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☆ Pollution on Seine scuppers Open Water World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Paris 2024 Olympics - Test swimming event for Paris 2024 - Paris, France - August 5, 2023 Rescue boats are moored to the bank of the River Seine as a tourist boat goes past after the Open Water Swimming World Cup 10km Women's competition was postponed REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/File PhotoPARIS, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Organisers were forced on Sunday to cancel the Open Water Swimming World Cup in Paris, after heavy rainfall caused the water quality in the Seine river to dip below minimum health standards. "It's obvious that extra work is required with Paris 2024 and local authorities to guarantee solid emergency plans are set up for next year," said World Aquatics. The Olympics committee said in a separate statement that new infrastructure would be up and running by summer 2024, which should ensure better water quality and make the Seine swimmable. "For Paris 2024 and World Triathlon, the health and safety of athletes is our top priority," the sport's governing body said in a statement. On Thursday, the Guardian reported that at least 57 participants fell ill after competing in sea swimming events at the World Triathlon Championship Series in Sunderland, England.

Persons: Stephanie Lecocq, Gilles Sezionale, Saturday's, triathletes, Juliette Jabkhiro, Aadi Nair, John Stonestreet, Ed Osmond Organizations: Paris, REUTERS, Games, Federation, Olympics, World Aquatics, The, Olympic, Triathlon, Guardian, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Seine, Sunderland, England

☆ Pre-Olympics swimming event at risk as storms dirty Seine river
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( America Hernandez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Paris 2024 Olympics - Training for test swimming event for Paris 2024 - River Seine, Paris, France - August 4, 2023 A tourist boat is pictured on the River Seine beside the Pont Alexandre III bridge REUTERS/Stephanie LecocqPARIS, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Participants of this weekend's Open Water Swimming World Cup were barred from a Friday morning training session in Paris' river Seine as heavy rainfall caused water quality to dip below health standards, the French Swimming Federation (FFN) said. The women's 10 kilometre race on Saturday - a qualifying event for marathon swimming at the Paris 2024 Olympics - is still scheduled to go ahead, pending a new river water quality test on Friday evening. "The water quality tests are done regularly, and they are progressively improving," the spokesperson added. International federation World Aquatics did not immediately respond to a request for comment about further backup plans for the races if Seine water quality does not improve this weekend. The city has been working on clean-up efforts to make the Seine swimmable again, as it was during the 1900 Paris Olympics more than a century ago.

Persons: Pont Alexandre III, Stephanie Lecocq PARIS, Jacques Chirac, America Hernandez, Geert De Clercq Organizations: Paris, French Swimming Federation, Olympics, Thomson Locations: Seine, Paris, France, Villette, Egypt, Italy

☆ Meilutyte shatters breaststroke record at worlds; Hafnaoui wins
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FUKUOKA, Japan, July 30 (Reuters) - Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania set her second world record in as many days in the women's 50 metres breaststroke, powering to the gold medal in a time of 29.16 seconds at the World Aquatics Championships on Sunday. Meilutyte smashed the record of 29.30 seconds that she had jointly held with Benedetta Pilato of Italy after setting that mark in her semi-final on Saturday. She was 0.78 seconds ahead of silver medallist Lilly King of the United States. Ahmed Hafnaoui ensured a second gold of the meeting for Tunisia after edging past Bobby Finke of the United States in a fiercely contested men's 1,500m freestyle race. He finished in 14 minutes 31.54 seconds to miss out on Sun Yang's world record of 14:31.02.

Persons: Ruta, Meilutyte, Benedetta Pilato, Lilly King, Pilato, Ahmed Hafnaoui, Bobby Finke, Finke, Australia's Sam Short, Hunter Armstrong, Justin Ress, China's Xu Jiayu, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Clare Fallon Organizations: Marine Messe Fukuoka, Thomson Locations: FUKUOKA, Japan, Lithuania, Italy, United States, Tunisia, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Sjoestroem wins fifth straight butterfly title at world championships
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The 29-year-old Sjoestroem touched the wall in 24.77 seconds to deny Zhang, who was 0.28 seconds behind, while Gretchen Walsh of the United States took bronze. Australia's Cameron McEvoy then won the men's 50m freestyle gold in a superb time of 21.06 seconds, beating silver medallist Jack Alexy of the U.S. by 0.51 seconds. The absence of 2022 men's 100m butterfly champion Kristof Milak and Olympic gold medallist Caeleb Dressel, who also has the world record, will add a dash of uncertainty to the final later in the evening. But she can expect a tough test from American Regan Smith, who was second in the semis, and Australia's Olympic and world champion Kaylee McKeown who also holds the world record of 2:03.14 in the event having set that time in March. The Australian mixed 4x100m freestyle relay team have a shot at lowering their world record of 3:19.38 in the last race after cruising through the heats and going nearly two seconds faster than the United States.

Persons: Sarah Sjoestroem, Stefan Wermuth FUKUOKA, Swede, China's Zhang Yufei, Zhang, Gretchen Walsh, Australia's Cameron McEvoy, Jack Alexy, Briton Benjamin Proud, Kristof Milak, Caeleb Dressel, Dara Rose, Frenchman Maxime Grousset, Josh Liendo, Peng Xuwei, Regan Smith, Kaylee McKeown, Victory, McKeown, Katie Ledecky, China's Li Bingjie, Erika Hairweather, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Marine Messe Fukuoka, REUTERS, United, Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall, Thomson Locations: Fukuoka, Japan, United States, U.S, China, China's, Australian, Bengaluru

☆ Paris 2024: The war in Ukraine shows no sign of ending. That leaves a dark cloud over the Olympic Games
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Matt Foster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Kharlan’s disqualification threw into sharp relief the political and organizational jeopardy that France and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is facing ahead of the Games. So far, no decision has been taken on Russian and Belarusian athletes’ participation at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The opening ceremony is already uniquely French in nature with the Games set to be centered around the Seine, the river running through the city. Organizers also say that the Paris Games “finance themselves,” claiming that 96% of the budget comes from private investment. Next year’s Olympic Games are set to start on July 26 and run until August 11.

Persons: Olga Kharlan, Anna Smirnova, Kharlan’s, Thomas Bach, Russia’s, Smirnova, Russian Anna Smirnova, Ukraine's Olga Kharlan, Tibor Illyes, ” Bach, “, ” Edwin Moses, Nawal El Moutawakel, CNN’s Amanda Davies, Jimmy Carter, ”, Moses, AP El, Emmanuel Macron, Geoffroy Van Der, Tony Estanguet, CNN’s Melissa Bell, “ It’s, Denis the, aren’t, Jimmy Gressier, Tullio M, Estanguet, Shelly, Ann Fraser, Pryce, ” Fraser, Fabrice Coffrini, Katie Ledecky, Ariarne Titmus, Summer McIntosh Organizations: CNN, International Olympic Committee, IOC, Belarusian Olympic, Olympic, US Olympic, USA, US State Department, United, AP, AP El Moutawakel, Games, Eastern Bloc, Getty, Paris, FIFA, Stade de France, UEFA, League, Stade de France –, de Police, BFMTV, RMC Sport, CNN Sport, Paris Games, Paralympic, Paralympic Games Locations: Paris, Ukrainian, France, Ukraine, Belarusian, Russia, Milan, Russian, Soviet, Afghanistan, Morocco, United States, Soviet Union, Los Angeles , California, –, Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt, AFP, Saint, Puglia, Lausanne, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Seine

☆ Chalmers, McIntosh power to gold at world championships
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Chalmers won in 47.15 seconds and Jack Alexy of the United States surprised a stacked field to take silver, 0.16 seconds behind the winner. Frenchman Maxime Grousset grabbed bronze ahead of China's Pan Zhanle. McIntosh earlier cruised to the women's 200m butterfly title, capturing gold in a time of 2:04.06 ahead of Australian Elizabeth Dekkers. Australia's triple Olympic gold medallist Kaylee McKeown then won the women's 50m backstroke crown after claiming the title over 100m earlier this week. The 22-year-old came home in 27.08 seconds ahead of American Smith who went 27.11 while Briton Lauren Cox had to settle for bronze, finishing 0.12 seconds behind the champion.

Persons: Kyle Chalmers, Summer McIntosh, Chalmers, Jack Alexy, Frenchman Maxime Grousset, Romania's David Popovici, Matthew Richards, Popovici, McIntosh, Elizabeth Dekkers, Regan Smith, Australia's, Kaylee McKeown, American Smith, Briton Lauren Cox, Frenchman Leon Marchand, Ryan Lochte's, Carson Foster, Daiya, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Ken Ferris Organizations: Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall, United States, Thomson Locations: FUKUOKA, Japan, United States, China's, Budapest, Shanghai, U.S, Australia, Britain, Bengaluru

☆ Australia's O'Callaghan smashes 14-year-old record to win world title
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

FUKUOKA, Japan, July 26 (Reuters) - Australia's Mollie O'Callaghan finished with a flourish to break the longest-standing world record in women's swimming, claiming the 200 metres freestyle title in a time of one minute, 52.85 seconds at the World Aquatics Championships on Wednesday. Summer McIntosh of Canada was 0.80 seconds behind to take bronze in a world junior record time. Olympic champion Titmus had blazed to the 400m freestyle title on Sunday to erase 16-year-old McIntosh's mark and was well placed to go for another record after topping the semi-final time sheet. Hungary's world record holder Kristof Milak was absent from the men's 200m butterfly that followed, as the Olympic and world champion skipped the meet saying that he was not physically or mentally in a position to compete. The mixed 4x100m medley relay concludes the fourth day of swimming with the Americans tipped to win their third title.

Persons: Mollie O'Callaghan, O'Callaghan, Italian Federica Pellegrini, Ariarne Titmus, Summer McIntosh, Titmus, China's Yang Junxuan, Kristof Milak, Frenchman Leon Marchand, Poland's Krzysztof Chmielewski, Tomoru Honda, Qin Haiyang, Nic Fink, Adam Peaty, Matthew Richards, Ahmed Hafnaoui, Sam Short, Bobby Finke, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Toby Davis Organizations: Wednesday, Channel, Marine Messe Fukuoka, Thomson Locations: FUKUOKA, Japan, Italian, Rome, Australia, Canada, Budapest, Tunisia, United States, Bengaluru

☆ Ledecky dominates, Richards leads British one-two at world championships
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

It was the perfect response for Ledecky, who was dethroned and left disappointed by the record-breaking Ariarne Titmus in Sunday's 400m freestyle event. Earlier, Richards finished strongly to bag the gold ahead of compatriot Tom Dean in his freestyle event with a solid time of one minute, 44.30 seconds. "I knew going into the race it was one of the most stacked 200 freestyle fields for a long time. Olympic champion Dean finished 0.02 seconds behind to take silver and Hwang Sun-woo of South Korea took the bronze, while 2022 world champion David Popovici of Romania missed out on a podium spot. She charged to victory in the event in 57.53 seconds to edge out 2022 world champion Regan Smith of the United States by 0.25 seconds and Katharine Berkoff by 0.72 seconds.

Persons: Katie Ledecky, Marko Djurica, Matthew Richards, Ledecky, Simona Quadarella, Li Bingjie, I'm, Richards, Tom Dean, Dean, Hwang Sun, David Popovici, Kaylee McKeown, Australia's, Regan Smith, Katharine Berkoff, McKeown, Smith, Italy's Thomas Ceccon, Ryan Murphy, Murphy, Hunter Armstrong, Lilly King, Lithuania's Meilutyte, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Toby Davis Organizations: Marine Messe Fukuoka, Britain, London Games, Thomson Locations: Fukuoka, Japan, Marko Djurica FUKUOKA, United States, British, South Korea, Romania, Barcelona, Bengaluru

☆ Frenchman Marchand breaks Phelps world record in 400m medley
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[1/4] Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships - Swimming - Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A, Fukuoka, Japan - July 23, 2023 France's Leon Marchand in action during the men's 400m medley final REUTERS/Issei KatoJuly 23 (Reuters) - Leon Marchand of France set a world record in the men's 400 metres individual medley, cruising to the gold medal in a time of four minutes, 2.50 seconds at the world championships in Fukuoka in southwest Japan on Sunday. Marchand broke the long-standing mark of 4:03.84 set by American great Michael Phelps at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and he finished 4.06 seconds ahead of silver medallist Carson Foster of the United States. Japan's Daiya Seto took the bronze. Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: France's Leon Marchand, Issei Kato, Leon Marchand, Marchand, Michael Phelps, Carson Foster, Daiya Seto, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Marine Messe Fukuoka, Thomson Locations: Fukuoka, Japan, France, American, Beijing, United States, Bengaluru

☆ Leon Marchand, 21-year-old French swimming star, breaks Michael Phelps’ last remaining world record
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Although Michael Phelps retired seven years ago, his legacy has continued to tower over swimming. But on Saturday, Phelps’ last remaining world record was smashed by 21-year-old Leon Marchand at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukoka, Japan, as the Frenchman completed the 400 meters individual medley in 4:02.50, shaving an enormous 1.34 seconds off Phelps’ previous mark. Phelps himself had held the world record for almost 21 years, setting a series of increasingly faster times during his stint as the world’s most dominant swimmer. “I’m two seconds faster than my previous record, I beat the world record, it’s amazing… I don’t know what to say, I’m so happy.”France's Leon Marchand competes in the final of the men's 400m medley. Meanwhile Australia’s Ariarne Titmus set a world record in the women’s 400 meter freestyle with a time of 3:55.38, so blistering that she held off Katie Ledecky in second place.

Persons: Michael Phelps, Phelps ’, Leon Marchand, Frenchman, ” Marchand, “, Phelps, ” France's Leon Marchand, Manan Vatsyayana, Carson Foster, Australia’s Ariarne, Katie Ledecky Organizations: CNN, Olympics, Getty Locations: Fukoka, Japan, Beijing, AFP, Japan’s

☆ Titmus shatters world record to win 400m freestyle gold at worlds
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FUKUOKA, Japan, July 23 (Reuters) - Reigning Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus of Australia smashed the world record as she blazed to victory in a battle royale for the women's 400m freestyle title on the opening day of the swimming events at the World Aquatics Championships on Sunday. New Zealand's Erika Fairweather edged McIntosh to grab the bronze, finishing 4.21 seconds behind Titmus. Earlier, Australia's Sam Short won the men's 400m freestyle race a year after his compatriot Elijah Winnington prevailed. The women's and men's 4x100m freestyle relays will bring an end to the day's proceedings at the Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall. Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ariarne, Titmus, Summer McIntosh, Katie Ledecky, Ian Thorpe, Pieter van den Hoogenband, Michael Phelps, Erika Fairweather, McIntosh, Australia's Sam Short, Elijah Winnington, Ahmed Hafnaoui, Germany's Lukas Martens, Winnington, France's Leon Marchand, Carson Foster, Jacob Whittle, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Toby Davis Organizations: Paris, Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall, Thomson Locations: FUKUOKA, Japan, Australia, Athens, Tunisia, Budapest, British, Bengaluru

☆ While women's soccer boasts fierce LGBT advocates, FIFA reviews transgender rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Lori Ewing | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Critics of transgender inclusion in women's sport say going through male puberty imbues athletes with a huge physical advantage that transition does not mitigate. The U.S. women's team, including Rapinoe, famously lost 5-2 to an under-15 FC Dallas boys team in an informal training match in 2017. In much of the world, trans people are just lucky to stay alive. LGBT advocates say the debate over transgender inclusion in women's sport has also made for an increasingly hostile environment for gender diverse people in North America. According to LGBT website Outsports, a record of at least 87 out players will compete at the World Cup, more than double the 38 who played in the 2019 version.

Persons: Megan Rapinoe, Martina Navratilova, Rapinoe, Navratilova, Sue Bird, Joanna Harper, Nilla Fischer, Barbra Banda, Quinn, Sarah Gregorius, FIFPRO, You've, Lori Ewing, Nick Mulvenney, Michael Perry Organizations: Athletics, Aquatics, FIFA, trailblazer, WNBA, FC Dallas boys, Reuters, Equatorial, Zambia, Nations, Canada, Toronto Star, England, Thomson Locations: MANCHESTER, England, Australia, New Zealand, U.S, Canadian, Equatorial Guinea, North America, Tokyo

☆ The World Aquatics Championships in pictures
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Jillian Kumagai | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

The Yamuna River's levels were at their highest in 45 years this week following unusually heavy rainfall in New Delhi, India, and hilly northern states, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people as the Yamuna, which runs through the city, breached its banks.

Locations: New Delhi, India

☆ Olympic champion Dressel fails to qualify for world championships
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 1 (Reuters) - Seven-time Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel failed to qualify for this month's World Aquatics Championships in Japan after more disappointing results at the U.S. National Championships in Indianapolis on Saturday. In his final chance to make the U.S. team, Dressel finished tied for 22nd in the preliminaries of the 50-metre freestyle, 1.07 seconds behind the leader. Dressel's struggles were not wholly unexpected as the 26-year-old has not competed in a major meet since abruptly pulling out of the world championships in Budapest last summer citing an unspecified health issue. "He's very happy where he's at now," University of Florida head coach Anthony Nesty was quoted as saying by SwimSwam on Saturday. Nesty said Dressel is capable of getting off to excellent starts but struggles to close races.

Persons: Caeleb Dressel, Dressel, Dressel's, Anthony Nesty, SwimSwam, it's, I've, Nesty, He's, Rory Carroll, Toby Davis Organizations: U.S, National, U.S ., University of Florida, Tokyo, Paris Games, Thomson Locations: Japan, Indianapolis, U.S, Fukuoka, Budapest, Los Angeles

☆ Australian sprinter O'Callaghan suffers injury ahead of worlds
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, June 28 (Reuters) - Australian Mollie O'Callaghan, who owns the fastest times of the year in both the 100 and 200 metres freestyle, has injured her knee a few weeks out from the start of the world championships in Japan. "It's all looking good for being at worlds, and there's nothing saying she's not going to be there," Taylor told The Australian newspaper. But there's nothing saying she won't be at worlds." The swimming at the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka begins on July 23. Taylor said O'Callaghan, who already owns two Olympic and two World Championship relay gold medals at the age of 19, was an integral part of the Australia team.

Persons: Mollie O'Callaghan, Rohan Taylor, she's, Taylor, We've, O'Callaghan, Ariarne Titmus, Emma McKeon, Nick Mulvenney, Sonali Paul Organizations: SYDNEY, Australian, Tokyo, Australia, Thomson Locations: Japan, Budapest, Australia, Fukuoka

☆ Mexican Olympians avoid auctioning medals as airline steps in to fly them to world championships
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Reuters —Mexico’s largest airline has offered to fly Olympic divers Alejandra Orozco and Gabriela Agúndez to this year’s world championships for free after government funding cuts forced them to try to find ways to pay their own passage. Elite Mexican aquatic athletes have been driven to selling towels and bathing suits among other fundraising initiatives since government funding was cut in a row over the governance of the Mexican Swimming Federation (FMN). Moments later, however, they received an on-air call from an Aeromexico executive, who said the airline would ferry the entire diving team to the Aquatics World Championships in Japan in July. The Aeromexico offer is not the first case of private initiative coming to the aid of Mexico’s aquatic athletes. Billionaire businessman Carlos Slim, through his philanthropic foundation, funded the Artistic Swimming team’s trip to the World Championships in Egypt, where they won three golds and a bronze earlier this week.

☆ No medal sale as airline steps in to fly Mexican Olympians to worlds
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Elite Mexican aquatic athletes have been driven to selling towels and bathing suits among other fund-raising initiatives since government funding was cut in a row over the governance of the Mexican Swimming Federation (FMN). Moments later, however, they received an on-air call from an Aeromexico executive, who said the airline would ferry the entire diving team to the Aquatics World Championships in Japan in July. The Aeromexico offer is not the first case of private initiative coming to the aid of Mexico's aquatic athletes. Billionaire businessman Carlos Slim, through his philanthropic foundation, funded the Artistic Swimming team's trip to the World Championships in Egypt, where they won three golds and a bronze earlier this week. Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Mexican government takes pride in artistic team after cutting funding
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Mexico increased their World Cup medal tally to four on Monday at the competition in Egypt, having travelled there thanks to the support of businessman Carlos Slim. With three golds and a bronze, the North American country finished second in the medal table behind Spain. Their first medal success came in the Mixed Team Technical event on Saturday, when a statement from the government praising the swimmers raised eyebrows after the National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport (CONADE) cut support from the team. "The Mexican artistic swimming team's historic participation in the World Cup in Egypt was a golden one. loadingCONADE head Ana Guevara announced the cut in funding in January after global governing body World Aquatics did not recognise the president of the Mexican Swimming Federation, Kiril Todorov, who is facing a trial for embezzlement.

☆ "We're being hounded" - French transgender sprinter decries Olympics ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Noemie Olive | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] French sprinter Halba Diouf, 21, a transgender woman athlete who dreams to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Games, attends a practice session on an athletics track in Aix-en-Provence, France May 3, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo FuentesAIX-EN-PROVENCE, France, May 9 (Reuters) - French sprinter Halba Diouf feels she is being marginalised and hounded after her dream of participating at next year's Paris Olympics was shattered when World Athletics (WA) banned transgender women from elite female competitions. "The only safeguard transgender women have is their right to live as they wish and we are being refused that, we are being hounded... In March WA's council cut the maximum amount of plasma testosterone for DSD athletes in half to 2.5 nanomoles per litre from five. The WA rules also stated the level must be maintained for at least 24 months before DSD athletes can compete in female competitions.

☆ Chikunova sets 200m breaststroke world record in Kazan
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 21 (Reuters) - Russia's Evgeniia Chikunova shattered the 200m breaststroke world record with a time of two minutes 17.55 seconds on the final day of the Russian swimming championships in Kazan on Friday. A World Aquatics spokesman said Chikunova's time "will follow the World Aquatics world record process of approval that any other world record follows. "Only when the necessary steps are taken and verified can a world record then be ratified." Russian and Belarusian swimmers are banned from competing internationally due to the war in Ukraine, but World Aquatics this month established a task force to explore their return as neutrals. read moreThis year's world swimming championships are scheduled to take place in Fukuoka, Japan from July 14-30.

☆ Swim England updates transgender policy with 'open' category
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, April 3 (Reuters) - Swim England announced an updated transgender and non-binary policy on Monday with a 'female' category restricted to athletes with a declared birth sex of female and a new 'open' category for everyone else. Swim England said it saw a general consensus that post-puberty transgender females retained a biological level of performance advantage post-transition. The transgender youth charity Mermaids called on Swim England to reverse its decision. "Swim England's trans policy is disappointing. World Aquatics voted last year to restrict participation of transgender athletes in elite women's competitions and create a working group to establish an open category.

☆ CeCé Telfer: After a regulation change for transgender athletes, CeCé Telfer is determined to 'keep pursuing her dreams'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Interview Amanda Davies | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —CeCé Telfer calls it the moment her dreams seemed to be shattered as she questioned whether years of “blood, sweat and tears” were in vain. Last week, governing body World Athletics (WA) announced it would be prohibiting athletes who have gone through what it called “male puberty” from participating in female world rankings competitions. That includes Telfer, an American 400-meter hurdler who became the first out, transgender athlete to win an NCAA title in 2019. “The overriding feeling was definitely devastation for myself and for many around the world,” Telfer, speaking about her initial reaction to the announcement, tells CNN Sport in an exclusive interview. “I’m still going to keep pursuing my dreams and keep competing and keep running as much as I can, wherever I can, however I can,” Telfer adds.

☆ Rome hopes to reverse decline and relive La Dolce Vita
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Giselda Vagnoni | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/5] General view of the Colosseum next to a subway's construction sites in Rome, Italy, February 16, 2023. However, flailing public services can make La Dolce Vita seem a remote dream, for both visitors and residents alike. "It is the biggest investment plan Rome has ever had," Gualtieri told Reuters. "Milan was turned around by the EXPO and has become a city capable of attracting capital from all over the world. Rome is an incredible place and second to none," Luca Luciani, head of BAI Communications Italia, told Reuters.

☆ The Dramatic World of Artistic Swimming Will be Open to Men at the Paris Olympics
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Louise Radnofsky | Rachel Bachman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Bill May and Natalia Vega Figueroa perform during the Mixed Duet Technical Artistic Swimming Preliminary at the FINA Swimming World Championships 2019. An Olympic competition long associated with dramatically made-up women swimming and swirling will have a new addition for the 2024 Paris Games: men. World Aquatics announced Thursday that countries would be allowed to include up to two men in their entries for the 2024 Olympic team event—in which eight swimmers perform a routine as a group. Nations could also choose not to field men in their lineups. The duet event will remain limited to pairs of women.

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