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This week had plenty of fast swimming as we get closer to the big meets of the summer, with European Juniors, Aussie Pan Pac Trials wrapping up, and the final stop of the TYR Pro Swim Series in Columbus. Check out recaps of those meets plus more news of the week in the week that was!
The Week That Was #5 – Florida Gators Continue To Finalize New Coaching Staffs
Photo Courtesy: Florida Gators Swim Camp
The newly split University of Florida Gators Swimming & Diving programs have continued to round out their coaching staffs this week. Florida women’s swimming and diving Head Coach Jeff Poppell announced the hiring of former University of Wisconsin Head Coach Whitney Hite at the beginning of the week. Coach Hite has 20 years of collegiate coaching experience with some of the nation’s top swimming and diving programs, including stints at Cal Berkeley and the University of Georgia. Newly appointed Florida men’s swimming and diving Head Coach Anthony Nesty also announced the appointment of Steve Jungbluth to associate head coach on Monday. Steve Jungbluth enters his ninth season as coach for the Gators in 2018-19, and is best known for working with the rise of Caeleb Dressel.
The Week That Was #4 – Natalie Coughlin Describes Emotional Abuse At Terrapins
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
This week the most decorated U.S. female Olympian, Natalie Coughlin, appeared on “Undeniable,” a sports show with Joe Buck, to discuss many topics related to her career, including the emotional abuse and body shaming that she alleges took place during her time at the Terrapins Swim Team. Coughlin, who recently announced she was pregnant with her first child, said that Terrapins head coach Ray Mitchell had created a “toxic environment” at the club and that he was “really emotionally abusive and just really tore me down when I didn’t need to be torn down. … He was just straight-up abusive.” The episode aired on July 3rd.
The Week That Was #3 – Milak and Kesely Win Four Golds At European Juniors
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
The 2018 European Junior Championships kicked off in Helsinki, Finland this week, with some of Europe’s top rising stars got a chance to go head to head. Russian Kliment Kolesnikov completed a backstroke sweep over the five day meet, winning the 50 (24.52), 100 (53.52), and 200 (1:55.83). His time in the 50 back was just off his European record of 24.46 from April. Two Hungarians, Kristof Milak and Ajna Kesely also were huge highlights of the meet, winning four individual gold medals each. Milak had an impressive double on the final day of the meet, winning the 200 free (1:47.19) and 100 fly (51.78). Milak also won the 200 fly (1:53.94) by nearly 3 seconds earlier in the meet, and opened the competition with a close win in the 400 free (3:50.00). Kesely, for her part, earned gold in the 400 (4:05.89), 800 (8:30.43), and 1500 free (16:25.05), as well as the 400 IM (4:41.55) You can see the full results and recaps of the meet here.
The Week That Was #2 – Australia Wraps Up Pan Pac Trials, Names 33 To Roster
Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr/Swimming Australia Ltd.
Australia wrapped up the 2018 Pan Pacific Championship Trials in Adelaide this week, ultimately naming 33 swimmers to their roster for the Championships later this summer. While several Aussie stars were either sitting out or training through the Trials following the Commonwealth Games earlier this spring, there were still some notable performances from the meet. Gold medalist Cate Campbell continued looking strong in her return to competition, winning the 50 (24.12) and 100 (52.61) free. Ariarne Titmus followed up to her strong 1500 to open the meet with a win in the 400 free (4:01.73), just off her own Commonwealth record from April, and also took the 800 in 8:22.82. Emma McKeon also won the 100 fly in 56.61, just a half second off her own Commonwealth record from last summer, while Mitch Larkin moved up to second in the world in the 200 back (1:55.40). You can see full recaps and results from all days of the meet here.
The Week That Was #1 – Americans Have Final Prep For Nationals In Columbus
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
The last stop of the 2018 TYR Pro Swim Series before U.S. Nationals was underway in Columbus, Ohio this week, with many U.S. national stars using this as a final prep for the big meet that kicks off at the end of July. 19-year old Michael Andrew had a breakout meet in Columbus, winning the 100 fly (51.86), 50 free (21.69), and 100 breast (59.79), all three of which were personal bests. His time in the 100 fly makes him the second fastest American so far this year, while his 50 free time will make him the top seed heading into Nationals. Other notable swims included Kelsi Dahlia continuing her win streak in the 100 fly (57.29), Leah Smith’s win in the 400 free (4:04.23), and Japanese star Ryosuke Irie moving up the world rankings in the 100 (53.08) and 200 (1:55.51) backstrokes. You can see full recaps and results from the meet here.
smh..breakout meet..lol…HE swam against ..NO one….I wonder what its going to say in 3 weeks….lol…