It wasn’t the World Championships the British team was hoping for, or indeed the one we all expected with a haul of only 2 medals in Singapore. There is a lot of context to be applied, with illness a significant factor for a number of teams, but there were plenty of high points for Steve, Bob and Katie to look back on, including another world title for the men’s 4x200 freestyle and a superb British Record from Freya Colbert. ------------------- Review, subscribe, share on Apple, Google, Spotify ...
Aug 08, 2025•50 min•Season 16Ep. 6
In this episode, Steve, Bob and Katie look forward to the 2025 World Swimming Championships in Singapore, and run the rule over the British team's prospects, including great podium chances for Angharad Evans, Ollie Morgan, Duncan Scott, Ben Proud and more. We also take a look at the challenges posed by formidable international competitors, particularly from the US team and the showdown looming in the men's 4x200 freestyle relay. ------------------- Review, subscribe, share on Apple, Google, Spot...
Jul 20, 2025•43 min•Season 16Ep. 5
It was quite the week in London at the 2025 Aquatics GB Swimming Championships as we saw two British Records, plenty of close racing and a closing event with drama that just couldn't be predicted. That means plenty for Steve Katie and Bob to mull over, we hear from some of the top performers of the week including record setters Ollie Morgan and Angharad Evans, and breakout star Jacob Mills, and then we consider what it all means for the World Championship team selection, with a few predictions t...
Apr 23, 2025•45 min•Season 16Ep. 4
The British Championships are back in London and acting as trials for this summer’s World Championships to be held in Singapore. In this post Olympic year, there are chances for some new faces to make the team, while there promises to be some dramatic racing across 6 days of competition. Steve, Katie and Bob take a look at the key events and some of the swimmers to look out for next week. For more from James Guy in his return to the 400 freestyle: https://www.pullbuoy.co.uk/news/back-to-the-old-...
Apr 08, 2025•39 min•Season 16Ep. 3
The second podcast of 2025 brings us our second guest as Steve and Katie are joined by pullbuoy's male swimmer of the year for 2024 Duncan Scott to review a year that saw him add two further Olympic medals to his haul as well as three new British Records in the short course pool. We discuss his preparations for Paris, managing the pressure of being defending champions in the 4x200 freestyle relay, and facing up to Leon Marchand. With coaching changes at Stirling we also look into how things migh...
Jan 26, 2025•41 min•Season 16Ep. 2
We are back, and in this first episode of the podcast for 2025, Steve and Katie chat with pullbuoy's 2024 Female Swimmer of the Year Angharad Evans about her journey to the Paris Olympics and her ambitions for the 2025 season. Angharad shares her journey to the Games via her experiences at the Olympic trials and her strategies for managing her imposter syndrome in Paris. We also discuss closing out the year with a first senior international medal at world short course, her training under the new...
Jan 19, 2025•36 min•Season 16Ep. 1
Nine epic days of competition in the La Défense Arena and two more in the Seine are done and dusted as the 2024 Olympic swimming programme comes to a close. For this episode Steve and Katie are joined by triple-Olympian Hannah Miley to look back at the British showing in Paris, one that brought with it 5 medals including a successful defence of the men's 4x200 freestyle relay, and to pick up some of the major talking points, personalities and performances of the meet. --------------------- Revie...
Aug 10, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 15Ep. 9
The Paris 2024 Olympics are almost upon us and with them comes nine days of what promises to be an incredible swimming competition. On this episode of the Pullbuoy Podcast Steve, Bob and Katie are joined by double Olympian Lizzie Simmonds to look over events in the La Defense arena as we consider GB's prospects in the pool and river. Can the men's 4x2 defend their title and will we see a three-Peaty in the 100m breaststroke? Which of the ladies could step forward and make a name for themselves? ...
Jul 17, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 15Ep. 8
With only weeks until swimming kicks off at the Paris Olympics, Steve and Katie are joined by British Swimming Olympian number 529 Ollie Morgan to chat though his meteoric rise to the top of the country’s backstroke pile, his aims for Paris and a whole lot more. Plus Katie gets to hear all about Olympic Christmas as we dive into kitting out day. --------------------- Review, subscribe, share on Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts --------------------- Connect on social: - X ...
Jun 29, 2024•28 min•Season 15Ep. 7
On this episode of the pullbuoy podcast we are joined by Katie Shanahan, a swimmer now headed to her first Olympics in Paris. Katie shares her experiences training at altitude in Flagstaff and reflects on the Olympic selection process as well as how she ended up focussing on the 400m IM and 200m backstroke. We talk about her mindset and goals going into the Games, the thrill of being part of the Olympic village and much more, including her TV commentary debut. --------------------- To watch the ...
May 17, 2024•30 min•Season 15Ep. 6
It was a busy week in London for Bob who was in the mixed zone every day. That meant he caught a lot of swimmers fresh from their finals at the Olympic Trials - we heard some of those interviews on our review podcast, but there was a lot more that we didn't include, so on this extra episode we hear from a host of swimmers about their trials experiences. --------------------- Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts --------------------- Connect...
Apr 14, 2024•27 min•Season 15Ep. 5
It was quite the week in London as Britain's swimmers chased Olympic qualification at the Aquatics GB Swimming Championships. There were two British Records and nineteen swimmers booked their places as of right, with four more also posting nomination times to put themselves in the box seat for selection. All that means there is plenty for Steve, Katie and Bob to talk about as we review the competition. --------------------- Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever y...
Apr 11, 2024•56 min•Season 15Ep. 4
It's the second most important meet of the year for Britain's Olympic hopefuls as they seek to secure their places at the year's big event at the British Championships in London. It's a meet that doubles as Olympic team trials and as such will determine the make up of the team that heads to Paris. On this episode of the Pullbuoy podcast, Steve and Katie look forward to a make or break meet which promises some scintillating racing with ecstasy and despair in equal measure. For more on how the GB ...
Mar 27, 2024•35 min•Season 15Ep. 3
A successful week in Doha for the GB team, with 7 medals in the World Championships pool and the all important men's 4x100 freestyle relay spot secured for Paris. In the latest pullbuoy podcast, Steve, Katie and Bob take a look back over a competition that delivered some great racing, a number of great performances and a number of surprises. We also consider what, if anything, these championships tell us about the forthcoming Olympic trials and the Games themselves. --------------------- Review,...
Feb 21, 2024•45 min•Season 15Ep. 2
The pullbuoy podcast kicks off its 15th season with a look ahead to the world championships that nobody expected as Doha 2024 hoves into view. Steve and Bob take look at what we can expect, the Olympic relay implications for GB and what it might tell us as we head inexorably to trials season. --------------------- Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts --------------------- Connect on social: - Twitter/X @pullbuoy - Instagram ...
Feb 08, 2024•28 min•Season 15Ep. 1
A fantastic way to wrap up the year's international swimming as Britain topped the medal table at the European Short Course Championships in Otopeni, Romania. 23 medals means a lot for Steve, Katie and Bob to get their teeth into. We also consider the scheduling, 2 per nation rule and answer some of your questions, with a quick peek at some of the notable swims at Scottish Short Course nationals thrown in for good measure. --------------------- Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, ...
Dec 12, 2023•46 min•Season 14Ep. 11
It's been a few months since we were last with you and so this is a great time to catch up on the bigger stories in British Swimming over the summer. Steve, Bob and Katie consider changes of training base, comebacks, funding and British Records before taking a look forward to the year ending European Short Course Championships. --------------------- Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts --------------------- Connect on social: - Twitter/X ...
Nov 30, 2023•31 min•Season 14Ep. 10
It was a game of two halves for Britain's swimmers as there was a veritable avalanche of medals over the last 4 days in Fukuoka, with the tally raised by 6. That gives Bob, Katie and Steve plenty to look back over as the team matched their second best ever performance at a World Championships. We also chat about some epic distance racing, some seriously rapid sprinting, who was the top team of the meet and succession planning, and take on your questions. --------------------- Review, subscribe, ...
Jul 31, 2023•52 min•Season 14Ep. 9
The pullbuoy podcast is back once again as Steve, Bob and Katie take a whistlestop tour through the first half of the 2023 World Swimming Championships. It's been fast and furious in Fukuoka and Britain has performed well so far with Matt Richards in particular making his mark. We also consider the 4 world records broken, the controversy over 200IM DQs and the lack of coverage by terrestrial broadcasters back in the UK. --------------------- Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spo...
Jul 26, 2023•42 min•Season 14Ep. 8
We're almost at the key meet of 2023 as the competition at the World Championships in Fukuoka loom large. There's plenty for British fans to be upbeat about, and in our preview episode Steve, Katie and Bob cast their eye over the home prospects, as well as some of the other races that we'll be looking forward to. Relays will be vital with Olympic qualification available, so that's a key topic of discussion, while we'll also hear from Tom Dean who talks about taking on a large programme of racing...
Jul 15, 2023•50 min•Season 14Ep. 7
It's a podcast with a bit of a difference for this episode, because we are celebrating an anniversary; 10 years ago this month was the first time that Steve, Bob and Katie stepped into a virtual studio together for a podcast charting Britain's fortunes at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona. On this special episode we recall that first week and the events of Barcelona as well as picking one of our highlights from the last 10 years. Since we're in a nostalgic mood there's also a chance to t...
Jul 07, 2023•34 min•Season 14Ep. 6
For the first time in at least 20 years, we head into the second half of the year having not seen a British Record in the pool. So that set the cogs whirring; which were the oldest British Records in the books? In this special podcast we hear from the holders of those records, Becky Adlington and David Davies who recall their record breaking swims and get expert coaching input from Kevin Renshaw. --------------------- For more from all three guests, check out these podcasts: Becky Adlington: 20 ...
Jul 02, 2023•14 min•Season 14Ep. 5
It was an eventful week in Sheffield as the places on the British Team for the World Championships were decided, and not just in the pool. There was an almost unprecedented change to the selection policy midway through the meet, but despite that poolside drama, there was much excitement in the water too. Plenty for Steve, Bob and Katie to get their teeth into then, as we review the ups and downs from the 2023 British Championships, look at the stand out swims and think about relay prospects for ...
Apr 12, 2023•46 min•Season 14Ep. 4
Molly Renshaw recently announced her retirement from competitive swimming after a career, that included two appearances at the Olympic Games, and titles at European and World Short Course Championships. In this episode, Molly opens up about her decision to retire and the emotions that came with it, as well as reflecting on some of the highlights of her swimming career. We delve into her training regime, the ups and downs of competing at the highest level, and the sacrifices she made to reach the...
Mar 17, 2023•36 min•Season 14Ep. 3
Imogen Clark, the pullbuoy female swimmer of the year for 2022 , occupies a bit of an unusual niche in British Swimming as a world class performer often locked out of the major meets by the focus on Olympic events. In this podcast she reveals the frustration that entails, but also how her focus has changed in response, while we also discuss a year that she feels was the best of her career. It was a season that took Imogen to the Commonwealth Games, the European Championships and the Melbourne Wo...
Feb 17, 2023•32 min•Season 14Ep. 2
If you've listed to the pullbuoy podcast at all over the past few years you will have often herd debate about why, for all its success in the pool, GB has been flagging in distance events and isn't currently living up to the standards of the past. In an effort to find out why this is and what is being done about it, Steve and Bob went to he man charged with turning the tanker around - British Swimming distance lead Kevin Renshaw. A 3 time Olympic team coach who coached David Davies to 10km silve...
Jan 27, 2023•36 min•Season 14Ep. 1
Having reached her mid-twenties and with the disruption of a pandemic throwing everyone’s plans into disarray, Bella Hindley could have been forgiven for thinking her international swimming career had come to a conclusion before it had even started. But she persevered and this year made her senior international debut at the Commonwealth Games for England as well as being selected to race for GB at the World Short Course Championships. In this episode of the pullbuoy podcast, Bella takes us throu...
Dec 05, 2022•37 min•Season 13Ep. 15
The longest summer of international swimming in living memory came to a close in fine style at the European Championships in Rome. It was a decent showing for GB, including golds for Ben Proud and James Wilby, but the biggest story was of course the 100m freestyle world record from David Popvici. Steve, Katie and Bob reconvene for the final podcast of the season and consider all of the above, plus there’s time to answer a number of listener questions. We've thoroughly enjoyed this summer's run o...
Aug 18, 2022•47 min•Season 13Ep. 14
The last few years have been challenging for Lewis Burras with many mental and physical ups and downs as he sought to find his place in the swimming world. After a few false dawns mixed with some very low periods he found a kindred spirit in coach Zoe Baker and from there has kicked on to have an impressive breakthrough season in 2022. It’s one that has taken him to a new long course British Record over 100m freestyle and to three silver medals at the Commonwealth Games. In this episode of the p...
Aug 09, 2022•42 min•Season 13Ep. 13
It was a tremendously exciting week of racing in Birmingham at the Commonwealth Games, which generated a fantastic atmosphere in the sparkly new Sandwell Aquatic centre. It was as usual a display of Australian strength in the pool but the home nations acquitted themselves well. On this review podcast, Steve and Katie consider events in the pool from the dominance of Ben Proud to the extensive medal winning exploits of Tom Dean, the finest farewell that Ross Murdoch could have wished for and much...
Aug 05, 2022•43 min•Season 13Ep. 12
