The SwimSwam Podcast

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In the SwimSwam Podcast dive deeper into the sport you love with insider conversations about swimming. Hosted by Coleman Hodges and Gold Medal Mel Stewart, SwimSwam welcomes both the biggest names in swimming that you already know, and rising stars that you need to get to know, as we break down the past, present, and future of aquatic sports.

Episodes

Tuesday Jun 01, 2021

How Fast Will Michael Andrew Swim at Olympic Trials?

Tuesday Jun 01, 2021

Michael Andrew turned a lot of heads at the Indy Pro Swim, dropping:

58.6 - 100m breast
50.8 - 100m fly
1:56.8 - 200m IM

I was surprised. Frankly, I didn't see Michael as the favorite in two events heading into U.S. Olympic Trials. I think, like a lot of swimming fans, I was lulled into a bit of a sleep after after his 2020 ISL season. I expected a little more from him last fall and winter. Now, in hindsight, that feels like a harsh judgment considering everyone reacted differently to the pandemic last year.

I am glad I was wrong. I've been a Michael Andrew fan since his age group days--back when everyone lost their minds over his turning pro at the tender age of 14.

2021 Michael Andrew U.S. Olympic Trials Predictions

As mentioned above, I wasn't bullish on Michael Andrew making the Olympic Team. I thought he’d be on the bubble. I'm confident now. I think he's making his first Olympic Team. I see him winning the 100m breast in 58.3, breaking the American record.

Will he make it in the 200 IM, 100 fly, or 50 free?

1:55 point 9 - 200 IM - for 2nd or 3rd
50 point 5 - 100 fly for 2nd, 3rd or 4th
21 point 4 - 50 free for 2nd or 3rd

But who cares what I think. What do you think? Give me your best expert swimming analysis.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Monday May 31, 2021

Matt Bowe on What Makes USA Sports Culture Different Than The Rest of the World

Monday May 31, 2021

We sat down to talk with Matt Bowe, the once elite Loughborough swimmer who is now the associate head coach at Ohio State. We go through the transition from athlete to coach and moving to the USA smack dab in the middle of it. Bowe also gets into what makes the USA different from the rest of the world in terms of having a sporting culture that starts at a very young age. Bowe compares the USA to Britain and discusses differences in every stage of upbringing that ultimately lead to performance on a global stage.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

Sunday May 30, 2021

Andre Brasil Gives Raw and Emotional Commentary on Para Ineligibility

Sunday May 30, 2021

On April 6th, Andre Brasil and the Brazilian Paralympic Committee (CPB) announced that the Cologne Regional Court has ruled in favor of the International Paralympic Committee’s decision to reclassify Brasil as ineligible. This effectively ends Brasil’s 14-year-long Paralympic career.

“We call this change in ranking one of the saddest episodes in the history of global paralympics,” the CPB wrote in their official statement.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

Saturday May 29, 2021

How Fast Will Carson Foster Swim 400 IM At U.S. Olympic Trials?

Saturday May 29, 2021

Olympic hopeful Carson Foster turned heads in Austin, Texas dropping a 4:11 best time in the 400 meters IM three weeks out from the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Carson has made big gains since NCAA championships, and he shared that his training has gone better than expected. He was a kid back in 2016, but he did get vital U.S. Olympic Trials experience. That matters. Olympic Trials in Omaha is a pressure-cooker, especially for swimmers competing in the 400 IM, which is the first event on the first day of finals.

SEE 14 YEAR OLD CARSON'S RACE VIDEO, MAKING HIS 2016 OLYMPIC TRIALS CUT.

U.S. Olympic Trials - Carson Foster Predictions:

Making the U.S. Olympic Team so young is a tall order. Carson is an outlier, a rare talent who can do it.

400 IM in the U.S. is a little soft, but someone's going to go 4:08 or 4:09 low in Omaha to make Team USA in this event. I think that person is Carson. I see a 4:08.9.

I also think Carson can make the men's 4x200 freestyle relay. I see him him advancing to the 200 free final in Omaha. Youth and enthusiasm powers him past no less than two swimmers in that race final, putting him on the Team USA relay.

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Friday May 28, 2021

Dan Flack on Coaching Club vs College, Wisdom Learned Through Both

Friday May 28, 2021

We sat down with Dan Flack, the head coach of Baylor Swim Club and Baylor high school. We talk for over an hour, meaning we cover a lot of ground. Among our topics covered is Flack leading Baylor girls and boys to state titles (TN) during a pandemic and talking through what a virtual state championship looked like. Flack also discusses being on staff at multiple colleges while also coaching for the associated club team and the knowledge he was able to gain from being around so many high-level and wise coaches.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

Thursday May 27, 2021

ASU Assistant Herbie Behm Breaks Down How Entire Team Handled Red-Shirt Year

Thursday May 27, 2021

Garrett McCaffrey sat down with Herbie Behm, the assistant coach at Arizona State. Behm talks about how the year went for Arizona State after head coach Bob Bowman made the decision to red-shirt the entire team. Behm said for the most part it went quite smoothly, getting a long block to focus on both long course and putting good work in during training heading into Olympic Trials.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

Wednesday May 26, 2021

Ned Skinner Explains Move to Virginia Gators as Head Coach

Wednesday May 26, 2021

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 Virginia streak that began in 1999 and up to that point was only interrupted by a now-vacated Florida State title in 2007.

The Gators have been one of the top club teams in the nation over the last few year, producing top-ranked swimmers like Noah Bowers, Olivia Bray, Khali Fonder, Caroline Kulp, Keith Myburgh, Emma Muzzy, and Greg Reed, just to name a few. Former head coach Doug Fonder started the Gators in 1988, and since then the team has had success at multiple levels of the sport, sending swimmers to Olympic Trials and producing swimmers who’ve made an impact at the college level. Fonder currently serves as the President and CEO of the International Swim Coaches Association.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

Tuesday May 25, 2021

Vlad Polyakov on Being a 'Bama NCAA Champ Turned Auburn Associate Head Coach

Tuesday May 25, 2021

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 coaching alongside Wochomurka for the second time in his career, as Wochomurka served as the Louisville associate head coach when he was first hired in 2012. Houck also spent time with the pair at Louisville, having swum there from 2013 to 2017.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

Sunday May 23, 2021

Madisyn Cox on Weekend of 3-for-3 Best Times: "I don't think I've been happier"

Sunday May 23, 2021

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 gone 2:08.23. Cox’s time tonight also moves her to #3 all-time among US women, jumping her up from #8.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

Saturday May 22, 2021

Kathleen Dawson Describes Hard Fought Win After 100 Back Re-Swim at Euro Champs

Saturday May 22, 2021

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 faster, 30.02 to 30.19, in the re-swim.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS