The Week That Was sponsored by Suitmate.
The Week That Was featured a Katie Ledecky swim, Claire Curzan taking down an American Record, the NCAA not accepting USA Swimming guidelines, and more.
The Week That Was #1: Katie Ledecky Swims Faster 800 Freestyle Than Gold Time From Tokyo; Dressel Beats Andrew in 50 Fly
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
After winning two gold medals and two silvers at the Tokyo Olympics, Katie Ledecky left her training base at Stanford and moved to Gainesville, Florida, to train with the University of Florida team and coach Anthony Nesty. In the six months after Tokyo, Ledecky swam at only one meet, and she put up a series of impressive times at the U.S. Open in Greensboro in early December. This weekend, she is swimming at a Sectionals meet in Orlando, and her first race saw her surpass her own winning time in the 800 freestyle from the Tokyo Olympics.
The Week That Was #2: Claire Curzan Breaks 100 Butterfly American Record and 100 Back High School Record at North Carolina High School State Meet
Photo Courtesy: Mark Curzan
Competing in her final high school state championship meet Thursday evening, Claire Curzan lowered the American record in the women’s 100-yard butterfly. Curzan swam a 49.24 in the event to beat the previous mark of 49.38 set by Erika Brown at the 2020 SEC Championships. With the performance, Curzan became the second-fastest performer in history, behind only Maggie Mac Neil’s 48.89 from last year’s NCAA Championships.
In addition to breaking the American record, Curzan lowered her own 17-18 National Age Group record of 49.51 set last March. She also demolished the National Independent School record of 50.35 that she set last February.
The Week That Was #3: NCAA Says No to USA Swimming Guidelines For Transgender Participation; Door Open For Lia Thomas
The NCAA announced on Thursday that there will be no changes to its previously approved testosterone policy for transgender women to compete at the 2022 Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, giving Penn transgender swimmer Lia Thomas the possibility of competing.
The previously approved NCAA testosterone threshold is 10 nmol/L, and it is unknown whether Thomas is eligible based on that number. If she is, she will be able to compete at the NCAA Championships. The CSMAS (the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports) reviewed the policy, along with the new USA Swimming policy (5 nmol/L) before making the decision.
The Week That Was #4: Diana Nyad: ‘Celebrate Transgender Athletes’ But Need Level Playing Field
Photo Courtesy: Rob O’Neal
by Swimming World Editorial Staff
Diana Nyad, the 72-year-old long-distance open water swimmer who attempted to swim from Cuba to Florida on five occasions before finally making it on her final attempt, has weighed in on the controversy involving whether transgender athletes, including the University of Pennsylvania’s Lia Thomas, should be allowed to compete alongside biological females.
Nyad expressed an opinion that transgender athletes deserve a chance to be celebrated, but she believes that science must be considered in providing a level playing field for cisgender women. She lauded the landmark legislation of Title IX that has protected women’s rights to compete separately in sports in the United States for a half-decade.
The Week That Was #5: U.S. Swimming Golden Girl Tracy Stockwell (Caulkins) Announced As The New President Of Swimming Australia
US swimming legend Tracy Stockwell (Caulkins) OAM has been named today as only the second ever-female president of Swimming Australia.
And it could well herald a major shift in power in Australian Olympic sport.
Stockwell, 59, who married Australian Olympian Mark Stockwell, takes over the leadership reins from dual Olympic gold medallist Kieren Perkins – the newly appointed CEO of the Australian Sports Commission.