The Virginia Gators of Roanoke, Virginia, have announced that they have hired Ned Skinner as the new head coach. Skinner succeeds team founder and longtime head coach Doug Fonder at the helm of the program. Skinner comes to the Gators after two years as the head coach of Hollins University, a women’s only Division 3 program, but is primarily known for leading the Virginia Tech Hokies for 20 years. Most notably, the Hokies men’s team won the ACC championship in 2014, ending a University of Virgin...
May 26, 2021•39 min•Ep. 555
After taking over the Auburn program in April , Ryan Wochomurka has quickly begun rebuilding his coaching staff. After hiring Abbie Houck as an assistant coach last week, the Auburn program has now brought in Vlad Polyakov to serve as the team’s associate head coach. Polyakov will join the Auburn program after having spent the last eight years at Louisville, where he has served as an assistant coach and the men’s recruiting coordinator since 2012. In joining the staff at Auburn, Polyakov will be...
May 25, 2021•38 min•Ep. 554
While swims fans have been treated to some fast swimming this past week at the European Championships, top-notch US swimmers have been looking sharp three weeks out from the USA’s Olympic Trials. Case in point: tonight, former Texas Longhorn Madisyn Cox came up big with a 2:08.51 in the 200 IM. That time makes her the fastest women in the world so far in 2021, ahead of the 2:08.73 Australian Kaylee McKeown clocked a week ago at the Sydney Open. McKeown was slightly faster last December, having g...
May 24, 2021•3 min•Ep. 553
In a twist of events, The women’s 100 backstroke final at the 2021 European Championships had to be re-swum due to an error with the timing system. In the re-swim, Dawson got the job done again, this time in 58.49. Though she loses her official PB of 58.18 and that Championship Record, she still owns the record and keeps her European gold medal. Dawson was notably much more conservative on the first 50 in the re-swim, flipping in 28.47 compared to a blazing 27.99 in the first final. She closed f...
May 22, 2021•2 min•Ep. 552
Hugo Gonzalez continued to perform unbelievably in Budapest, closing in a scintillating 27.76 to win the men’s 200 IM in a time of 1:56.76. Gonzalez demolishes his Spanish Record (1:58.03) by well over a second in 1:56.76, and falls just a tenth shy of the nine-year-old Championship Record. The 22-year-old now ranks fifth in the 2020-21 world rankings. This came after claiming silver in the men's 100 back just an hour prior in a new PR of 52.90. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and su...
May 21, 2021•2 min•Ep. 551
Heading into day 3 of the European Championships, Kliment Kolesnikov had already won 2 gold medals in the 4x100 free relay (Russia) and 50 back (world record, 23.80). He swam 52.2 in the prelims of the 100 back, seeding him first by over 1 second. In finals, he swam the 100 free, touching first in 47.37, a new meet record. 15 minutes later he was back in the pool for the semi-final of the 100 back. He would’ve qualified first for the 100 back final with his prelim time, but with the quick turnar...
May 20, 2021•2 min•Ep. 550
THE WATER IS MY SKY dives deep into the world of elite competitive swimming through the lives of three swimmers- Tom Wilkens , Connor Jaeger , and Taylor Garcia - swept up in the hunt for a shot at Olympic glory. As they endure heartbreaking setbacks and soaring triumphs, each swimmer grapples with the underlying meaning behind their pursuit, revealing the true spirit of ordinary individuals chasing extraordinary dreams. Virtual Premiere: "Swim Club Screening Week" is a ten-day virtual premiere ...
May 19, 2021•35 min•Ep. 549
We sat down with Jack Alexy , the top-20 recruit and Cal-commit that just put on a show at the 2021 YMCA Festival . Alexy broke down his performances at the YMCA Festival and how his training has been affected in the last year. He also explained that he and teammate Matt Fallon are training in Florida in the lead-up to the 2021 Olympic Trials. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscri...
May 18, 2021•32 min•Ep. 548
Natalie Hinds dropped best times in both the 100 fly (58.6) and 100 free (54.2) at the Atlanta Classic this weekend and is feeling good about Olympic Trials. This is the 3rd year of Hinds' comeback, having left the sport after Olympic Trials in 2016 and coming back in the fall of 2018.
May 17, 2021•2 min•Ep. 547
Ryan Murphy took the 100 and 200 backstrokes easily this weekend in Atlanta, logging times of 52.9 and 1:56.1, a good spot for him heading into taper. A seasoned veteran in the sport, Murphy discusses why he likes taper, even when it can come with more extreme highs and lows than the normal season. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscri...
May 16, 2021•2 min•Ep. 546
Michael Andrew followed up his prelim PB in a big way, setting a new U.S. Open Record in the men’s 100 breaststroke in 58.67, just .03 shy of the American Record set by Kevin Cordes in 2017 (58.64). The previous U.S. Open Record was set by Cordes at the 2017 U.S. World Trials in 58.74. Andrew’s swim is also another Pro Swim Series Record after he lowered it down to 58.82 in the prelims. The previous mark belonged to Adam Peaty at 58.86. Compared to his morning swim, Andrew was out .13 faster ton...
May 14, 2021•1 min•Ep. 545
Mark Spitz , the greatest Olympian of all-time from 1972 to 2008, has been gracious with his time on the SwimSwam Podcast. Ahead of the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo he has shared many stories, his wisdom, and his humor. Our younger Olympic fans probably know his name and understand he's important, but they may not know the context of his career and how central he has been to swimming's success over the last five decades. While swimming has produced many, many star Olympians, Mark was the first tr...
May 13, 2021•53 min•Ep. 544
All-American Sarah Thompson is returning for a fifth year with the Missouri Tigers next season , per a release from the school . Thompson, a versatile sprinter, has been an invaluable member of the Mizzou roster the last couple of seasons. She recently placed third at the 2021 NCAA Championships in the 50 free, hitting a lifetime best and Mizzou team record of 21.42, and she chipped in a 10th-place finish in the 100 back. At NCAAs, she was also 21.2 on Mizzou’s fourth-place 200 free relay and 22...
May 12, 2021•28 min•Ep. 543
Anthony Ervin , the oldest individual Olympic gold medalist in swimming history, is savoring his last run-up to U.S. Olympic Trials. At 40 years old, his experience is unique, and, personally, very meaningful. He laughed at my 50m free prediction game video, but he appreciated that I forecasted him under 22 seconds. Anthony isn't sure he'll be under 22 seconds at U.S. Olympic Trials, but he did share that he's feeling moments of that familiar-sprint-flow in training with Coach David Marsh. I ask...
May 11, 2021•36 min•Ep. 542
We sat down with Sierra Schmidt , the Michigan All-American who recently moved to Scottsdale , where her parents just bought a house, to train with her father in the lead-up to Olympic Trials. Schmidt eloquently explains that she's excited to continue her career as a pro, sharing that she believes she's not done learning the lessons the sport has to teach her. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to l...
May 10, 2021•37 min•Ep. 541
We sat down with Brian Thomas , the head coach of George Washington University , whose men's team recently brought home the 2021 Atlantic-10 Conference team title. For those counting, GWU earned five straight event wins (200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, 400 free relay) on the last day of competition to secure the conference team title. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscri...
May 09, 2021•19 min•Ep. 540
Tristan Lehari , Founder and CEO, says, ‘’ Data collection and accuracy have always been the cornerstone of what we do at TritonWear , right from the very beginning. But we have also always known just collecting data is not enough, we need to help people utilize it. We are extremely excited to announce that through years of R&D we have been able to develop a solution to fully automate the analysis of our world-class data. We have made it possible to quantify the complex concept of “training ...
May 08, 2021•31 min•Ep. 537
We sat down with Robert Pinter , Jeff Poppell's first hire as the head coach of South Carolina. Pinter talked through the tough decision of leaving as the head coach and owner of Gator Swim Club but reiterated that it was the right decision for him. Getting to be a part of Poppell's vision and rebuilding at USC put's a fire in Pinter's belly, who says he is ready to get back into the swing of college coaching. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to lis...
May 08, 2021•33 min•Ep. 538
We sat down with Colleen Fotsch , the swimmer turned cross-fitter turned bobsledding Olympic hopeful. If you didn't get it from the first sentence, Colleen has had a long and fruitful athletic career so far and at age 31, she's still making headway. Fotsch swam for Cal from 2009-2012, helping the Bears to NCAA titles in the 200 free relay (2012) and 200 medley relay (2011 & 2012). Sometime after her NCAA eligibility was complete, she found CrossFit, eventually going pro and training to compe...
May 07, 2021•54 min•Ep. 536
Olympic and World Champion distance swimming icon Katie Ledecky has the secret sauce, and it’s in the details of Stanford’s Olympic training camp. What I find most interesting is that during the pandemic Ledecky trained with teammate Simone Manuel , and often it was only the two of them, mano a mano. Image that. Team USA’s most celebrated distance star and sprint star training eye-to-eye. I think we’re going to see Ledecky swim well in the shorter events, 100 free and certainly 200 free. Ledecky...
May 06, 2021•6 min•Ep. 539
We sat down with Paul DeLakis , who recently announced his retirement to pursue a career in optometry . DeLakis took us through his whole swim career, particularly making the transition from being a high school student-athlete to a collegiate student-athlete. DeLakis offers sage wisdom to those who are about to make the plunge into college athletics and academics. DeLakis also breaks down his last year of training through the pandemic, including a stint where he traveled to Gainesville to train ...
May 06, 2021•43 min•Ep. 535
We sat down with Evie Pfeifer , who announced the big news that she will be taking her 5th (and extra) year of NCAA eligibility with the Texas longhorns. Evie explained that she wants 4 NCAAs and especially after her stellar swims at this year's championships, is ready to come back and work for more. She also talks about training with the Texas free/IM groups and the excitement she has for her sister, Abby, to get onto campus. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify ...
May 05, 2021•33 min•Ep. 534
Are you looking for a book that blends together great stories, leadership strategies and your love of swimming? Look no further than Take Your Mark, LEAD! 10 Ways to Lead Yourself and Others Like a Champion . With a compelling Foreword written by Bob Bowman and endorsements from top champions , Take Your Mark, LEAD! is a self-help, go-to guide for people who urgently want to take charge of their lives. Leader, champion, and survivor Kelly Parker Palace delivers 11 entertaining, informative chapt...
May 05, 2021•45 min•Ep. 533
We sat down with Andrew Seliskar , the NCAA Champion and World Champs medalist who recently signed with Speedo . We discuss Seliskar's last year leading up to this point, including competing in the ISL, backyard lifting in Berkeley, and rolling deep with the Cal bears at recent Pro Swims. Seliskar also analyzes his events at the 2021 Olympic Trials and what it will take for the USA to compete for a title in the 4x200 free relay come Tokyo. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscrib...
May 04, 2021•33 min•Ep. 532
We sat down with Ryan Wochomurka , the recently announced head coach for the University of Auburn's swim and dive program. Coach Wochomurka walks through how he views Auburn, his alma mater and somewhere he's been familiar with since age 17, and what he sees as the path for the Tigers moving forward. He's hoping to start announcing his staff by the end of this week as well as start meeting athletes and staff where they are now athletically, academically, and spiritually. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS C...
May 03, 2021•21 min•Ep. 531
We sat down with Rachel Nicol , the 2016 Olympian for Canada who has, like every other Canadian, once again been forced to wait another month for the 2021 Canadian Olympic Trials. Nicol describes the exhaustion that has come with not only going through a pandemic while trying to train for the Olympics but also having their trials been pushed back twice now. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to list...
May 02, 2021•34 min•Ep. 530
We sat down with Terry Fritch and Kiley Wilhelm of Life Time North Carolina. Kiley recently made her Wave II Olympic Trial cut in the 100m backstroke , dropping nearly 2 seconds to go 1:00.9. Wilhelm and Fritch both give their perspective on transitioning from SwimMAC to Life Time and what training 1-on-1 during the fall of 2020 was like, particularly how they were able to find success and how they've grown their core training group since then. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and sub...
May 01, 2021•29 min•Ep. 529
Olympic swimming champion Caeleb Dressel notched fast swims at the Mission Pro Swim , signaling he is on course for a great U.S. Olympic Trials in June: Dressel Mission Pro Swim Times: 50 free - 21.83 100 free - 48.82 (prelim swim, scratched the final to fly home early) 200 free - 1:47.57 100 fly - 51.61 In this interview Caeleb is his own worst critic, recapping his entire season. He also sheds some light on the pressures of being a swim star on run-up to the Olympic summer. PREDICTIONS FOR U.S...
Apr 30, 2021•6 min•Ep. 528
We sat down with newly minted 2021 Olympians and training partners James Guy and Tom Dean to talk about the recent British trials and the trails for British swimming to come. Guy gives us some context on his meet specifically, saying he took out the 200 fly way too hard and it took a toll on him the rest of the week, including in the 200 free final where he registered a 1:46.0. We get into the meat of analyzing Britain's 4x100 and 4x200 free relays, especially considering they will have chances ...
Apr 30, 2021•33 min•Ep. 527
We sat down with American record holders and Paralympiac medalists McKenzie Coan and Colleen Young after having their first of two qualification meets for the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics recently in Lewisville, Texas. The two roommates (who are training together currently at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs) took us through competing at their first meet since the pandemic started and what competition and Paralympic qualification will look like moving forward. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Cli...
Apr 29, 2021•36 min•Ep. 526
