Southeast Asian Swimming Championships 2012

Southeast Asian Swimming Championships 2012

Untouchable Team USA takes home seventh title

Lausanne (SUI), POLO AIR INDONESIA (June 4, 2012)- Led by powerful Brenda Villa, the U.S. team obtained their seventh (and fourth consecutive) World League title, after beating Australia 6-4 in a hard-fought and exciting final at the Changshu Sport Centre, China on June 3.

In the nine editions of the World League, only two other countries captured gold: Greece in 2005 and Russia in 2008. The USA did not appear on the podium only once, in 2005, where they took fifth.

The Australians improved from the last World League, where they took third. This is their seventh podium in this competition and third silver medal. They missed the podium in 2004 and 2006.

As they did last year at the FINA World Championships, Greece denied China a victory on home soil, edging the host just by one goal (8-7).

Despite the absence of some of their best players, Greece reinforced their status in the international water polo arena with this third World League bronze medal.

In the battle for fifth and sixth places, world number 3 Russia crushed Germany 18-4. It is nevertheless a great progress for the Germans, who achieve their best result at a World League competition.

Italy completes the final ranking, losing to Canada 8-12.

The final ranking of the FINA Women’s Water Polo World League 2012 is as follows: 1. USA, 2. Australia, 3. Greece, 4. China, 5. Russia, 6. Germany, 7. Canada, 8. Italy.

MEDALLISTS of the FINA Women’s World League
2004: 1. USA, 2. HUN, 3. ITA
2005: 1. GRE, 2. RUS, 3. AUS
2006: 1. USA, 2. ITA, 3. RUS
2007: 1. USA, 2. AUS, 3. GRE
2008: 1. RUS, 2. USA, 3. AUS
2009: 1. USA, 2. CAN, 3. AUS
2010: 1. USA, 2. AUS, 3. GRE
2011: 1. USA, 2. ITA, 3. AUS
2012: 1. USA, 2. AUS, 3. GRE

(fina)

Santa Clara International Grand Prix: Tae Hwan Park Breaks Meet Record in 800 Free to Open Meet

SANTA CLARA, California, May 31. KOREA'S Tae Hwan Park set a new meet record in the men's 800m free to kick off the first night of action at the Santa Clara International Grand Prix, while New Zealand's Lauren Boyle captured the women's 1500m free.

Park finished in a time of 7:52.07, just nipping Canadian Ryan Cochrane's meet record of 7:52.18 from last year. Cochrane finished second tonight in 7:57.19, ahead of Australia's Ryan Napoleon (7:59.10). That time bumps Park up to fourth in the world this year behind Sun Yang (7:47.11), Gergo Kis (7:49.46) and Gregorio Paltrinieri (7:51.97). His previous top time had been a 7:53.33 from February.

In the women's 1500m free, Lauren Boyle held off a late charge from FAST's Emily Brunemann to win in 16:21.73. Brunemann touched second in 16:23.36, while Gator Swim Club's Andreina Pinto was right on her heels at 16:24.16. Boyle's fastest swim this year is a 16:20.47 from March, ranked 10th in the world. Brunemann jumps to 11th in the world with her performance, ahead of Chloe Sutton's 16:23.96 (swimmingworld)

Grant Ledge Swimming Coach Charged With Criminal Sexual Conduct -- June 4, 2012

CHARLOTTE, Michigan, RENANG INDONESIA - June 4. ACCORDING to MLive, Jason Algra, 32, a swim team coach and science teacher for Grant Ledge High School has been "charged with eight counts of criminal sexual conduct involving two students."

Algra was charged with three counts of first-degree sexual conduct, and five counts of third-degree sexual conduct, and has had bail set at $250,000.

The Grant Ledge school system has already put Algra on administrative leave. 

"As always, student safety and wellbeing are the district's highest priority," Grant Ledge Public Schools said in a statement. "We will cooperate with the Prosecutor's office throughout the criminal proceedings. If appropriate, the district will begin the process to have the State of Michigan revoke the individual's teaching certification."

USA Swimming, in response to a request from Swimming World, stated that it had no record of Algra as a member of the organization. This means that the organization does not have jurisdiction over Algra's case as it pertains to membership. (swimmingworld)