Phelps vs. Lochte

                                  Michael Phelps 

Michael Phelps is the best swimmer to jump in the pool. Michael had worked every day in the pool for the last four years. Out of his twenty-two medals eighteen are gold, two silver, and two bronze. In 2008 Beijing Michael broke Mark Spitz's record from six gold medals in one Olympic to seven gold medals. Clearly, America's best swimmer is Michael Phelps.

                                                 Ryan Lochte

Arguably, Ryan Lochte is one of America's best swimmer's. Everyone (well most) people believe that Ryan Lochte never will, or never has been as good as Michael Phelps. Ryan has won eleven Olympic gold medals. That is half of Michael Phelps medals! This means that Michael had won at least two more medals then him at a single Olympics. Out of his eleven medals five are gold. He had won two gold in the 2012 Olympics in London. Therefore, Ryan is the second best swimmer in America.

                                   Chart

Phelps	Lochte
22 Olympic medals	11 Olympic medals
first Olympics age 15	first Olympics 19
18 gold medals	6 gold medals
first Olympics year 2000	first Olympics year 2004
6 world records	4 world records
7 medals in a single Olympic game	5 medals in a single Olympic game

Top Five Swimmers of the Year!

Top female swimmers of the year	Top male swimmers of the year
2012: Missy Franklin	2012: Michael Phelps
2011: Rebecca Soni	2011: Ryan Lochte
2010: Rebecca Soni	2010: Ryan Lochte
2009: Ariana Kukors / Rebecca Soni	2009: Michael Phelps
2008: Natalie Coughlin	2008: Michael Phelps
2007: Katie Hoff	2007: Michael Phelps

Comment who you like better! MIchael Phelps or Ryan Lochte?



Sources/refrences:
http://ryanseacrest.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/phelps-lochte-600x400.jpg
http://www.biography.com/people/michael-phelps-345192
http://www.biography.com/people/ryan-lochte-20839841

Mark Spitz

                               Mark Spitz

Today's topic of the week is going to be about the one and the only Mark Spitz! As we all should know, Mark Spitz was the first Michael Phelps. ( Well actually Mark Spitz comes first and Michael Phelps was the second Mark Spitz) Mark Spiz had seven gold medals in one Olympics!


                                                       Early Life

Mark was born on, February 10 th 1950 in, Modesto, California. His full name given from birth is, Mark Andrew Spitz. Mark's family is Jewish and his grandparents left Hungary after, world war II WW. His parents names are Arnold and Lenore (smith) Spitz. Before he was 10, he held 17 national age group records and had one world record. At the age 14 his family moved to Santa Clara to train with George F. Haines. During his fourth year at Santa Clara High school, Mark held every record in every stroke and distance.

                                             Swimming




Mark Spitz competed at both 1968 and 1972 Olympics. In 1972 he sat a world record for most gold medals received at an Olympic game. (seven gold medals) He set seven world records that year.  Unfortunately, Michael Phelps broke that record with eight gold medals, in 2008, Beijing. In 1999, ESPN, announced the 50 top athletes and Mark was the only aquatic one on that list. Sadly, he retired at the age 22.

                                            
                           Hall of Fame

Mark made the international, Jewish sports, United states, San Jose, Long beach, and Indiana University hall of fame.

Thank you for watching my blog on Mark Spitz!


Sources/refrences:
http://www.markspitzusa.com/images/spitz.jpg
http://www.olympicgamesonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/mark-spitz-7.jpg
http://www.biography.com/people/mark-spitz-9490898
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Spitz

Jessica Hardy

                                     Jessica Hardy



Today's topic of the week is going to be about Jessica Hardy.

                      Early Life

Her birthday is March 12, 1987. Her full name given from birth is Jessica Adele Hardy. She was born in Orange, California. The daughter of George Hardy and Denise Robinson. She is 6 full feet. Now isn't that tall?  Jess graduated in high school from, Wilson Classical High school in long beach, 2005. She attended University of California. She was nominated Swimming World's, female high school swimmer of the year, in years 2004 and 2005.


                                                        Swimming

In 2008 Jessica made the Olympics but, was accused of taking drugs to make her muscles look bigger. She was supposed to have a two year ban but after she explained to the judges the cut her one year. She currently has the world record for the 100 breast stroke, whose record was Leslie Jones before hand. She specializes in breaststroke and freestyle. She has won quite a few gold, silver and bronze medals.

Thank you for watching my blog on Jessica Hardy!






Sources/refrences:
http://i.usatoday.net/sports/_photos/2012/07/31/Jessica-Hardy-emotional-after-missing-Beijing-VP1VG665-x-large.jpg
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7xu87DT971raeg9ao1_r1_500.png
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessica_Hardy
http://swimming.about.com/od/swimhistoryandstars/p/hardy.htm









                                          

Brendan Hansen

                                             Brendan Hansen 

              

                  Birthday, Age, and Family

Brendan Hansen was born on August 15, 1981. He was born in Havertown, Pennsylvaniya. He has one brother and sister. His sisters name is Megan Hansen and his brothers name is Sean Hansen. His moms name is Miriam and his dads name is Buzz Hansen. He is married to Martha Hansen. He currently 30 years old.

                                               Swimming

Brendan became the first American to simultaneously hold the 100meter and 200meter breaststroke world records. In 2000 Brendan missed the Olympics in the 100 meter and 200 meter breaststoke by a total time of 0.8 second-margin. In 2004, Brendan won three medals in Athens, Greece. He also broke three world records in a span of 26 days. Wow! Now thats impressive. Won a gold medal in Beijing, being part of the 4x100 medlay relay team. In 2007 he was selected the team captain for World Championships in Melbourne, sadly caused to illness he had to withdraw. In honer to the Olympics on his left shoulder there is there is a tattoo, with the Olympic symbol.




Thank you for visiting my blog!




Sources/refrences:
http://assets-s3.usmagazine.com/uploads/assets/articles/54238-olympic-swimmer-brendan-hansen-is-expecting-a-baby/1342209827_brendan-467.jpg
http://linapps.s3.amazonaws.com/linapps/photomojo/lintvnews.com/photos/2012/06/g3294-us-olympic-swimming-trials/66455-brendan-hansen-5f591.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brendan_Hansen
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1277339-brendan-hansen-usa-swim-team-captain-brings-home-a-medal-from-lane-8

Lia Neal

                                                      Lia Neal


                    Family, Age, and Birthday

She was born Febuary 13 1995, in Brooklyn New York. She is currently 17. She is currently 5' 10" and weighs 161 pounds. She is the daughter of Jerome and Siu Neal. She attends the Convent of the Sacred Heart School in New York City and is a member of the club swim team Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics in ManHattan New York. She is of African-American and Chinse descent. 

                                                  Swimming

Lia made her first Olympics in 2012. She ended up finishing fourth out of all in the 100 meter freestyle with a time of 54.33 at the trials in Omaha Nebraska. She was able to swim the 400-medlay relay at the Olympics. In the Olympics the relay finished third out of all with a total time of 3:34:24 which is an American record. She swam the relay with, Missy Franklin, Jessica Hardy, and Allison Schmitt.

Guess what? I met Lia Neal on 1.13.12






Thank you for visisting my blog!

Sources/refrences:
http://parlourmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Lia-Neal-Olympic-Team-570x400.jpeg
http://pragmaticobotsunite.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/lia_neal01-300x300.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lia_Neal
http://lianeal.com/bio

Cullen jones

                                                          Cullen Jones



Today's topic of the week is going to be about Cullen Jones. I am going to do a Kid-friendly biography on her.

                                     Family, Age, and Birth

Cullen's parents names are Debra and Ron Jones. He was born at Bronx New York. On, February 29th, 1984. His given name from birth is Cullen Andrew Jones. Cullen weighs 210 lbs and is six feet and five inches. Wow! Now that's tall!

                                                    Childhood

When Cullen was in elementary school he moved to irvington, New Jersey. He learned to swim at the age of five, after almost drowning at a splash down pool. He became an age group swimmer at Metro express. Later on Cullen switched team's to the Jersey Gators in Cranford. Cullen graduated from ST. Benedicts prep in 2002. He attended North Carolina state in 2006.

                                            Swimming Career

Cullen set a personal best in the 50 meter freestyle and the 100 meter freestyle. For the 50 meter freestyle he got a time of 21.40 on July 2009. For the 100 meter freestyle he got a time of 48.31 on July 2008. In 2012 he made his first Olympic team. He helped USA make a world record and gold in the 4x100 medley meter relay. He was the anchor of the relay so all the pressure was on him. He sat the American record for the 50 freestyle. Cullen made two silvers in the Olympics. One for the 4x100 freestyle relay and one for his 50 freestyle.

Thank you for visiting my blog!






Sources/refrences:
http://www.greatblackspeakers.com/upload/405-2013-12-01-07-28-17-Cullen_Jones_4.jpg
http://www.teenvogue.com/images/my-life/profiles/2012-08/00-Cullen.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cullen_Jones
http://swimming.about.com/od/swimhistoryandstars/p/jones.htm

Nataile Coughlin

                                                           Natile Coughlin

                           
Today's topic of the week is going to be about Natalie Coughlin. I am going to do a kid-friendly biography based on her.
                               Background

Her full name is Natalie Anne Coughlin. She was born on, August 23, 1982. Her birth place is, Vallejo California. She still lives there. She is currently 30 years old. As a kid Natalie started swimming at the age of 6. She is the daughter of a police officer and a paralegal. For collage she attends UC Berkeley. She is 5'8".

                                                       Swimming Career 

Natalie began swimming at the age six. She has won more then 10 Olympic medals in her career. She became a member of the Terrapins swim team. One of her coaches, Ray Mitchell, told the New Yorker that even early on, Coughlin, " had one speed and that was all out." In 1999 she had received an shoulder injury. She did not give up. Not quit, one single bit. She won 12 NCAA titles during her time at the school, and was named NCAA swimmer of the year for three consecutive years from, 2001 to 2003. On a national level, she set new record times. Including the American record for the 50-meter backstroke in 2002. She also clinched fiive U.S national titles the same year.

                                                  
                              Fun Facts

1.) She apperead on Dancing with the Stars.
2.) Her favorite band is the Counting cows.
3.) Her two dogs are named Shera and Jake
4.) Her favorite television shows are Lost, Nip/Tuck and Heros.


ThankYou For Visiting My Blog!


Sources/refrences:
http://a.abcnews.com/images/Sports/gty_Natalie_Coughlin_nt_120622_wmain.jpg
http://www4.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/Natalie%2BCoughlin%2BOlympic%2BTeam%2BTrials%2BSwimming%2BSMTAcLo_E8kl.jpg
http://www.biography.com/people/natalie-coughlin-20881669
http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/natalie-coughlin/bio/260091