Swimming: US Olympic champion Dwyer retires after doping ban

American double Olympic champion Conor Dwyer on Friday said he was retiring from swimming on the day he was handed a 20-month doping ban that ruled him out of next year's Tokyo Olympics.

The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) earlier announced that an independent three-member panel of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) determined the suspension after Dwyer was found to have had testosterone pellets inserted in his body.

Dwyer, 30, tested positive for an anabolic agent in three out-of-competition urine samples last November and December, USADA said in a news release.

"Following a full evidentiary hearing, the panel found that Dwyer had testosterone pellets inserted in his body in violation of the rules," USADA said.

Dwyer said he was following a doctor-prescribed medical treatment that he did not realize contained the banned substance testosterone and noted that the panel said in its report that he was not significantly at fault for the violation.

"My doctor assured me that the United States Olympic Committee had approved the treatment before I agreed to it," he said in a statement.

"Absent of these assurances, I never would have agreed to this medically necessary treatment.

"Regardless of the result of the arbitration ruling, I have decided to retire from swimming to pursue other professional interests.

"It was an honor to represent my country alongside my team mates and with the support of my coaches, family, and friends."

Dwyer was part of the US 4x200m freestyle teams that won gold at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics. He also claimed bronze in the individual 200 freestyle at Rio in 2016.

USADA CEO Travis Tygart said: "As noted in the panel’s decision, USADA is independent of sport and here to help athletes ensure they compete clean and protect their health and well-being within the rules.

"It’s frustrating that Mr Dwyer did not take advantage of this support and hopefully this case will convince others to do so in order to protect fair and healthy competition for all athletes."

Dwyer’s 20-month ban began on Dec. 21 last year, the date of his provisional suspension.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Meet the Olympian boyfriend of Kelsey Merritt

MANILA – Conor Dwyer, the Olympian boyfriend of model Kelsey Merritt, is currently in the Philippines for the first time.

The multi-awarded swimmer from Team USA was one of the celebrities who walked the runway during the Bench fashion show over the weekend.

In a rare opportunity, Dwyer granted a one-on-one with ABS-CBN Lifestyle where he opened up about his relationship Merritt.

According to Dwyer, he is a self-confessed fan of Merritt, who made waves last year for being the first Filipina to be featured in the coveted Victoria’s Secret fashion show.

“Who wouldn’t be a fan of Kelsey?” he gushed. “We’ve been together almost a year now. I have to say [I like] just how sweet and humble she is as a person. She hasn’t changed a bit. I really appreciate and adore how sweet and kind she is.”

Dwyer said he first met Merritt during a vacation in Costa Rica and the rest was history.

“I walked in and I shook right off the bat, nervous to meet her,” he recalled.

When asked what’s their workout routine together considering they both have sexy bodies, he said: “We do Pilates a lot. She kind of helped introduce me into Pilates. It’s very hard but we like to go to that together.”

“She’s good in the weights room, in Pilates, in yoga but when it comes to running, swimming and biking, she’s more laidback in that,” he added.

But while they are here in the Philippines, workouts may just have to take a backseat for a while since they want to have the best vacation.

“We’ve been saving up for this trip so I’m gonna eat everything that Kels tells me to eat,” he said.

Do they plan to see the beaches too?

“Yes. From Manila, we go to Palawan and then Boracay and then finishing in Siargao. I am a surfer so I think it’s only right that I check it out. Kels and I have been cold for months so we are excited to go to a warm island and her homeland. It’s pretty special,” he said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Meet Kelsey Merritt’s Olympic gold medalist boyfriend

MANILA – Kelsey Merritt, the first Filipina to grace the Victoria’s Secret fashion show runway, seems to have it all right now.

Aside from a blossoming modeling career in the United States, a college degree from a top university in the Philippines, a loving family, and a dedicated fan base, Merritt has also found the love of her life in two-time Olympic gold medalist Conor Dwyer.

In her social media posts, Merritt has always thanked Dwyer for being supportive, saying she became a “stronger person” because of him.

They have since been dubbed “relationship goals” by their fans, who also noted their stunningly good looks.

Here’s a closer look at Dwyer with Merritt:

source: news.abs-cbn.com

LOOK: Kelsey Merritt attends Vanity Fair party with Olympic champ BF

Her dream job wasn't the only thing Kelsey Merritt found in the US: she also found love. 

On Thursday, she shared a photo of her and her boyfriend, two-time Olympic gold medal winner Conor Dwyer, getting cozy with one another at a Vanity Fair party in New York. 

Their romantic night-out came nearly a week after Merritt received news that she will become the first Filipino woman to walk the Victoria's Secret fashion show this fall. 

This is also the first time Merritt shared a photo with Dwyer on her Instagram since the announcement. 

It remains unclear when Merritt started dating Dwyer, but she began being more open about their relationship in August when they went on a vacation to Japan. 

Dwyer is a two-time gold medalist for the US in swimming. He won his first gold in the 2012 Summer Olympics, and his second as part of the US men's freestyle team in 2016. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com