Duels in the Pool: Swimming's Greatest Rivalries

ISBN-13: 9780810891753 / Angielski / Twarda / 2013 / 238 str.

de George, Matthew

Opis

The sports world offers a constant glance at rivalries, whether friendly, hotly contested, or even hostile. An individual sport at its core, swimming is defined by iconic rivalries, such as those between Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett, Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, and Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres. Throughout its history, swimming has been fortunate to see some of its top athletes compete face-to-face, challenging each other in ways that captivate the world. Duels in the Pool: Swimming s Greatest Rivalries highlights the best of these contests. Spanning nearly 100 years, this book delves into the individual showdowns, team battles, friendly competitions, and heated political rivalries that have played out in the pool. The top athletes in the sport are followed, from their early beginnings through the highlights of their careers and the rivals who pushed them to the pinnacle of swimming. Individual races are also recounted, bringing to life the intense competition that drove the swimmers to glory. In addition to the individual athletes, Duels in the Pool also examines some of the most exciting rivalries that existed between colleges and between nations. While rivalries such as those between the U.S. and Australia took place exclusively in the pool, others, such as the battle against East Germany during the 1970s and 80s, were intensified by the political climate and allegations of doping. Exhaustively researched, Duels in the Pool includes original interviews and rich detail, shining a light on some of the sport s finest athletes and the rivalries that propelled them to greatness. This book will not only appeal to sports historians and researchers, but to fans of swimming at every level.