The Sporting Magazine (1792 - 1870) is considered the first general sporting magazine, though in its later decades it gave considerable emphasis to fox hunting. But it published all manner of sporting-related material, from news stories to poetry to calendars of upcoming sporting events. The subtitle of this magazine was "Monthly Calendar of the Transactions of the Turf, the Chace, and every other Diversion interesting to the Man of Pleasure, Enterprize and Spirit." [more at Wikipedia]
The September, 1863, issue featured an obituary of a man named Thomas Godwin, who was not only the head groom of the Earl of Wilton but an accomplished swimmer as well:
Out of doors, he became a capital swimmer and skater; and his diving abilities were of such a high order, that the "diving dog of Moscow" might have been jealous of him. As it was, a Newfoundland entertained some such feeling, and, seizing him as he rose to the surface at about the 999th essay of throwing himself into the water with the smallest possible impression, very nearly shook the life out of him. (169)