Swimming and Diving Programs Support Sarcoma Research

HANOVER, N.H. — The Dartmouth men's and women's swimming and diving programs joined thousands of athletes worldwide, participating in the 17th annual Ted Mullin "Leave it in the Pool" Hour of Power Relay in support of sarcoma research on Monday, Nov. 7.

The event, which honors individuals who are fighting cancer or have lost their battle, originated as a way to honor former Carleton College captain Edward H. "Ted" Mullin, who passed away from synovial sarcoma, a rare soft tissue cancer that disproportionately effects children and young adults. The annual relay has grown from 15 teams in its first year to more than 180 teams worldwide, and this year it is estimated that approximately 6,000 athletes joined the cause. Dartmouth did so this year with a few community members in mind. Alex Simpson '22, who lost her battle with sarcoma in August of 2022, Paul Bishop (father of Dartmouth men's swimming and diving senior Connor Bishop), who is currently fighting sarcoma, and volunteer assistant coach Betsy Perron, whose cancer is currently in remission after receiving diagnosis last year.

"The Hour of Power pushes both your physical and emotional limits," said head coach Milana Socha, a 2014 graduate of Carleton. "It is quite the challenge to sprint 50s for an hour and the motivation behind the event, that you are swimming your heart out for the people that can't be there to do it with you, adds an entirely new degree of meaning to each sprint effort. Knowing that sarcoma disproportionately affects young people, this hour was a celebration of the present moment with our team with the understanding that you never know what challenges life will throw at you, so we should make the most of what we have. The swimmers and divers did a great job working as a team to keep it loud and highly energetic through the whole hour, while also communicating to keep all lanes on the same length of the pool. This is the type of energy and teamwork you build success with. Today, we didn't let cancer win."

Participating teams engage in continuous relays of any stroke for a full hour, utilizing teamwork to keep all lanes on the same lap.

To learn more about the Hour of Power Relay and the meaning behind it, please click here.

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