GOLD MEDAL MEL

Alain Bernard, French Olympic Gold Medalist, Friended me on Faceback!

• Alain Bernard, the man who vowed to smash the USA Olympic 4x100 Free Relay, friended me today on facebook. I love Alain, because without personalities like him in swimming we would not have the juicy dramatic match-ups! Alain's latest vow: to break Eamon Sullivan's world record in the 100 free. Check Bernard out on Youtube!
• Milorad Cavic won't beat Michael Phelps at the 2009 World Championship! 
• Peter Marshall, USA Swimming's newest star, breaks the 50 & 100 meter backstroke WORLD RECORD at the WORLD CUP! Therese Alshammar breaks the 50 meter butterfly WORLD RECORD! 
• NYC Masters Swimming Clinic with seven OLYMPIANS is still open for sign-ups! When: November 16th, 7am to 12pm at Asphalt Green.
• My birthday, Sunday night, November 16th, at 49 Grove is going to be GREAT!!!  

GMM News, Nov 11th: Alain Bernard Spouts off Again!!!

• Fearsome FROG, ALAIN BERNARD (perhaps suffering from more FOOT-IN-MOUTH disease), proclaims that Eamon Sullivan's 100 Free WORLD RECORD (47:05) will not survive!
• Dara Torres is a UNICORN. 
• FINA WORLD CUP coverage! Watch day 1 from STOCKHOLM! $100,000 series purse winners will take home the CASH in less than a week! 
• Tin Medal Tony (considered by many to be the best MASTERS SWIMMING blogger in the world!) gets angry about the SWIMWEAR WARS and what USMS should do to stay honorable. (It's an old blog post, but interesting considering USMS's rise in the market. MASTERS are becoming a marketing force to recon with.)  
• COLLEGE SWIMMING programs FEAR going the way of the dinosaur in the wake of HIGH-PRICED swimsuits. WASHINGTON POST reporter, AMY SHIPLEY, writes the most comprehensive article on the subject to date. THANKS AMY!!!
• Golden Goggles Countdown!!! Watch the video of highlights from last year! 6 DAYS UNTIL THE GALA EVENT!
• Masters Swimming Clinic with 7 Olympic Medalists, Nov 16th, from 7am to 12pm. Swim faster! Swim Smarter! Learn from the BEST! 
• Gold Medal Mel's NYC Birthday Bash, Nov 16th!

GMM News Nov 10th

• Leisel Jones, Aussie Olympic gold medalist in the 100 Breaststroke, is skipping 2009 World Champs in Rome.  
• VIDEO LINK: Aaron Peirsol talks about continuing his career to 2012. 
• It's the 7 DAY COUNT-DOWN to the GOLDEN GOGGLES AWARDS SHOW! Check out the NOMINEES! 
• MASTERS CLINIC in NYC, Sunday Nov 16th, with 7 Olympic Swimmers! Sign up! 

GMM Weekend News

• Van der Burgh breaks World Record at the World Cup in Moscow!
• International foursome, Randall Bal, Vladimir Polyakov, Milorad Cavic and Nick Brunelli just miss the WORLD MARK in the 4x50 medley relay. 
• Newer faster suit approved by FINA! Check out THE ROCKET SKIN!  

Lezak, 4x100 Olympic Legend, Drops the PUCK

Caught up with Jason Lezak during one of his many post 2008 Olympic appearances. Lezak was in Bakersfield, CA, dropping the PUCK at the Condors hockey game. When I mentioned on Facebook that I'd be talking with Jason, there was an overwhelming response. EVERYONE wants to know what's new in Jason's world. 8 days out from GOLDEN GOGGLES, Jason talks about his nomination for the PERSEVERANCE AWARD, and being the star of Frenchmen's nightmares.

GOLD MEDAL MEL NEWS 11/8/2008

Bal, Cavic, Brunelli Swim to Raise Money for Coach Lohberg

Lohberg, best known for coaching 41 year-old Olympic gold medalist Dara Torres, was diagnosed with aplastic anemia just before the Olympic games. Bal, Cavic, and Brunelli will race multi-national medley relay at the Bolzano International In Italy to raise money for Lohberg's medical costs. Full story here...