72 nationalities including Aruba will participate in the IAAF/AL-Bank World Half Marathon Championships in Copenhagen Saturday 29 March 2014

If all runners are going to be cheered along by flag-waving spectators on the 29 March
2014 in the streets of Copenhagen, as many as 72 different flags will be needed as 72 different
nationalities have signed up to participate in the World Half Marathon Championships.

"It's amazing to have so many different nationalities taking part in the race. The great interest
among foreign runners place our event in the very top of the international league”, says the Director of the Danish Athletic Federation, Jakob Larsen.

The country, outside of Denmark, participating with the absolute largest number of  runners is Sweden.
The Swedes make up about a third of the foreign participants. Norwegian
runners represent about one-fifth, while British and German runners each represent
about a tenth of the international runners. The race consists of runners from all over the
world. Among the 72 overseas participating countries are United States, Australia, Brazil, Iraq,
Mexico, Barbados,The Dominican Republic & Aruba

 "We are looking forward to welcoming so many nationalities in Copenhagen and give them an
unforgettable experience with running through our charming capital," says Sport Event Director,
Lars Vallentin from Wonderful Copenhagen.

Quick facts about the IAAF/AL-Bank World Half Marathon Championships 2014
Date: 29 March 2014
Place: Copenhagen, Denmark
Organisers: The Danish Athletic Federation, Sport Event Denmark, Wonderful Copenhagen and the
municipalities of Copenhagen and Frederiksberg are supporting the event.

Aruban swimmer Jordy Groters commits to Missouri Tigers

The Missouri Tigers men’s breaststroke group is not only that programs best stroke group, it’s becoming one of the best-known men’s breaststroking groups in the country.

That trend looks to continue with the commitment today of Jordy Groters to the Missouri Tigers.

“Mizzou is an amazing place!” Groters said of his future school. “I love the facility and campus. I was very interested in them because of their phenomenal breaststroke success, 4 breaststrokers at NCAA’s alone is amazing. But what really got me was the team atmosphere. I loved the guys on the team and the coaches were awesome.They are very serious and yet at the same time they are very relaxed and it really shows. It was the perfect atmosphere I wanted to be in. I’m really looking forward to joining the amazing breaststroke program they have, and also adding to their sprint freestyle program.”

Groters, who lives in Florida, benefited from that state having such an early state meet. At this year’s 1A Championship, his stock skyrocketed when he won 1A state titles in both the 50 free and 100 breaststroke.

Groters, who swims for University High School, swam a 54.76 in the 100 yard breaststroke and a 20.69 in the 50 yard freestyle (he was as fast as 20.46 in prelims). He also split a 44.3 in the 100 yard free on an anchor for his team’s 3rd-place 400 free relay. His best 200 breaststroke is a 2:04.7 from a mid-season meet in October of 2012, but expect him to be closer to the two-minute mark if he takes a good crack at it the rest of this season.

Given that when recruiting season opened this year, he had much more modest, mid-major type best times of 21.4 and 56.9 in those two events, that state meet was especially significant for him.

Groters, as he mentioned, will join an extremely deep breaststroke group that sent four to last year’s NCAA Championships, and three of them were underclassmen. As a freshman, it’s unlikely that he’ll be able to wrench away medley relay breaststroke spots from Sam Tierney and Igor Kozloskij (both who will be seniors when Groters is a freshman), but he has a very good shot at making an immediate relay impact in the 200 and 400 free relays.

Groters does his club training with the Davie Nadadores in south Florida.

Photo by: Jordy Groters   Story Courtesy :SwimSwam.com