The State of Swimming
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The State of Swimming
@stateofswimming.bsky.social
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S.O.S. - The State of Swimming: swimmers, coaches, parents, the sport - and how governance affects them all - by Craig Lord - and guests - https://state-of-swimming.ghost.io/
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Lincoln Wearing Cracks Kieren Perkins' 1990 Aussie 16 Years 800 Mark: “It’s such a thrill to be able to have the opportunity to race here after training hard, knowing I had Kieren’s record in my sights, that was my goal, to go under it, so I’m thrilled."
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The Vortex - December 2025: Lincoln Wearing Cracks Perkins' 1990 Aussie 16 Years 800 Mark
The Vortex, our monthly compilation of news, views & links to external coverage of the sport, is available as part of our offer of free content emailed to those who register. For a deeper dive, consid...
state-of-swimming.ghost.io
December 16, 2025 at 3:06 PM
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In 2026: Will Olympic Rules Reflect Coventry's Stance That "We Are Protecting The Female Category"?
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In 2026: Will Olympic Rules Reflect Coventry's Stance That "We Are Protecting The Female Category"?
On the cusp of the SOS Awards for 2025, we take a moment to look ahead to what is set to be one of the most significant developments in Olympic sport next year
state-of-swimming.ghost.io
December 16, 2025 at 5:39 AM
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SOS FORUM: In our series on what's retarding swimming's growth, we dip into AUS Vs The Rest of the World in Brisbane. Its the latest memory jog for World Aquatics to think again about the void in between Olympics and World Champs
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Australia Vs Rest Reminds Us Swimming Still Has No Hook To Hang Vital Sign On: "Open For Business Out Of Championship Season"
In this bonus edition of out FORUM series looking at what's retarding swimming's growth, we dip into the novel event, clock off, that's just unfolded Down Under. Its the latest memory jog for World A...
state-of-swimming.ghost.io
December 13, 2025 at 7:15 PM
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SOS FORUM: In Part 3 of our look at what's holding swimming back, we consider the wise words of Prof. Margaret Heffernan in 'Wilful Blindness': lessons for Aquatics 'reformists' who have broken their pledge to the late Francois Carrard's code for change
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Blindness, Wilful & Collective, Conflicts of Interest & Omertà
In Part 3 of our series looking at what's retarding swimming's growth, we consider the wise words of Prof. Margaret Heffernan in her powerful book Wilful Blindness: lessons aplenty for Aquatics 'refor...
state-of-swimming.ghost.io
December 9, 2025 at 6:01 PM
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Marrit Steenbergen's back lead-off in golden Dutch 4x50m medley - 24.47 Euro record - would have won the dash at Euro s/c titles; it broke the ER that had stood to Sara Curtis for 2hrs, 4mins. Steenbergen's tally: 6 gold, 8 medals, 6 days: Queen of Lublin
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December 7, 2025 at 10:04 PM
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Italy top the medals with 11 golds at the Euro short-course champs after adding five more titles in the curtain-closer, courtesy of Sara Curtis, Simone Cerasuolo, Simona Quadarella, Alberto Razzetti and a men's 4x50 medley quartet including Cerasuolo
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Quadarella, Razetti & Relay Make It A 5-Golds Bull Run For Italy On Last day In Lublin
Italy top the medals with 11 golds at the European short-course championships after adding five more titles in the curtain-closer, courtesy of Sara Curtis, Simone Cerasuolo, Simona Quadarella, Alberto...
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December 7, 2025 at 9:56 PM
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Ireland's Ellen Walshe bagged her 1st senior open gold with storming finish in 200 'fly as the Euro s/c Champs wrap up in Lublin. Debut triumph for Poland's Justina Kozan, too, & a title retained by Swiss ace Noe Ponti ahead of Polish Chmielewski twins
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Walshe & Ponti Fly To Gold As Medley Relay Makes Steenbergen Queen Of Lublin With 6 Golds & 8 Medals
A lead-off backstroke split of 24.47 by Marrit Steenbergen in the women's 4x50 medley would have won the dash at the start of the session and broke the European record that had stood to Sara Curtis ...
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December 7, 2025 at 9:50 PM
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Italian Sara Curtis claims 1st intl solo title, in a European record 25.49 in 50 back, then 28 minutes later, takes joint silver in 50 free with France's Beryl Gastaldello as Euro s/c hosts Poland celebrates gold for Katarzyna Wasick in curtain-closer
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Curtis Cuts A Dash In Back-To-Free Double: Debut Senior Solo Title With 50 Back Euro Mark Then Snap For 50 Free Silver
Italian sprinter Sara Curtis steps up to new level with her first international solo title, in a European record 25.49 on backstroke, and 28 minutes later, takes joint silver in 50 free with France's ...
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December 7, 2025 at 8:05 PM
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The next multi-missions of wonder and awe in the Olympic pool are well underway for the top two turns at Paris 2024. Summer McIntosh 2:02 and Léon Marchand 1:52 - 200 'fly: US Open, in a snap of test sets at a pace very few have ever swum at, any occasion
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McIntosh & Marchand, Those Magnificent Flying Machines
Efforts of 2:02 and 1:52 in the 200 'fly at the end of snap test sets for Summer McIntosh and Léon Marchand are all the more impressive in context: a practice set at a pace that either no other swimme...
state-of-swimming.ghost.io
December 7, 2025 at 8:39 AM
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No Stopping Marrit Steenbergen: 5 Golds, With Euro Records No3 and 4 In 200IM & 100 Free: inside Katinka Hosszu's 2014 mark, on 2:01.83 in the 200IM, inside Sarah Sjöström's 100 free mark, on 50.42 in the 100 free + 2017 meet mark of Ranomi Kromowidjojo
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No Stopping Steenbergen: High 5 Of Golds With Euro Records No3 and 4 In 200IM & 100 Free
Marrit Steenbergen collected more triple-Olympic-champion record scalps at the Euro s/c Champs this evening: inside Katinka Hosszu's 2014 standard, on 2:01.83 in the 200IM, she then broke Sarah Sjöstr...
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December 6, 2025 at 8:29 PM
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In a week of sewing seeds for summer 2028 blooming in LA, a wave of US Open records is accounted for by 2 super squads, Texas Longhorns + its gathering of the biggest international force of big hitters in 1 program, & the Uni of Virginia sorority of stars
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Dazzling Dress Rehearsal From Super Squads Bowman & De Sorbo
Colour for a drab December day and a week of ploughing and sewing of winter seeds the gardeners of swimming aim to see in full bloom come summer 2028 in Los Angeles
state-of-swimming.ghost.io
December 6, 2025 at 10:25 AM
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Germany's Isabel Gose & France's Maxime Grousset set Championship records to win respective 800 free & 100 'fly tussles with Quadarella & Ponti in Lublin; Euro s/c titles also to Damborg (100fly), Ceccon & Cox (100bk), Elendt & Coll Marti ( 200br breast)
state-of-swimming.ghost.io/gose-makes-i...
Gose Makes it Double-Distance Gold In Another Record-Setting Duel With Quadarella
Germany's Isabel Gose and France's Maxime Grousset need Championship records to win respective 800 free & 100 'fly tussles with Italy's Simona Quadarella and Swiss defender Noe Ponti; Euro s/c titles ...
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December 5, 2025 at 9:20 PM
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Another Magdeburg-Might distance powerhouse breaks through: Johannes Liebmann, 18, had a best 800 free of 7:54 last year. He made it 7:45 in a 1500m split 2 days ago, & this morning rose from 185th all-time to No11: 7:30.9, 800 World Junior record state-of-swimming.ghost.io/the-vortex-d...
The Vortex - December 2025: Liebmann 7:30.94 World Junior Mark A Next Wave Of Magdeburg Might Building
The Vortex, our monthly compilation of news, views & links to external coverage of the sport, is available as part of our offer of free content emailed to those who register. For a deeper dive, consid...
state-of-swimming.ghost.io
December 5, 2025 at 2:23 PM
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The 200m free honours keep piling up for the Brits, the latest delivered by Duncan Scott, in 1:40.54 for his first Euro s/c title in the event, and training partner Jack McMillan, 0.40sec away at Euro s/c Champs in Poland, bronze to Ireland's Evan Bailey
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Scott & McMillan Deliver Latest Britain 1-2 Punch In 200 Free
The 200m free honours keep piling up for the Brits, the latest delivered by Scott, in 1:40.54, and McMillan, 0.40sec away on day 3 at Euro s/c Champs in Poland. The bronze went to Ireland's Evan Baile...
state-of-swimming.ghost.io
December 4, 2025 at 9:16 PM
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Irish ace Daniel Wiffen Plays Cat-&-Mouse With Hungarian Zalan Sarkany Before Pouncing in Last 50 To Retain 1500m Euro s/c crown in 14:13.96 to 14:15.51. Bronze to Germany's Florian Wellbrock
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Wiffen Plays Cat-&-Mouse With Sarkany Before Pouncing in Last 50 To Retain 1500m Crown
The splits tell the cat-and-mouse tale of a race for the title that ended 14:13.96 to 14:15.51 in Wiffen's favour. The battle for bronze went to Tokyo 2020ne Olympic bronze medallist over 1500m, Germa...
state-of-swimming.ghost.io
December 4, 2025 at 8:25 PM
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Dutch ace Marritt Steenbergen downs Hosszu's 2017 ER in the 100IM then Sjöström's 2017 ER & Pellegrini's 2009 meet mark in the 200m free for two Euro s/c golds within 90mins in Lublin. 100IM: from 7th to 2nd all-time; 200 free: from 22nd to 3rd all-time
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Steenbergen's Double Dutch Gold In European Record Times: 200IM Then 200 Free
Marritt Steenbergen, of The Netherlands, rose to all-time No2 by taking down Katinka Hosszu's 2017 ER in the 100m medley & was back less than 90 minutes later to take down Sarah Sjöström's 2017 ER & F...
state-of-swimming.ghost.io
December 4, 2025 at 8:09 PM
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Dutch ace Marritt Steenbergen is now the second-fastest 100m medley sprinter all-time with 56.26 win, inside Katinka Hosszu's 2017 European record, at continental short-course Championships in Poland; Swiss ace Noe Ponti takes men's gold in meet mark
state-of-swimming.ghost.io/steenbergen-...
Steenbergen Leads Charge On All-Time Top 10 With Gold Inside Hosszu's 2017 Euro Mark
Marritt Steenbergen, of The Netherlands, is now the second-fastest 100m medley sprinter all-time with 56.26 win at Euro short-course Championships in Poland; Swiss ace Noe Ponti takes men's gold in me...
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December 4, 2025 at 7:07 PM
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Germany's Isabel Gose led the way into the final of the 800m freestyle on day 3 of the European s/c Championships in Lublin, Poland, this morning with an 8:13.70 in heats 36 hours after lifting gold in the 400m; second showdown with Simona Quadarella ahoy
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The Vortex - December 2025: Gose Sets Up Shot At Gold No2
The Vortex, our monthly compilation of news, views & links to external coverage of the sport, is available as part of our offer of free content emailed to those who register. For a deeper dive, consid...
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December 4, 2025 at 1:29 PM
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Ireland's John Shortt sets 1:47.89 World junior record in the 200m backstroke for first international senior crown. Neither the standards the 18-year-old set nor the title he won today in Poland have ever been owned by an Irishman before
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Irish History Maker Shortt Sets World Junior Record For First Senior Gold Of Career
The 1:47.89 World junior record in the 200m backstroke also means that Shortt is now also the European junior and European senior championship record holder. Neither the international standards Shortt...
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December 3, 2025 at 7:21 PM
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McMillan & Scott Through, Richards Out In GBR fight for the right to get beyond heats of 200 free ... Aussie Legacy Shines On In Euro Waters
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The Vortex - December 2025: McMillan & Scott Through, Richards Out, As Aussie Legacy Shines On In Euro Waters
The Vortex, our monthly compilation of news, views & links to external coverage of the sport, is available as part of our offer of free content emailed to those who register. For a deeper dive, consid...
state-of-swimming.ghost.io
December 3, 2025 at 4:33 PM
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Germany's Isabel Gose breaks Mireia Belmonte's 2013 Euro s/c record for gold in 400m free, and Britain's Jack McMillan upsets Olympic and World champion Lukas Märtens for gold in the men's final as continental s/c champs get underway in Poland
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Gold In 3:54 Gets Gose Past Belmonte's 12-Year-Old Record But Magdeburg Mate Märtens Is Pipped By Britain's McMillan
The first titles of the European s/c Championships leave Germany's Isabel Gose with a title at every international championship level she's competed at barring the Olympics, and Britain's Jack McMilla...
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December 2, 2025 at 7:51 PM
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Four-time Olympic Gold medallist at a home Games in Paris last year, Léon Marchand has joined Speedo as a global ambassador on a mission to 'use his platform to champion swim culture on the global stage'
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Marchand Joins Speedo As Global Ambassador
"The partnership will extend far beyond the pool. Léon will be deeply involved with product innovation, collaborating on future swimwear and equipment design for the next generation ... he will use hi...
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December 2, 2025 at 2:55 PM
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Dutch ace Caspar Corbeau rattled the World short-course record with a 55.54 (26.06) in the heats of the 100m breaststroke on the opening morning at the European short-course championships in Lublin, Poland.

state-of-swimming.ghost.io/the-vortex-d...
The Vortex - December 2025: Corbeau Rattles WR With Dutch 100 Mark To Get Euro S/C Champs Off To Fast Start
The Vortex, our monthly compilation of news, views & links to external coverage of the sport, is available as part of our offer of free content emailed to those who register. For a deeper dive, consid...
state-of-swimming.ghost.io
December 2, 2025 at 2:21 PM
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Forum: Thema - Trust: in Part 2 on what's retarding swimming's growth, we consider the governance fortress & flags of "Integrity" & "transparency" flying for all outside the walls to see, while inside the walls, different standards appear top apply
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FORUM: It's Not The Code That Counts But Its Implementation
In Part 2 of our series looking at what's retarding swimming's growth, we consider the governance fortress and the flags of "Integrity" and "transparency" flying for all outside the walls to see and o...
state-of-swimming.ghost.io
November 28, 2025 at 9:27 PM
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“I feel very fortunate to have had so many mentors. From Turner to Sweetenham, Armiger & Titley, McNulty & Marshall, Furniss to Manley; all these coaches have had a profound, long-lasting impact on my knowledge & experience" - Dr. Mike Peyrebrune - Part 2
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On The Trail Of Excellence With Dr. Peyrebrune
“I feel very fortunate to have had so many mentors ... From Turner to Sweetenham, Armiger and Titley, McNulty and Marshall, Furniss and full circle to Manley; all these coaches have had a profound and...
state-of-swimming.ghost.io
November 28, 2025 at 10:31 AM