Great Britain
Michael Scott Named National Performance Consultant For British Swimming
According to a brief press release this morning, British Swimming decided today to not delay in filling the void created by the departure of Bill Sweetenham when they appointed Michael Scott (no, not that Michael Scott), to a new role of “High Performance Consultant.” This role is seemingly only temporary, as Scott will take […]
Sweetenham’s Decision Attacked by British Great Davies
Sharron Davies, a 1980 Olympic Silver Medallist and commentator for the BBC, has lashed out on the recent decision by Bill Sweetenham to step down as the Performance Director a year out from the Olympics. Davies, often a critic of Sweetenham’s called his actions those of a “coward.”
Graeme Smith and Stephen Parry to Mentor Paralympic Hopefuls
Graeme Smith and Stephen Parry headline a team that is tasked as mentors to a group of seven disability swimmers that are considered gold medal hopefuls for Beijing in 2008. The program, Convert to Gold, is designed to provide support to identified athletes and their coaches in the lead up to the 2008 Paralympics […]
Mark Foster Looks to Stabilize British Swimming With an Offer of Himself
The chain reaction has begun now that Bill Sweetenham has quit his post as National Performance Director of British Swimming. Stephan Widmer, who in some arenas, was viewed as the top candidate for the job after Beijing — assuming Sweetenham had kept his post until then — has stated emphatically that there is “no-way” […]
Government Urged to Crack Down on Steroids in Prep for 2012
Let me first say that I am somewhat hesitant about the idea of someone being imprisoned for failing a drug test at the Olympic Games. It is with this mindset that I approached the idea of a discussion going on in Britain about, as The Times put it, “[making] criminals of drug users at 2012 Games.” […]
Sharron Davies to be Featured in British Turkey Campaign
What do you do when your company’s turkey farm is found to have a large number of birds with a strain of H5N1 virus - more affectionately called the bird flu? You hire an Olympic medalist - a swimmer, in fact - to lead your campaign about how great turkey is.
Great Britain Searches For Top Coaching Talent With Lure of Cash
Bill Sweetenham, the Australian behind Great Britain’s turnaround in the swimming pool, is planning to leave the helm when his contract expires immediately after the 2008 Olympic Games. This is bad news for British Swimming, but rest assured - there is a plan. What is that plan? According to the Times of London […]
British Swimmers Honored at Third Annual Splash Awards
Current and former stars of British Swimming convened this past Saturday at the third annual Splash Awards. The British Male and Female Swimmer of the Year awards went to Liam Tancock and Kirsty Balfour. Young Swimmer of the Year was awarded for the second year in a row to Fran Halsall and Swimmer of […]
Top Four Finish at Worlds Could Qualify British for Olympics
If winning a medal and improving on your best times at the world’s second biggest swimming competition weren’t enough, now Great Britain’s elite swimmers have some else to target in Melbourne. Britain’s performance director Bill Sweetenham stated (pending plan approval by the British Olympic Association) that any British swimmer who finishes in the top […]
Great Britain Announces 2007 Splash Awards
British aquatic athletes from the past, present and future will gather for the third annual Splash Awards - British Swimmer of the Year 2007 on Saturday 28th April at the Nursery Pavilion at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London - Britain’s version of USA Swimming’s Golden Goggles.
The Splash Awards will be hosted by Martin Bayfield - […]
Janet Evans’ Coach Bud McAllister Heads to Great Britain
According to the BBC, the coach who guided American legend Janet Evans to four Olympic titles and six world records is joining British Swimming’s performance centre. Bud McAllister will head up a program for distance and middle-distance disciplines, and will join fellow American Bill Pilczuk, who works on the sprints.
GB performance director Bill Sweetenham […]
Sweetenham Expresses Desire to Stick Around to 2012
Bill Sweetenham, head coach of British swimming, has a contract that is set to expire after the Beijing Olympics. More than a year prior to that happening, he has expressed his interest in sticking around through the 2012 Games that are to be held in London.
While he has made his intentions known, Sweetenham is […]
Kirsty Balfour Wins British Olympic Association Athlete of Year for Aquatics
Scottish swimmer Kirsty Balfour has won a top award from the British Olympic Association after a golden year in the pool.
Balfour, 22, has been named the BOA’s athlete of the year for aquatics.
The City of Edinburgh member was the choice of British Swimming officials after winning European titles in the 200m breaststroke and 4×100m medley […]
Scottish Swimming Receives 818,000 Pounds
News out of Scotland reports that Sport Scotland plans to infuse Scottish Swimming with £818,000 for 2007. With twelve medals in the pool at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, as well as success in all levels of swimming from grassroots upwards has earned Scottish Swimming increased investment to build on these achievements.
The investment, of which […]
The BBC Promotes USA Swimming’s Michael Phelps
Found it amusing today that the BBC posted this on their website:
When you can watch swimming on BBC TV, Interactive and online.
We will be bring you comprehensive live action from the 2007 World Swimming Championships in Melbourne.
Great Britain’s team will be hoping to build on some encouraging performances at the 2006 Commonwealth’s Games.
But yet the […]
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