swimming

Adolph Kiefer was a teenager in 1936 when he traveled to Berlin to compete in the Olympic Games. He went on to be a Navy Lieutenant, an inventor, and a businessman. He died at the age of 98 on Friday, May 5.

Olympic Swimmer Adolph Kiefer Dies At 98

3:45pm May 06, 2017

by Maggie Penman

America's oldest living Olympic champion Adolph Kiefer died Friday at the age of 98. After the Olympics, he went on to develop the first nylon swimsuit, and a safety curriculum for the Navy.

Peace Corps Volunteer Is As Strong As Legendary Horse Of Kyrgyzstan

9:09am October 01, 2016

by Vicky Hallett

She wanted to promote exercise — and challenge the belief that women aren't as physically capable as men. So she jumped into a chilly, choppy lake.

The amoebas that can cause rare brain infections resemble white blood cells under the microscope.

A Young Woman Dies, A Teen Is Saved After Amoebas Infect The Brain

2:00pm August 28, 2016

In Florida, perfect timing and alert medical staff saved a teen from almost certain death. But in North Carolina, one young woman died of an amoeba infection after rafting at a popular tourist site.

China's Fu Yuanhui (left) celebrates her bronze medal win in the women's 100-meter backstroke with Canada's Kylie Masse, Hungary's Katinka Hosszu and the U.S.'s Kathleen Baker.

China Celebrates Bronze-Winning Olympic Swimmer's Spirit

2:13pm August 17, 2016

by Anthony Kuhn

With her goofy facial expressions, Fu Yuanhui has captured the world's attention — if not the gold — and is changing the way Chinese think about the Olympics and how athletes should speak and behave.

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Anita Alvarez and Mariya Koroleva compete in the women's duets synchronized swimming technical routine preliminary on Monday in Rio de Janeiro. Koroleva has suffered several concussions over the years.

When Swimmers Get Out Of Sync, The Result Can Be A Kick In The Head

12:45pm August 16, 2016

by Tom Goldman

Synchronized swimming is known for its demanding precision. Less known are the injuries, like concussions, that can occur in athletes perfecting and performing the moves requiring that precision.

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Emily Lopez-Diaz, 11, swims for the YMCA of South Florida Barracudas in the Miami area. Her father, Josue Lopez, estimates that about 30 percent of the team is Latino.

USA Swimming Wants More Diversity In The Pool

11:30am August 13, 2016

by Carolyn Beans

The U.S. swimming team competing in Rio is the most diverse yet. But there is still a long way to go before the ranks of swimmers reflect the diversity of the country.

Sports

Frank Deford: Olympic Swimmer Ledecky Is This Century's Perfect 10

11:39am August 03, 2016

by Frank Deford

There are no more perfect 10s in gymnastics, so the sports commentator is leaping off the balance beam and into the Olympic pool.

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Yusra Mardini visits the Olympiapark Berlin on March 9. The 18-year-old Syrian refugee hopes to qualify for the Rio Olympics as a swimmer on the refugee team.

Sports

After Surviving Aegean Sea, Syrian Swimmer Hopes For Spot In Olympics

6:41pm March 20, 2016

by Camila Domonoske

Yusra Mardini struggled to keep up her training in war-torn Damascus. Then swimming became a matter of life-or-death during her perilous crossing to Greece. Now the refugee hopes to qualify for Rio.

French marathon swimmer Benoit Lecomte (left) prepares to jump into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., in 2002. In 1998, Lecomte swam across the Atlantic Ocean.

Ben Lecomte Swam Across The Atlantic; Next He Tries The Pacific

8:45pm August 23, 2015

by NPR Staff

In 1998, Ben Lecomte swam across the Atlantic Ocean. The 47-year-old athlete is planning another historic plunge — this time swimming across the ocean on the other side of the country.

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Competitive swimmers often practice breath holding to increase endurance.

Breath-Holding In The Pool Can Spark Sudden Blackouts And Death

4:57pm June 01, 2015

by Angus Chen

When you hold your breath underwater, you might pass out before you realize you need oxygen right now. Experienced swimmers have drowned as a result, and most people aren't aware of the risk.