Get your news fix on happenings outside the pool with the latest ‘Beyond the Lane Lines.’ With each edition, we collect personal stories, little known facts and general items of interest from around the world. Read on and learn something new this week.
#1 Florian Wellbrock Announcer Honored
Germany’s Florian Wellbrock made history in 2019 when he claimed World Championships gold both in the pool and in open water. The 22-year-old topped the men’s 1500m freestyle podium but did the same in men’s 10k to give his nation double gold.
The man who called Wellbrock’s 1500m free race for the German audience has also now been recognized, as Michael Augustin was recently honored with the Herbert Zimmermann Prize. Given by the Association of German Sports Journalists, the honor is endowed with 1250 euros.
“It makes me all the more pleased that Michael Augustin received this award for commenting on my World title,” Wellbrock said.
“The emotional way in which he commented on and, above all, cheered on the race always gives me goosebumps and makes me happy to think back to the World Championships.”
#2 Danish Swimming Union Staff Reduced Due to Coronavirus
On April 14th, the Danish Swimming Union posted unfortunate news on its site regarding a reduction in staff due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Since March 13, all employees of the Danish Swimming Union have been working at home,” begins the message.
“As the weeks have gone by and a growing number of activities have been canceled, we are now looking at a time when COVID-19 will also have a serious impact on the Danish Swimming Union’s economy.
“This is why we see the need to reduce/repatriate a number of staff members of the Danish Swimming Union as of Monday, April 20.”
The organization says it hopes the action is short-lived and that the ‘activities and services of the Danish Swimming Union will soon be back to normal.’
#3 Scottish Swimming Launches SS Connect
In an effort to stay connected with its members during the coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, Scottish Swimming has launched SS Connect. SS Connect is a series of digital courses and content, which the organization says can aid in learning, communication, and overall enjoyment in the coming weeks and months.
Courses are open to Scottish Swimming members and will be delivered via a secure platform with only pre-registered guests being given access to the course, with a course moderator in place.
“We recognise that our sport relies on a dedicated army of people to deliver it from coaches to teachers and from tutors to volunteers. For this reason, we have put together a programme of online courses and interactive video conferencing sessions to upskill our members during the lockdown period and beyond. Please find advice on using our interactive platforms here.”
#4 Willmott Named to Commonwealth Games Board
2018 Commonwealth Games champion Aimee Willmott has been named as an athlete representative to the board of Commonwealth Games England. Willmott, who took 400m IM gold on the Gold Coast, will be joined by fellow athlete Ama Agbeze, MBE, who was captain of England’s gold medal-winning netball team at the 2018 competition.
The pair will be charged with advising Commonwealth Games England as they prepare to deliver a successful Team England at the Birmingham 2022 Games.
Willmott said, “I’m extremely honoured and excited that I’ve been accepted to the board of Commonwealth Games England.
“This is a really exciting opportunity for me. I’ve had such great success at the Commonwealth Games from the age of 17 up until the Gold Coast where I won gold in the pool on night one of the Games.
“I’m just really looking forward to sharing my experiences with the rest of the board and hopefully we can produce great athletes in the next generation coming through.”
#5 Swimming New Zealand Introduces ‘Swimming at Home’
Swimming New Zealand has a new feature on its website, that of Swimming at Home. The campaign is geared towards keeping the swimming community connected and supported during this ‘unpredictable time’.
The program includes resources on COVID-19, managing stress, nutrition tips, water skills, and more.
In the ‘Home Advantage’ area, a series of short, sport-specific coaching videos featuring Olympian Helena Gasson and Aquablacks coaches Michael Western and John Gatfield are presented to help keep swimmers fit and active during Swimming at Home. They can be seen here.