The Vortex - February 2026: Why China Open Has Drawn An International Entry: Come, Win 3 Races, Pick Up $50k
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It's rare to see any foreign swimmers heading to China for anything other than major international competitions, but the reason for a large global entry at the China Open in Shenzhen next month (see lower in Vortex for details), has now become clear: a $20,000 appearance fee for each, and then sizes of 10k, 8k and 6k for gold, silver, bronze in each race on the program.
Germany's Lukas Märtens, World 400m free record holder and Olympic and World champion, has entered five events, so, using him as an example, there's a potential £$70k in just a few days of racing. He'll probably earn a little less that a sum that's mere pocket money for a top footballer, but the appearance fee and a couple of podiums for swimmers in the midst of winter work - and possibly en route to or heading home from winter-sun training over that side of the planet a little further south - makes for a fine pay day.
Whether the payments will add up or not fast and entertaining swimming remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: a quick calculation - the following a conservative guess depending on whether, and then how many, of China's own stars are invited on the same basis - suggests a budget of upwards of $2 million in appearance and prize money.
A lot of talks have been held since China was back in the dog house in Paris after the China-23-g0-free scandal, for which there has still never been an adequate or satisfactory answer to legitimate and significant questions about the safety of a decision to take 28 positive tests and seal the file marked "mass contamination",, because China state security agents who visited the hotel where it all happened in late 2020 into 2021 ten weeks after the swimmers had left said so - at a time when no independent checks could be carried out because of Covid travel restrictions.
Perhaps there was a discussion on way to find oneself back inn the fold; and perhaps someone in the room piped up :well, money talks".
On your marks...
Rosolino: "I Would Have Let Him Race In Hs Helmet ... But It's A Fine Line"
Massimo Rosolino, the Italian former swimmer who claimed Olympic 200m medley gold a silver in the 400m free behind Ian Thorpe and bronze behind Pieter van den Hoogenband and Thorpe in thec 200m at Sydney 2000, has described the disqualification of Vladyslav Heraskevych at the Milan Winter Olympics as "heavy":
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Craig Lord
A contemporary of Kirsty Coventry, now IOC president, during their racing days, Rosolino, whose wife is Russian, was asked what he thought of the IOC's decision during a visit to the Casa Italia at the Games. His response sought o side with the athlete and the new Olympic boss.
The question from the Italian media was: What do you think of the Ukrainian athlete excluded from the Games for wearing a helmet with compatriots killed in the war? Rosolino replied:
"I would have let him keep it. But I know the IOC rules, and I understand the safety issue. If everyone does what they want, it's all over. The disqualification is heavy, it leaves its mark. It's difficult to judge. I also listened to the words of IOC President Kirsty Coventry: I know her personally, we swam in the same years, we've crossed paths in the pool several times. I know how much she values the balance between individual freedom and the protection of the institution. It's a fine line."
The follow-up: Too rigid?
"Perhaps the point is to find a balance between performance and peace. The Olympics are the pinnacle of performance, but in the end, one must arrive in peace, whether they win or lose. It's not easy to reconcile the two."
February 12
Santos Back For A Shot Aged LA2028 Aged 48
At age 41, Mark Spitz was 41 when he attempted a comeback for the 1992 Olympics 20 years after he claimed a then record seven golds at Munich 1972: filmmaker Bud Greenspan had offered him a million dollars if he succeeded in qualifying.
Spitz was nowhere near where he would have to have been on the clock to get a ticket to Barcelona for Team USA. There were, of course, no 50m stroke events in those days, and the 1992 Games would be only the second at which the 50m freestyle was on the program.
Fast forward 32 years and Nicholas Santos has opted back in of a shot at the LA2028 Olympics, by which time he will be 48.
His moves ticks the trend-prediction box that opened the moment the IOC agreed to add the stroke 50m dash events to the Olympic program for LA2028:
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Craig Lord
Cue comebacks in an era in which thirtysomething is the new twentysomething and even the fortysomethings have a modern muscle memory in a sport that has not moved on much in terms of speed off the blocks, rapid, streamlined underwater drives and breaks into stroke since they were last in peak form. Spitz had none of those relative advantages: fit for his age and still a fine swimmer, of course, but his start alone at the Canet round of the Mare Nostrum confirmed that he would have little chance of making it back tp the big time.
Santos is now 46 and yesterday announced his comeback:
He writes:
"Now, it's official.
He writes:
"Now, it's official. Everything starts with self-talk. In the conversation one has with oneself, even though no-one is listening. It's there that doubt turns to decision and the next step is a commitment to truth. I chose the path of daily discipline, focus, consistency and intensity.
Evolving is also to accept risk, accept uncertainty, the chance of erring, inviting judgement, yet still move ahead.
I take the chance to thanks my family for their unconditional support.
I'm back!
Let's do it together [Universo - the digital bank that is backing him].
The Brazilian Swimming Confederation welcomed Santos back with open arms, stating "The Man is Back!":
Born on February 14, 1980, the year of the Moscow Olympic boycott, Santos has a record that, combined with his very short one out of action since last he was a world-level podium placer (2022) and the fact that he does not have the same steep climb at selection trials that a Team USA comeback swimmer after a lengthy break, such as that Spitz had, makes Santos a strong candidate for success.
At 43, he broke his own record as the oldest World short-course champion in swimming history when he took gold in the 50 butterfly in Melbourne months after he had claimed silver in the same event at the Wold long-course showcase in Budapest.
Keep in mind, too, that Santos has never really stopped swimming and training: last year, he set a World Masters 45-49 short-course standard in 23.26. Not a bad opening gambit, though a bit to go to get back to his best of 22.60. His lifetime bests in the 50 fly stand at 22.60 in long course (#6 all-time). His 21.75 2018 World s/c record has now slipped back to No5 all-time, but is less relevant as a gauge for what he might be capable of down one length of the Olympic pool at 48.
Also in the February Vortex:
- Five Go To CAS For Fairness Reforms Of Broken Doping & Governance System
- Ukraine Decries IOC 'Legitimisation of "Evil"
- Brit Bid Battle Takes Shape For 2036-40 Olympics
- Andy Reid named Swim Ireland national performance director
- Shoal Of Big Names Off To China Open
- Siobhán Haughey In Fine Fettle At Dubai Open (52.77, 100 free)
- Bronte's Two-Centre Prep Paves Way For NSW 'Game-Changer'
- The Courage Of Austin Applebee
- When Seebohm Beat Horton On The SAS Course But Big Mack Landed Million-Dolphin-Dollar Week
- Coventry Gives Warning Of ‘Difficult Decisions' To Be Made Over Future Olympic Programme
- World No1 Moesha Johnson Leads 10 Dolphins To Open Water World Cup
- Nowacki Joins AP Race
- Coventry Gives Warning Of ‘Difficult Decisions' To Be Made Over Future Olympic Programme
- Angharad Evans and Ben Higson Added to Team Scotland for Glasgow 2026
- Euro Meet Highlights From Rosendahl, Richardson, Shortt, Richards, Colbert, Corbeau and Nowacki
TimeLine:
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Craig Lord
Craig Lord
