China Rolling The Red Carpet For The World’s Swimmers
As soon as the open water swimmers, divers and water polo players started to arrive in Shanghai from airports around the world, the gracious Chinese hosts whisked the surprised aquatic athletes from their arrival gate right through passport control and onto waiting buses.The athletes were certainly treated like the VIPs. American Christine Jennings described the treatment, “The local organizers shuffled us right through from the gate. We went right through passport control and the Customs line. The bus was there and took us to our nice hotel within the hour.”
The open water swimmers from around the world are arriving in Jinshan Beach and started to practice in the world championship venue. They have described the water in many different ways. “We swam tonight when it was dark and got attacked by sea lice. It was windy and choppy, and probably around 84°F (28.8°C). At night, it was dark and murky and a bit scary because we got in when the full moon was out,” said Christine.
Like many open water swimmers everywhere, the world’s fastest simply could not wait to get in the water after a long air flight. Especially after the local officials are treating them like VIPs at their beach-side hotel.
Copyright © 2011 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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