This will forever be remembered as the year in which a sporting legend was brought down. American Lance Armstrong, cancer survivor and multiple Tour de France winner, was crushed by an inquiry into doping.

New Zealand swimmer Lauren Boyle has won gold in the final of the 800m freestyle on the second day of the world short course championships in Turkey.

Conditions were challenging for all of the 1500 swimmers in the Auckland State Harbour Crossing, with winds of up to 30 knots making the water extremely choppy.

Swimming lessons give children an edge as they start school, study shows.