committed to the Olympics going ahead as scheduled in July. So, too, did the IOC reiterate that vaccination is not mandatory in order for athletes to compete at the Olympics, although it is committed to having as many attendees as possible vaccinated.
024 SWIMMING WORLD’S 10 BEST PERFORMANCES OF THE 2000s…SO FAR
by John Lohn
Swimming World top 10 performances of the millennium’s first 20 years were not just selected based on speed, but they carried a certain level of significance or marked a defining moment in the sport.
COLLEGE NEWS
028 MICHIGAN STATE WOMEN’S SWIMMERS FILE TITLE IX LAWSUIT AGAINST UNIVERSITY
by Andy Ross
Eleven Michigan State women’s swimmers have filed a lawsuit against the university for the elimination of the women’s varsity swimming and diving program. The case alleges that the school will “compound its historic Title IX wrongs at the end of 2021 when it terminates the 38-member team,” thereby terminating “all opportunities for women to compete in intercollegiate varsity swimming and diving at the university.”
WATER POLO NEWS
030 ON THE RECORD WITH USA WATER POLO’S CHRIS RAMSEY: PRESENT, PAST, FUTURE
by Michael Randazzo
After a fallout from a series of newspaper articles detailing multiple lawsuits against water polo coach Bahram Hojreh who is accused of sexual assault, Olympians, past national team members and long-time age group coaches are demanding that USA Water Polo CEO Chris Ramsey, current USAWP board chair Michael Graff and the current board to step down forthwith. In a wide-ranging interview with Swimming World, Ramsey takes on his accusers and defends himself and his organization against the accusations.
FEATURES & COMMENTARY
036 ON INAUGURATION DAY, A LOOK AT THE ROLE OF SWIMMING IN PRESIDENTIAL HISTORY
by Brendan Farrar
Although the United States has never seen an Olympic-caliber athlete serve as President, swimming has served past Commanders in Chief in many capacities, including previously competing on college swim teams, swimming for recreation…or even as a tool for healing.
038 PARTING SHOT
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