Cover Men: Lochte and Phelps doing magazine covers!

Found at Towleroad.com. There are lot's of' cheesecake' images of the two and I find it highly ironic that you will see more sexy skin shots of male swimmers this year than female; (despite my rantings about Amanda Beard for appearing in Playboy), because the speed suits the women are wearing are not that sexy or flattering whereas the male leggings are.

To quote a reader who sent me an email today. "...Yes, it's a crying shame. All these beautiful, fit young ladies looking like seals in those suits. Here is hoping that Natalie Coughlin, Dara Torres or Kate Ziegler go old school and wear something less technological in a prelim or two.

Dara Torres won her first Olympic medal before Michael Phelps was a fetus!

Interesting facts about Dara Torres:

1) First gold medal in Los Angeles at the 1932 Olympics err... 1984 Olympics.

2) Has had two surgeries within a year on her knee and shoulder yet still wins her races.

3) She has torn two Speedo LZRs in a single afternoon. That's right $1000 large!

4) During competitions, her minions stretch her body 5 times a day!

5) She was the first athlete/model in SI's bikini issue!

Zillions of mind blowing facts and a video of her stretching in this New York Times profile: [Link]

Kitajima to Hansen: "You soooo choked!"

What a prick, huh?

Well, actually I made that up. The L.A. Times said that Kiajima was way more polite about it. Here is what they said: "...And Kitajima, the longtime rival of Hansen, was harsh in his post-race analysis. Of Hansen's fourth-place finish, he wrote on his own official website that Hansen basically choked. The language was more polite ("for a swimmer of his level it shouldn't be that difficult to qualify"), but the message was clear.

You could practically hear Kitajima sniff from his training base in Flagstaff, Ariz., where he is doing some high-altitude training.

Suddenly, these guys are getting really interesting -- and a little testy. Hansen is vowing to do what he can to help his former understudies -- Scott Spann and Eric Shanteau -- beat Kitajima in the 200." [Link]

Dara Torres Press Conference at Olympic Trials

Quote that really stands out was in regards to doping accusations: "...Anyone who makes those accusations, I take it as a compliment." She then outlines her extensive testing and voluntary blood samples she provides USADA:

Glass 'cthulhu' or living thing?

If you guessed that it's alive, then you nailed it! National Geographic has a gallery of transparent sea creatures. The one above is labelled: "... A pelagic, or open-ocean, octopus gives off a neon glow in Hawaii. Most species of octopus have no internal skeleton, unlike other cephalopods. ..." But you knew that, right? You can also get wall paper of these guys. [Link]

Originally found at NotCot.org. :-)

What does it feel like to finish third at Olympic trials?

Above is Davis Tarwater, a guy who placed third at Olympic trials behind Michael Phelps and Ian Crocker in the 100m 'fly.

I have to add that Davis Tarwater is a remarkable swimmer and he probably could have made any other Olympic team.

From the New York Times: "...Hayley McGregory knows that feeling, too. Third in both backstroke events at the 2004 trials, McGregory broke Natalie Coughlin’s world record in the women’s 100 backstroke preliminaries Monday, only to have Coughlin take it back in the next heat. One night later, in the final, McGregory faded to third behind Coughlin and Margaret Hoelzer. From euphoria to sadness, in 36 hours. ..." [Link]

Gary Hall article - he calls out dopers and talks about insulin and an anabolic agent

I called out, suggested that Amy Van Dyken had steroid connections before Gary Hall but I was more polite. I suggested something was fishy with her since she had to testify at the Balco grand jury. :-P From the New York Daily News: [Link]

Below are links as to how and why I formed the opinion that all was not right with Amy Van Dyken.

Addendum: Amy Van Dyken has never tested positive for steroid usage. However she wads a BALCO athlete. From SFGate.com: “…Through Romanowski, Conte also gained access to athletes from other sports, such as six-time Olympic gold medalist Amy Van Dyken, who once described herself as “the Bill Romanowski of the swimming world,” and 1996 Olympic gold-medal-winning sprinter Chryste Gaines of San Leandro, a Stanford graduate who last year was charged by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency with a BALCO- related doping offense. …" [Link]

From USA Today: "... Fall 2003: Many athletes testify before the BALCO grand jury. Among those testifying: track and field athletes Marion Jones, Kevin Toth, Regina Jacobs, Chryste Gaines and Tim Montgomery; baseball players Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, Gary Sheffield and Benito Santiago; football players Bill Romanowski and Barret Robbins; swimmer Amy Van Dyken; and boxer Shane Mosley. [Link]

Dara Torres had a suit malfunction in the 100m free.

I am watching the DVR replay of trials tonight and they featured a fast angle of Dara Torres post her 100 free win. She stops twirls for the crowd with the American flag and there it was: 3/4s of her zipper from the bottom up had separated exposing her back.

That's two people in the past month with Speedo LZR zipper failures. Erik Vendt in the 400 free and now Dara Torres at trials. I am going to be blunt and say this suit is CRAP! Its $550 and the quality is sketchy at best. Maybe you are going faster if you get it on but this suit isn't lasting long either.

New American Record for Cullen Jones as Jones, Wildman Tobriner and Gary Hall swim the 50m prelim in under :22.00

I can't wait to see that prelim-swim. Especially the part when "old man" Gary Hall pulls up to the blocks in his "mobility scooter" then has his two nurses help him remove his red, white and blue, Everlast hospital gown and help him onto the blocks! (I hope he doesn't read this.)

What an epic prelim that will be watch. Here were the times for the top three finishers:

Cullen Jones: 21.59

Ben Wildman Tobriner: 21.68

Gary Hall: 21.89

Lane 9 News: [Link]

Eamon Sullivan injured, swims a 34.99 in a 50-free

I am hoping Sullivan is fully healed in time for Beijing.

Boxers talk of an opponent that is easy to knock out as having a "glass jaw," Sullivan apparently has a "glass spine." Also, how many cortisone shots has he received for it? You shouldn't get more than three!

Here is a snippet from Lane 9 News: "... He was almost going to test his dive in the warm up but chose to do it under race conditions and we decided if he felt a twinge, he was always going to pull up and just swim through – and that's what happened," Stoelwinder told Swimming Australia. "It was purely a precautionary measure and hopefully he will be back swimming by tomorrow afternoon. We have done some good work lately and the swimming part is fine – it's just the twinge he gets off the dive – it will take a bit more time. He will continue to have his usual treatment and we will obviously monitor him closely. ..." [Link]

The photo to the right is titled "Glass Spine." I found it on Flickr.com in Gardinergirl's photstream. Here is a direct link to the photo: [Link]

Dara Torres storms the prelim in the 100 freestyle!

From Swimming World: "...OMAHA, Neb., July 3. AS the fifth day of Olympic Trials competition got rolling, Natalie Coughlin delivered a preliminary statement in the 100 freestyle. The American-record holder, racing in the last of 13 heats, turned in a meet-record time of 53.64, the only time of the morning that broke the 54-second barrier. Coughlin's national record sits at 53.39.

Coughlin's prelim heat featured the top-two times of the morning as Lacey Nymeyer put together a strong swim and touched the wall in 54.06. Meanwhile, the winner of the 11th heat was the ageless Dara Torres, who was making her first appearance in these Trials. Torres, the 41-year-old looking for her fifth Olympics, was timed in 54.57. ..." [Link]

Womens heat 9 of 11 in the 400 IM

Regarding the rumor that 'Nike' is interested in 'blueseventy.'

There is this rumor floating around at Olympic trials that Nike is interested in blueseventy - it centers around the fact that a friendly dinner took place between executives from both companies and that a Nike athlete or athletes[?] have worn their suit[s]. This friendly dinner has seemingly been construed as a deal. There is no more evidence than that.

Ryan Lochte learned the hard way in the 400 IM that there is no 'glide phase' to a Michael Phelps turn!

When Michael Phelps makes a turn, he is kicking as soon as his feet leave the wall. Here is a link to a You Tube of Phelps showing how it's done: [Link]

Also, see his start here and note how he is looking up rather than looking down during his freestyle. This is definitely not the total immersion school here: [Link]

Dealing with 'Speedo' and a 'Speedo LZR' at trials

Here is a review from Maya and Molly at US Olympic Trials. Only rich people are going to have the money and the patience for this suit.

Here is what Natalie Coughlin said to the Christian Science Monitor:

“The LZR takes about 20 minutes to put on,” said Natalie Coughlin, who won five medals at the Athens Olympics and is expected to win more in Beijing. “It’s just incredibly tight, especially around the legs. You inch it up millimeter by millimeter.”

So why deal with it? “They tell me it’s better,” she says. “So I wear it.” [Link]

NBC - Just turn the cameras and the interviews over to 'Floswimming' please!

I am not happy with NBCs coverage of the Olympic Trials; It's garbage! It seems rushed, perfunctory, and the hosts; (Rowdy excluded), even get some of their facts wrong. One could only wish that NBC would hand the cameras and microphones over to Floswimming to do it right. [Link]

Now, why I am so dissapointed about the swim coverage is that Executive producer, David Neal, recalled Ebersol telling him, "We ought to be doing swimming every night." [International Herald Tribune: [Link]

Ebersol thinks it is "Michael Phelps' charisma!" Huh?, Charisma? no offense but Phelps' bulldog has more charisma than Michael. People want to see the bodies, the water, the races and the interviews. Floswimming has got all of the above totally wired!

I hope the Olympic coverage is far better than what we are seeing. Also, I hopeful that they choose some journalists; (read as Floswimming staff), to augment Rowdy Gaines instead of embarrassing him.

Fantastic Olympic Trials Photo-Gallery at Boston.com!

That's Katie Hoff and I am loving that "manta ray" shape she is making with her body. Michael Phelps, Lochte Jensen and others are featured brillantly: [Link]

Alcatraz Sharfest photo from last Saturay morning

This is how far the mainland looks when you begin the Alcatraz Sharkfest race. Simply epic! Photo taken by Scott Belland.

That amazing Sprite commercial from Sunday nights Olympic trials

Amazing what you can do with a stick and 30-miles of beach!

Meet Jim Denevan and his portfolio of beach art. The man has patience, control, and a sense of symmetry. Since the average tide is six hours apart, I wonder if his work is destroyed shortly after completion? Found at NotCot.org: [Link]