Melissa Berkay - (Author)

By Melissa Berkay, Swimming World College Intern “There are stars in the water!” my grandmother said, staring down at the pitch black water from the front of the boat. Bioluminescent phytoplankton glistened in the calm waves as the boat cut its way through the water; when touched, the plankton would...

By Melissa Berkay, Swimming World College Intern Ok, let’s be honest, when most of our hours are spent prioritizing our career goals with swim practices, dating can be a struggle for most swimmers. The preparation process can range from one to four hours, depending on whether it is taper time, hell....

By Melissa Berkay, Swimming World College Intern Simone Manuel's second place finish in both the 100 freestyle and in the 50 freestyle at the 2016 US Olympic Trials secured her a spot on the 2016 United States Olympic swim team. The 19-year-old from Houston, Texas will compete in these individual ev...

By Melissa Berkay, Swimming World College Intern Jordan Wilimovsky's second place finish in the 1500 freestyle at the US Olympic Trials secured him yet another slot on the 2016 Olympic Team. Wilimovsky's first place finish in the 10K at the 2015 FINA Open Water World Championships earned him one of ...

By Melissa Berkay, Swimming World College Intern The Arch Academy Zombies relay swim team of San Diego, California has defied the odds of what limitations, stereotypes, and misconceptions hinder the success of student-athletes with particular challenges. Having achieved three channel swims, a Santa....

By Melissa Berkay, Swimming World College Intern Charlotte Samuels, a recent graduate of Ridgewood High School, has made her mark in the worlds of marathon swimming and community service. In 2015, she became the first person to swim a course of more than 20 miles from Long Island to the Jersey Shor....

By Melissa Berkay, Swimming World College Intern If you have not already spoken to him at La Jolla Cove, received a gift of a Garibaldi-wire design ornament from him, or participated in one of his organized long-distance ocean swims, let me introduce you to Robert "Bob" West. West has been a source ...

By Melissa Berkay, Swimming World College Intern Taking a step to make a difference in your personal life can enable you to make a difference in the lives of others; that is precisely what Anne Cleveland has done. Born and raised in La Jolla, California, Cleveland was introduced to the sport of swi....

By Melissa Berkay, Swimming World College Intern World-class open water swimmer and national level pool swimmer Grace Van Der Byl is gearing up for a 36-mile marathon swim in New York this coming summer to add to her extensive list of swimming accomplishments. The 37-year-old is the world record hol...

By Melissa Berkay, Swimming World College Intern Swimming is an amazing sport. It challenges individuals to overcome obstacles, set short-term and long-term goals, be disciplined, develop time management skills, learn values of hard work and determination, and demonstrate the courage it takes to pu....