June 30

The pioneers of pace who set World records on this day throughout history:

A profile of Getrude Ederle will be added to the SOS Hall of Fame today, the link to be posted here.

A short reminder of what the 100m freestyle record holder also achieved over a distance far greater:

Among other pioneers of pace on this day in history:

Martha Norelius - The Ledecky Of Her Day & The Last Back-To-Back 400 Free Olympic Champ Before Titmus In 2024

The Swedish-born American Olympic champion, coached by her father, Swedish Olympian Bror Charles, was forced to retired after the 1928 Games because she took part in an exhibition with pro-swimmers. The reward: a 1929 race prize worth almost 200k in today’s money (+husband & daughter)

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

Michael Gross, The Albatross With Wings Almost As Wide As The Lanes He Graced

This week marks the 41st anniversary of the moment Germany’s Michael Gross swam 400m free faster than Vladimir Salnikov ever had. It was all part of the work he put in to eight World records and a pantheon of big prizes over 200 free and 200 ’fly, a 1:56.24 ending that last trail 40 years ago

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

Today also marks the 41st birthday of Michael Phelps... who we celebrated yesterday, June 29 the day he set the first of his 200IM World records and the last of his 400IM World records (see below)...

On this day... June 29

100 Breaststroke Dips Below The Minute – & The Day Michael Phelps Set The First & Last Of His Medley Masterpieces

Among world-record setters on this day in history, Roman Sludnov, of Russia, became the first man to race inside the minute over 100m breaststroke, at home in Moscow. And Michael Phelps placed two entries on an epic list of 39 global long-course standards, one in 2003, the other in 2008. The 39 marks the biggest score of ultimate standards by a man in swimming history. It all unfolded 2001 to 2009 and included 8 records set at the Olympic Games, 7 of those set during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

A profile of Roman Sludnov will be added to the SOS Hall of Fame this coming week and the link placed here.

Michael Phelps' June 29 records, a day before his birthday (born June 30, 1985), marked the first of his eight 200m medley standards, and the first sub-1:58 in history in 2003; and the last of his eight World records over 400m medley, one that stood between 2008 and the arrival of Léon Marchand (FRA) as the swiftest 400IMer in history, both outstanding all-rounders coached to those heights by the same man, Bob Bowman.

The Baltimore Bullet's Medley Masterpieces:

From our Archive of many articles and features on Michael Phelps, a collation of a few highlights, the bigger, honed work in the writing... carved by time.

What We Will Miss: Planet Phelps & The Pantheon Built By Bob & The GOAT 2000-2016 - StateOfSwimming

For the first time since 1996, the Olympic Games will not feature a boy and then man called Michael Phelps with his coach Bob Bowman

StateOfSwimmingCraig Lord

(subscribers have access to the full Timeline content in our daily trawl of pioneering moments in swimming history - and the accompanying profiles in our SOS Hall of Fame as we build the library).