About This Issue

 

Nick J. Thierry
Editor / Publisher


We introduce Judy Goss, Ph.D. who is interested in providing useful information to younger swimmers on strategies to cope with the stress involved with competition and other aspects of swimming. Judy is married to Sandy Goss who anchored two silver medal medley relays at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics.

We delayed the printing of this issue by a few additional days in order to cover the competitions on the last weekend of May.

For Canadians the Youth and SWAD Championhips were the most important meet, but Canadians also competed in Sheffield at the Speedo Super Final, and in Gainesville, in Florida at the first of the U.S. Grand Prix competitions.

Nationals Championships in France and Germany are also covered with some fast swimming at both.

Jack Kelso provides a short history of the Pan American Games, held this summer for the second time in Winnipeg in early August. Canada will send its very best and should do well as the Americans are not sending their A team.

A story on the Lake Erie Silver Dolphins, by Russ Ewald, describes the old-fashioned approach to high work loads by this clubs that is steadily turning out some very good distance swimmers.

The appointment of Kevin Thorburn as Etobicoke Swimming's new head coach provided an opportunity to interview him. We discussed his thoughts on swimming and influences that shaped his coaching.

The French Championships provided Franck Esposito the opportunity to swim a very fast 200 fly time. Other stars of French swimming had their setbacks as the seven day format with three rounds in all but the 400s and up took its toll.

At the German Championships on the last weekend of May, the Franziska follies claimed most the media's attention but Sandra Volker and Thomas Rupprath were the real stars of the meet.

It is now revealed that Michelle Smith de Bruin was trying to mask her use of androstenedione, a banned substance in our sport, as the last three of her tests from 1997 to 1998 showed evidence of use. Read about it on page 29.

TAG includes all competitions received to the end of May. Some results were e-mailed in the wrong format. Please contact us first to get instructions on electronic results formats.