November 30, 2014 – A familiar name is missing from the 2014 Short Course World Championships start lists released earlier today, as George Bovell (Trinidad & Tobago) has decided not to compete in Doha, Qatar due to what the swimmer cites as personal, family matters.
In his words, Bovell indicated, “I have decided to pull out of the World Championships and the Salnikov Cup and instead start a break early, even though I am ranked number one in the world.” Moreover, Bovell said, “I had to ask myself what is the bigger medal and in life, there are some things you can’t plan.”
Most recently, Bovell won gold at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in the 50m freestyle, while also earning a bronze medal in the 50m backstroke. For his performance at the CACs in Veracruz, Mexico, Bovell expressed, “It can even be described perhaps as stellar one considering the conditions of the freezing pool and poor starting blocks. My experience definitely helped with the challenges that the conditions presented and I hope that gold medal served to fire up the rest of the T&T contingent and our track and field team will take centre stage this week.”
In Doha, among other events, Bovell was expected to compete in his signature short course race, the men’s 100m individual medley, where he currently tops the world rankings with the 51.79 time he clocked at the Dubai stop of the FINA Swimming World Cup. Bovell’s absence now opens the field to such fierce top competitors Markus Deibler (Germany), Tom Shields (USA), Ryan Lochte (USA), and Kosuke Hagino (Japan), among others, to take the top prize in the 100m IM event.
The 2014 FINA World Short Course Championships are scheduled to take place in Doha, Qatar December 3-7, 2014.
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