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Asian Games swimming competition promises drama

By WTOP Staff

CHRISTOPHER BODEEN
Associated Press

INCHEON, South Korea (AP) — What promises to be a dramatic showdown between China’s Olympic gold champion Sun Yang and his chief rival, Park Tae-hwan of South Korea, is set to heat up the Asian Games swimming program.

It’s the biggest rivalry in Asian swimming, possibly one of the biggest of the games, and some taunting from Sun has likely intensified the competition.

The 22-year-old Sun brings the 200-, 400-, and 1,500-meter freestyle world titles he won last year to Incheon, along with the two golds, one silver and one bronze won at the 2012 London Olympics, where he became the first Chinese man to win an individual Olympic swimming gold.

Sun also holds the world record in the 1,500 and won the event at the Asian Games four years ago in Guangzhou, China, where Park won gold in the 100, 200 and 400 freestyle finals. Park also swept the golds in the three events at the 1996 Asiad in Doha, Qatar. To top it off, he’ll be swimming in a pool named in his honor at Incheon, west of the capital Seoul.

But Sun thinks he holds the advantage, having fully harnessed the explosive power of his formidable 6-foot-6 frame.

Having told Chinese media he doesn’t really consider Park a serious rival, Sun filmed a series of humorous TV commercials for a Chinese sportswear maker in which he gently mocks the South Korean’s celebrity status.

“Mr. Park, you’re the Korean people’s hero. You have countless fans. Even this swimming competition’s aquatic center bears your name,” Sun says into the camera. “But Mr. Park, so what?” Sun intones before performing a cannonball into the pool while wearing a pair of children’s floaties.

In another, Sun, floating on an air mattress, thanks Park for not quitting swimming to become a singer or TV star. Now “don’t let me win too easily,” he adds.

Sun has already drawn notoriety for his flamboyant personal style and willingness to flaunt authority. In December, he was suspended from training and competition after being detained for seven days for driving without a license. He’d previously been formally censured after feuding with his coach and missing practice in order to make commercial appearances and spend time with his girlfriend.

Along with the three individual events, Sun is also set to take part in the 4×100 and 4×200 freestyle relays in Incheon.

The competition gets underway on Sunday with the pair swimming in the 200. It continues Tuesday in the 400 then wraps up with the 1,500 on Friday.

Park, 24, won the 400 at the 2008 Beijing Games and finished second behind Sun in the event in London. The pair tied for silver in the 200 in London. Park skipped last year’s worlds but showed he was on-form by setting the fastest time of the year in the 400 at last month’s Pan Pacific Championships in Australia.

The Japanese men also will be targeting a share of the golds, having won six at the Pan Pacific. Chief among them is 20-year-old Kosuke Hagino, who beat Michael Phelps in the 200 medley in Australia, where he also won the 400 IM. Hagino will be competing in six events.

China’s top woman, Ye Shiwen, set a world record in the 400 IM and an Olympic record in the 200 IM at London 2012. The 18-year-old failed to win any medals at last year’s worlds, but returned to her winning ways at this year’s national games and will be looking to show she’s still a force to be dealt with at Incheon.

While Sun and Ye are China’s undisputed superstars in the pool, the Asian giant also boasts two other Olympic gold medalists in the form of women’s 200-meter butterfly world record holder Liu Zige and and Jiao Liuyang, who won the event in London.

Lu Ying, who took silver in the women’s 50-meter butterfly at the worlds, is also on the 61-member Chinese swim team, along with backstroker Xu Jiayu, who broke three Chinese records at the May nationals and is ranked fastest in the world this year in the 100.

Xu’s biggest competition will come from Japan’s Ryosuke Irie and Yasuhiro Koseki, who won gold in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke at the Pan Pacx.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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