Swimmer Shows How to Beat Obstacles
from the Boston Herald
In a heart-warming, triumphant display of both spirit and athletic prowess, swimmer Karen Gaffney swam around Boston Harbor yesterday to raise funds and awareness for Down syndrome. Gaffney, who has Down syndrome herself, completed the impressive eight-mile, five-hour swim from Little Brewster Island to the L Street Bathhouse in South Boston to raise awareness as part of a celebration of Down Syndrome Awareness Month in the Bay State. More

Years Later, Olympic Medalist Hasn't Shaken Off the Water
from The Wall Street Journal
As an Olympic swimmer, Steve Furniss used to train twice a day, six days a week. Some days he would swim as much as 10 miles. He won a bronze medal for the 200-meter individual medley at the 1972 Games in Munich and competed in the 1976 Olympics. These days, Mr. Furniss, 56 years old, still swims, but mostly in a six-lane outdoor community pool—half the length of an Olympic one. He takes to the water for 45 minutes at a time, and calls his current routine "child's play" in comparison to his regimen when he was competing. But he says it is good for maintenance. More

Researchers Want to Unveil Swimming's Health Benefits
from The Daily Texan
Though no research has proven that swimming can improve cardiovascular health, two UT researchers are determined to prove its health benefits. More

Exercise Improves Body Image for Fit and Unfit Alike
from Science Daily
Attention weekend warriors: the simple act of exercise and not fitness itself can convince you that you look better, a new University of Florida study finds. More

Swiss Swimmers Sign Up for More Doping Tests
from USA Today
Nine of Switzerland's top swimmers will take part in an anti-doping program as part of their preparations for the 2012 London Olympics. The Swiss swimming federation says Friday that the athletes will give blood and urine samples for three years so scientists can analyze their individual body chemistry for traces of banned drugs and blood treatments. More

U-M Swimmer Emily Brunemann Earns National Award
from the Detroit Free Press
Michigan senior Emily Brunemann was named USA Swimming open-water female swimmer of the year at the United States Aquatic Convention in Chicago. Brunemann, the 2008 NCAA champion in the 1,650-yard freestyle, swam for Team USA at the world championships in Rome this summer. She finished ninth in the 5-kilometer and 24th in the 10K open-water races. More

Supervised Strength Training Is More Effective
from Science Daily
Half of all Swedish elite volleyball players suffer at least one injury per season. One important reason may be that most players perform injury-preventing strength training unsupervised. This is shown in a new thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. More