• Winter swimming event kicks off Ice and Snow Festival in China

    Diego Azubel / EPA

    A Chinese man dives into a pool cut out of the frozen waters of the Songhua Jiang river in sub-zero temperatures during a winter swimming event as part of the International Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin, China on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012. The three-month long festival attracts visitors from all over China as well as a number of foreign guests who brave below zero temperatures to see colorful large ice and snow sculptures, ride horse-drawn carriages and enjoy a number of winter activities set up on the sidelines of the festival.

    By James Cheng

    See other winter swimmers from China

    Slideshow: China's Harbin Ice and Snow Festival

    Sheng Li / Reuters

    The annual winter festival in northeastern China opens on Jan. 5, 2012.

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  • Too much holiday spirits? Swimmers take icy plunge around the world

    Emilio Morenatti / AP

    Athletes dressed as Santa Claus jump into the Mediterranean sea as they take part in the Copa Nadal in the Spanish port of Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday, Dec. 25. The Copa Nadal (Christmas Cup) is a traditional swimming competition that takes place in Barcelona every December 25th, where participants swim 200 meters in the open sea in the port of Barcelona.

    Andy Rain / EPA

    A Christmas Day reveller takes the plunge into the chilly waters on Brighton beach in Brighton, Britain, on Dec. 25. Hundreds of people flocked to Brighton beach for the annual Christmas day swim.

    Filip Singer / EPA

    A swimmer reacts as he climbs a ladder to leave the Vltava river after a swim within the traditional Christmas winter swimming competition in Prague, Czech Republic, on Dec. 26. Enthusiast swimmers every year brave the cold waters of the Vltava river for a swim.

    Sheng Li / Reuters

    A winter swimmer jumps with a mop into the icy water of the Songhua River in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China on Dec. 26, 2011.

    Maurizio Gambarini / EPA

    Members of the 'Berlin Seals' club swim in the Oranke Lake with a water temperature of three degrees Celsius, wearing Christmas costumes in Berlin, Germany, on December 25. The winter swimmers traditionally meet on Christmas Day to take a swim together.

    By John Makely, NBC News

     How much longer before this becomes an Olympic sport?

  • Another swimmer braves icy waters in China for good health

    AFP - Getty Images

    A Chinese man diving into the Jingpo lake from a frozen waterfall on Mudanjiang, in northeast China's Heilongjiang province.

    By James Cheng

    Another great photograph from China about people swimming during the winter months for the good of their health. The other picture I blogged on the same subject earlier this month can be seen here.

    The winter swimming is especially popular amongst the elderly and retired as it's believed to improve circulation and benefit health, and also said to increase the level of mental awareness, release stress, remove aches and pains, increase vitality and keep skin looking younger - and of course, an overall feeling of well-being.

  • Swimmer braves icy waters in China for good health

    Sheng Li / Reuters

    A swimmer dives into the icy water of a lake of Beiling park in Shenyang, Liaoning province on Friday, Dec. 2, 2011.

    By James Cheng

    In China it is believed swimming in near freezing water during the winter months strengthens the immune system of one’s body. 

    What do you think?

     


    Beijing Ice Swimming a Hot Winter Sport by NTDTV

  • Michael Phelps predicts records will tumble in new swimsuit

    Kathy Willens / AP

    Athletes from the United States swim team model highly technical swimsuits during a news conference debuting Speedo's new Fastskin 3 swimsuit in New York, Nov. 30, 2011. Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps is shown, fifth from right.

    By Rich Shulman

    I'm fascinated by the "arms race" of technology in swimsuit design. I wonder what the Chinese and Australians have up their sleeves.

    Reuters reports:

    NEW YORK - The bodysuit war that reduced the 2009 swimming world championships to farce and effectively turned the sport into a battle of technology could erupt again on Wednesday when Michael Phelps takes to the catwalk to launch a new outfit for next year's London Olympics.

    Phelps was bitterly opposed to the now-banned swimsuits that were used in Rome two years ago, refusing to wear them because he believed they aided buoyancy, but he is getting ready to promote a new space-age suit.

    Eduardo Munoz / Reuters

    U.S. Olympic gold medallist swimmer Michael Phelps (L) and U.S. swimmer Natalie Coughlin model the new Speedo brand swimsuits "Speedo FASTSKIN3" at a news conference in New York Nov. 30, 2011.

     

    Olympic sports coverage on NBSSports.com

  • Unable to overcome man 'o war stings, Nyad quits Cuba to Florida swim

    By Rich Shulman

    If the sharks don't get you, the jellyfish will.

    As AP reported:

    MIAMI - Marathon swimmer Diana Nyad spent more than 40 hours in the shark-filled waters between Cuba and the Florida Keys, climbing into a boat only to be treated for searing welts left by Portuguese man o' war stings. Left swollen and red, Nyad had no choice but to end her trek early when medics warned another sting could be deadly.

    The 62-year-old soldiered on for a time, cutting eye and mouth holes into a cap she wore over her face to protect against future stings. She surpassed 100,000 strokes, but the stings — which team members said left what looked like branding marks from the jellyfish-like creatures' tentacles — were too much of a risk.

    Previous posts:

    Diana Nyad, 61, ends Cuba to Florida swim

    Sixty-one-year-old US swimmer begins 103-mile swim from Cuba to Florida

    Alan Diaz / AP

    Marathon swimmer Diana Nyad describes how she soldiered on for a time, cutting eye and mouth holes into a cap she wore over her face to protect against future stings at Key West, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 25. Nyad spent more than 40 hours in the shark-filled waters between Cuba and the Florida Keys, climbing into a boat only to be treated for searing welts left by Portuguese man o' war stings. Left swollen and red, Nyad had no choice but to end her trek early when medics warned another sting could be deadly.


    Michael Marrero /Florida Keys News Bureau via AP

    Endurance swimmer Diana Nyad shows Portuguese Man o' War jellyfish stings after she arrived in Key West, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 25 following a third unsuccessful attempt to swim from Havana to the Florida Keys.

  • Muhammed Muheisen / AP

    Boys swim in a large pool of rainwater to cool off as the temperature rises on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan, on Aug. 19.

    At swim, two boys

    By David R Arnott, NBC News

    AP photographer Muhammed Muheisen made a nice little visual joke with this picture. And Irish writer Jamie O'Neill deserves the credit for the headline.

  • Adam Pretty / Getty Images

    Tyler Clary of the United States competes in the Men's 200m Backstroke final during day fourteen of the 14th FINA World Championships at the Oriental Sports Center on July 29 in Shanghai, China.

    Great action shot from the FINA swimming championships

    By David R Arnott, NBC News

    Water can create some amazing photo effects.

    Check out more of Adam Pretty's sports photography in his winning portfolio from this year's World Press Photo contest.

  • Michael Phelps wins 200m fly at Swimming Worlds for first gold medal

    US swimmer Michael Phelps competes in the final of the men's 200-metre butterfly event in the FINA World Championships at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai on Wednesday, July 27. He won gold. Christinne Muschi / Reuters; Francois Xavier Marit / AFP - Getty Images

    Philippe Lopez / AFP - Getty Images

    US swimmer Michael Phelps competes in the men's 200-metre individual medley in the FINA World Championships on Wednesday.

    The AP reports:

    SHANGHAI - There was no stopping Michael Phelps this time - and Federica Pellegrini still can't be stopped.

    Michael Phelps wins the 200m butterfly final to capture his first gold medal of the 2011 World Swimming Championships.

    Having failed to win his opening two events at the world championships, Phelps finally got gold in the 200-meter butterfly Wednesday. In the next event, Italy's Pellegrini won the 200 freestyle to become the first woman to sweep the 200 and 400 at consecutive worlds. Continue reading.

     

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  • Cool underwater views from the FINA championships

    By Jonathan Woods, msnbc.com

    Like a lot of photography, making great photos at a swimming event takes the right mixture of skill and luck. But coming away with a unique underwater image is far more difficult, especially if the camera is unmanned, triggered remotely.

    While we don't know whether these images were taken through an underwater observation window or fired remotely, we do know they turned out really well.

    Christinne Muschi / Reuters

    Ye Shiwen of China competes during the women's 200m individual medley final at the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai July 25.

    Adam Pretty / Getty Images

    Vitaly Borisov of Russia (from top), Hayden Stoeckel of Australia, Camille Lacourt of France and David Plummer of the United States compete in heat seven of the Men's 100m Backstroke heats during Day Ten of the 14th FINA World Championships at the Oriental Sports Center on July 25.

    Francois Xavier Marit / AFP - Getty Images

    France's Yannick Agnel competes in the semi-finals of the men's 100-meter freestyle swimming event in the FINA World Championships at the indoor stadium of the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai on July 25.

     See more great images in the Week in Sports slideshow.

  • Underwater at the synchronized swimming duets final in Shanghai

    David Gray / Reuters

    Greece's Evangelia Platanioti and Despoina Solomou perform during their synchronized swimming technical duets final at the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai on Monday, July 18.

    Francois Xavier Marit / AFP - Getty Images

    Mary Killman and Lyssa Wallace of the US compete in the technical duets final synchronized swimming competition in the FINA World Championships at the indoor stadium of the Oriental Sports Center, in Shanghai, on Monday, July 18.

    By Elena Grothe

    Here are a few striking images from today's event.

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