Tag Archives: swimming

Swimmer Diana Nyad Abandons 103-Mile Swim From Cuba To Florida

Jessica WakemanAugust 9, 2011 //

Diana Nyad, an endurance swimmer who attempted to swim the 103 miles between Cuba and Florida without a shark tank, abandoned her goal on Tuesday morning. Nyad began her swim on Sunday and was followed by a team of 30 people operating an electrical field to repel sharks. As a condition of her competition, she was not allowed to touch the boats following her and she had to tread water while eating or drinking. But 29 hours into her swim, she was suffering shoulder pain, asthma and was vomiting when she was brought on board a boat. This isn’t the first time Nyad attempted to swim from Havana to Key West: she tried in 1978 at age 28, but also had to abandon that swim halfway. In the two years leading up to Sunday’s swim, Nyad swam up to 12 hours a day. Oh, and did I mention she’s 61-years-old? Keep reading »

Hobby Road Test: (Re)Joining A Swim Team

Kate Torgovnick/Kate-Book.comJuly 26, 2011 //

I am a hobby kind-of-girl. As in, I very much enjoy them and have dabbled in a lot of them. Over the years, I have joined both bowling and pool leagues. I’ve gotten into scrapbooking, as a way to preserve memories of life and keep records of the best articles I’ve written over the years. I’ve learned how to Rubik’s Cube. About eight months ago, I started taking improv classes. And more recently, I embarked on a photography mission, using my camera less for photos of friends and more for artfully composed shots that I then print and hang in my cubicle.

But there’s one hobby that I was once very into that I’ve let fall by the wayside in recent years. Swim team. Keep reading »

The Best Pool Exit Of All Time

Ami AngelowiczNovember 29, 2010 //

Well, that’s one way to get out of a pool. Either she’s the happiest swimmer on earth or there’s some Kool-Aid in the water. [BuzzFeed] Keep reading »

Baby Otters Play In The Kiddie Pool

Julie GersteinNovember 8, 2010 //


Surprisingly, swimming doesn’t necessarily come naturally to all members of the animal kingdom. Like these baby otters, Sumalee and Kasem, who live at the Longleat Zoo in England. The pair were taught how to swim by first trying it out in a sink, before then graduating to a baby pool. Watch as they frolic and play — sans water wings — for a thrilled audience. [BuzzFeed] Keep reading »

Tiger Cubs Need Swimming Lessons, Too

Julie GersteinNovember 3, 2010 //

As any terrified toddler who’s been dropped into a pool cold turkey knows, swimming ain’t easy. And that’s equally true for tiger cubs. Witness these four cuties at the Smithsonian National Zoo in D.C. figure out the doggie paddle with a team of helpful zoo attendees standing by. [The Awl] Keep reading »

Is Athletic Prowess All Determined By The Belly Button?

Lauren GoldJuly 15, 2010 //

Could your belly button reveal clues about your athletic ability? It just might, according to a study conducted by Duke University and Howard University. Scientists say that the navel position is the reason black people tend to dominate on the race track, while white people tend to excel in the swimming pool. Wait, did I read that correctly? Is this for real? Get me a measuring tape! Keep reading »

Monday Menage: Foursomes At The Olympics

SimchaAugust 25, 2008 //

This Monday, we’re upin’ our usual threesome to a foursome! To whom do we bestow this honor? Two American teams that each won the 4 x 400 races in their sports — the men’s swimming team and the men’s track team. These eight athletes aren’t afraid to go for the gold — they came out from behind and grabbed it. Their efforts were so inspiring, even we were breaking a sweat. So, Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones, and Jason Lezak, along with LaShawn Merritt, Angelo Taylor, David Neville and Jeremy Wariner — in honor of your gold medals, we’d like to let you know you’ve also placed in our hearts. [NBC]

Keep reading »

Male Swimmers: Abandon Full-Body Suits So We See Your Abs, Please

Catherine StrawnAugust 11, 2008 //

Male swimmers are not thought of as the most masculine of athletes because they have to shave their legs and wear tight suits to cut down on resistance, which makes them swim faster. But swimmers have hot bodies. Some of the hottest, in fact. They pretty much always have broad shoulders, toned backs, and sick abs. Unfortunately, swimsuit companies like Speedo started making super high-tech suits for women and men that cover their entire bodies, reducing drag and making them even more streamlined in the water. This is good for the swimmers, bad for world records, and just awful for us. We miss looking at the guys’ nice torsos and appreciate when they opt for a half-body suit instead (above left). But, I guess we shouldn’t complain too much since the suits in question were worn by the winning U.S.A. boys in the 400-meter relay yesterday (above right). Keep reading »

The Daily Hotness: Michael Phelps & Ryan Lochte

Amelia McDonell-ParryJuly 10, 2008 //

You know the other thing I love about swimmers? Their little swimming briefs. They’ve really modernized the Speedo, haven’t they? Also, there is nothing sexier on a man’s body — especially if he is an Olympic swimmer like Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte — than that muscular V on their lower torso. There is a reason why this cover of the upcoming issue of Men’s Journal has been popping up on gay sites, you know what I’m saying? Check out Men’s Journal for more insanely hot photos from the issue. Keep reading »

The Daily Hotness: Ryan Lochte

Amelia McDonell-ParryJuly 1, 2008 //

My favorite part of the summer Olympics, well besides gymnastics and diving, is swimming. There is nothing hotter than a swimmer’s upper body — though I must confess I am grossed out by the fact that they have to shave ALL their body hair in order to swim faster. Everyone goes on and on about Michael Phelps and how he tied the World Record for some race and how he is probably going to be the most decorated athlete in Olympics history, but it’s Ryan Lochte who caught my eye during the Olympic Trials this past weekend. First of all, he doesn’t have that gross, thick swimmer’s neck; second, he totally kept up with Phelps during the race in which Phelps tied the World Record, coming in only a millisecond or something behind him; third, he didn’t wax his armpit. Woohoo! Keep reading »