Longtime IOC Member Passes Away…….The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced earlier this week that longtime member Peter Tallberg (Finland) has died. The 77-year old had worked within the Olympic movement in various capacities for more than 40 years before losing his battle with cancer. Tallberg competed in five Olympics between 1960 and 1980 in the sport of sailing, earning a highest fourth-place finish in the Star class in Tokyo 1964. Tallberg became an IOC member in 1976 and was founding chairman of its athlete’s commission.
New Goshen High School coach named…….Former Auburn swimmer Nate Long has been named Goshen High School’s (Indiana) head coach for their boys and girls swimming and diving program. Long replaces one-year coach Chris Oleksiak and was previously head coach at Warsaw High School where he earned a 42-6 record (boys) and 25-17 record (girls). Long has also been previously named a Northern Lakes Conference Coach of the Year.
Arlington Heights-based Club Training at OTC…….The Arlington Heights, Illinois-based club, Alligator Aquatics, left this week for Colorado Springs, Co to train at the Olympic Training Center (OTC). Taking 30 swimmers from the 140-strong squad, head coach Mary Ruffin said, “We wanted to get them out of their routine and to see the pinnacle of our sport. You don’t realize how good you are until you train with the best.” The young swimmers realize that the training will be difficult, as adjustments are made to the higher elevations, but that will not stop the inspiration from flowing. Via a fund-raising effort, the team worked together to make the trip a financial reality and, of the anticipated experience, one young swimmer states, “I want to go further in swimming and this can take me there.”