The Week That Was: Swimming World Welcomes John Lohn, Craig Lord to Staff

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The summer taper meets have officially begun this week with the European Junior Championships and World University Games starting this week around the world of swimming. Some impressive times were laid down from many swimmers across the world, including Belarus’ Anastasiya Shkurdai in the women’s 100 fly and USA’s Zach Apple in the men’s 100 free.

Swimming World also announced a big change in its editorial staff with John Lohn and Craig Lord joining the ship. You can read about some of the biggest news in the swimming world from this last week below.

The Week That Was #5 – European Juniors Produce Stellar Times

Great Britain’s Matthew Richards; Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / deepbluemedia

The 2019 European Juniors from Kazan have provided many quick times. Notably, 16-year-old Matthew Richards of Great Britain posted a quick 48.88 in the 100 free while Belarus’ Anastasiya Shkurdai posted a 57.39 in the 100 fly to move into the top eight in the world. Shkurdai is now ranked fifth in the world at just 16-years-of-age. Other meet records fell to Germany’s Artem Selin in the 50 free (21.83), Russia’s Ilia Sibirtsev in the 800 (7:52.83) and Kirill Martynychev in the 1500 (15:01.59). Meet records fell on the women’s side to Germany’s Isabel Gose in the 200 free (1:57.51), Italy’s Giulia Salin in the 800 (8:29.19) and Spain’s Alba Vazquez in the 400 IM (4:40.64).

The Week That Was #4 – Ella Eastin & Siobhan Haughey Sign With arena

Stanford’s Ella Eastin; Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Global sports brand, arena, has added Stanford’s Ella Eastin and Michigan’s Siobhan Haughey to their team of sponsored athletes. The 2019 Pac-12 Scholar Athlete of the Year Eastin is the first woman in collegiate history to have a total career sweep in the 400 IM, winning four consecutive NCAA titles in the event– but her career is truly just beginning. Eastin, of Orange County, California, began swimming because her parents wanted her and her sister to be water safe and involved in something fun. Just two seasons after joining the local recreational swim team, she made the jump to the club level with Irvine Novaquatics and SoCal Aquatics, where her love for the sport flourished. The Individual Medley powerhouse laid the groundwork for a successful collegiate career and helped lead Stanford University Women’s Swim team to three National Championships.

Haughey made the 2016 Olympics in Rio and has already qualified for both the 2019 World Championships and 2020 Olympics. Earlier this year, and the Hong Kong championships, she swam the 100 free in 53.38 and the 200 free in 1:57.51 during prelims, qualifying for Worlds and the Olympics in both events. After the whirlwind of travel, she skipped the finals. Haughey is also one of the most decorated swimmers in Michigan history. She earned the Big Ten Medal of Honor in April.

The Week That Was #3 – American Record Holder Regan Smith Sends Verbal Commit to Stanford

Regan Smith committed to Stanford; Photo Courtesy: Regan Smith Instagram (@regansmith4)

United States National Team member and multi-time National Age Group record-holder Regan Smith, arguably the most sought-out recruits in the Class of 2020, has declared her verbal commitment to Stanford. The Lakeville, Minn. native – who also owns a pair of World Junior records – will join the Cardinal as a member of the class of 2024. Smith, who owns 11 Summer Nationals (or faster) standards, does her club swimming with Riptide under head coach MikeParratto. At the 2018 Phillips 66 National Championships, she set World Junior Records in both the 100m back and 200m back. She then went on to represent Team USA at the Pan-Pac Championships this past summer, finishing third in the 200m back and fourth in the 100m back at just 16 years old.

The Week That Was #2 – Zach Apple, Dean Farris Impress at World University Games

Zach Apple swam a stellar 47.7 100 free; Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

The 2019 World University Games have started off the summer as the first major international meet. Some up and coming US swimmers are in attendance at the meet like Zach Apple, who has the fastest times of any Americans thus far this year in the 100 (47.79) and 200 free (1:46.80). Apple led off the United States’ 4×100 free relay with a 47.79 and gave way to NCAA Champion Dean Farris, who swam a 47.0 in the heats of the relay. The United States men swam a 3:11.03 in the 4×100 free relay to swim the fastest time in two years. The United States team was a 3:11.67 at Pan Pacs last year. Through the first three legs, the Americans were within a second of the world record pace that was set in the legendary 4×100 free relay from the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The Americans won by nearly four full seconds over Brazil (3:15.27) and Italy (3:15.91).

The Week That Was #1: Swimming World Welcomes John Lohn and Craig Lord to Editorial Staff

Craig Lord and John Lohn

A new era has begun at Swimming World as Craig Lord and John Lohn joined the editorial staff. Lord takes the title of Swimming World Editor-in-Chief and Lohn is the Associate Editor-in-Chief. The title of Swimming World Editor-in-Chief has been vacant since 2005 when Phillip Whitten left Swimming World to become Executive Director for the College Swim Coaches Association of America (CSCAA). The Associate Editor-in-Chief is a newly created position. Lord will be based out of Europe and Lohn out of New Jersey, allowing Swimming World to have bases on both sides of the Atlantic. They will be leading a news staff of 15 employees, numerous international correspondents, and select interns. Lord and Lohn have both worked as writers at Swimming World over the years. Most recently, they were the force behind the popular SwimVortex website that went offline a year ago.

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