Description
FEATURES
008 IOC CONFIRMS TOKYO 2020 WILL START ON JULY 23, 2021
by Liz Byrnes
The Olympic Games were scheduled to start on July 24, 2020, but the relentless march of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic forced the IOC to postpone the Games for the first time in their history. Tokyo 2020 will now take place from July 23 to Aug. 8, 2021.
009 GERMAN SWIM FEDERATION JOINS CANADA IN URGING FINA TO HOLD 2021 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 2022
by Craig Lord
The German Swim Federation has joined Swimming Canada in urging FINA to shunt the 2021 World Swimming Championships into 2022 to take account of the new dates for the Olympic Games due to the coronavirus pandemic. Worlds are currently scheduled for Fukuoka, Japan from July 16 to Aug. 1, but the Tokyo Olympics will now be staged from July 23 to Aug. 8.
010 SWIMMERS PREPARE FOR CHALLENGES OF OLYMPIC POSTPONEMENT
by Andy Ross
The postponement of the Olympic Games first brought a sigh of relief for athletes and coaches everywhere, but with the Games being pushed to 2021, that changes so many things for athletes around the world.
014 THE TOKYO POSTPONEMENT IN PERSPECTIVE: WHAT HAS (AND HASN’T) STOPPED THE OLYMPICS
by Matthew De George
The Olympic Movement has weathered boycotts and World Wars. It has navigated such international catastrophes as apartheid and the Nazi regime, plus dozens of civil wars and the full gamut of conflicts and chaos. The COVID-19 outbreak’s ability to knock the Olympics out of commission until 2021 is a testament to the virus’ threat to humanity and the gravity of the public-health situation across the globe.
016 MONA McSHARRY: IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT RAINBOWS AND SUNSHINE ON THE DAY IRISH OLYMPIC TRIALS WERE DUE TO START
by Liz Byrnes
018 GRANT HACKETT SAYS TOKYO 2021 WILL PROVIDE INSPIRATION TO THE WORLD JUST WHEN IT NEEDS IT
by Ian Hanson
020 “PRIORITIZE THE OLYMPICS, THE ONLY COMPETITION THAT MATTERS,” SAYS SWIM ELDER SWEETENHAM
by Ian Hanson
Australia’s Bill Sweetenham, one of the elders of world swimming, has urged coaches and swimmers to “prioritize the Olympics first and foremost” now that the dates of Tokyo 2020 have been rescheduled for 2021, “as historically, no one recognizes or remembers any other result or competition.”
022 THE MOSCOW BOYCOTT: A TOXIC MIX OF SPORTS AND POLITICS PROVED COSTLY FOR HARD-WORKING ATHLETES
by John Lohn
Years of hard work went unfulfilled. Dreams turned into nightmares. Sadness and anger abounded. The repercussions of the United States’ decision to boycott the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow were severe. Here is the story on the Moscow boycott, including comments from athletes who were impacted by the decision.
026 RAY LOOZE DISHES ON DIFFICULTIES OF COACHING FROM HOME, DENIES RUMORS OF MOVE TO USC
by Andy Ross
Indiana head coach Ray Looze has had difficulties processing the coronavirus pandemic that has caused normal life to be turned upside down. Looze and his Indiana team lost a chance to compete at NCAAs, and he has had to resort to coaching from home while trying to prepare his swimmers for an Olympic Games that is now another 400-plus days away. But he has put a positive spin on it.
030 KIERAN SMITH HOPES STELLAR SOPHOMORE YEAR IS JUST THE BEGINNING
by Andy Ross
Kieran Smith’s breakout sophomore year at the University of Florida is a sign of bigger things to come for the Ridgefield, Conn. native.
034 HOW THEY TRAIN LUKE PAXTON AND OWEN TAYLOR
by Michael J. Stott
035 FINA URGED TO HAND NORTHERN WINTER TO ISL AND “USE CORONAVIRUS” STORM TO REINVENT SWIMMING
by Craig Lord
FINA, the international federation, is under pressure from its major stakeholders, swimmers and coaches to embrace a major overhaul of the sport of swimming.
039 PARTING SHOTWhWhat
