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

Saturday Jul 31, 2021

SwimSwam's Top 5 Swims of the #Tokyo2020 Olympic Games: Day 7

Saturday Jul 31, 2021

#5 – W 50 Free: Emma McKeon has been on a roll at these Olympic Games, and she continued that in the 50 free semi-finals, setting a new Olympic record at 24.00

#4 – W 200 Back: Kaylee McKeown successfully completes the backstroke sweep, getting her hand on the wall first at 2:04.68 to win gold in both the 100 and 200 backstrokes

#3 – W 800 Free: Katie Ledecky won her 3rd-straight Olympic title in the 800 free, touching at 8:12.57 tonight to notch her 7th career Olympic gold and 10th overall medal

#2 – Mixed Medley Relay: In it's first Olympic iteration, the mixed medley relay did not disappoint (unless you're USA, but we'll get to that), showing multiple lead changes while Great Britain swam an incredible 4 legs, breaking the world record in 3:37.58

#1 – M 100 Fly: This ended up being a lot tighter of a race than most would have expected, with Dressel going out fast and Milak coming home like a freight train, nearly catching the world record-holder and touching 2nd at 49.62. Dressel was able to hold off Milak and dip under his own world record, touching for gold at 49.45

BELLY FLOP OF THE DAY: Team USA Coaching on Mixed Medley Relay

We've all been trying to do the math on the mixed medley relay, especially since the USA had so many different options... but we don't see how the lineup we put forward could have added up to gold paper. The differential between the breaststroke/freestyle legs just wasn't there, and having a female butterflier swimming from behind with all those waves doesn't set them up for success. A tough race to watch for Team USA

HOT TOPIC OF THE DAY: 400 Medley Relay - Can USA Hold on?

We know that Team USA is on form and looks primed for both medley relays. But so do the other countries that will challenge for gold. In the women's relay, if Lydia Jacoby can put the US in a lead over Australia and try to maintain through fly so Abbey Weitzeil has a chance to hold off Cate Campbell, I think our chances are good.

In the men's race, Ryan Murphy obviously has to get a strong lead so Michael Andrew can try and hold off Adam Peaty. I think Dressel can get slightly ahead of an on-fire James Guy, which leaves Zach Apple to hold off Duncan Scott. I think Zapple is up to the task, but we've seen Duncan Scott go crazy on the relay anchor before, and he will be hungry for gold.

Friday Jul 30, 2021

Double Olympic Champ Tom Dean Breaks Down 200 Free, 4x200 Free Relay

Friday Jul 30, 2021

Newly minted 2x Olympic champion in the 200 free and 4x200 free relay Tom Dean of Great Britain joined us today on the SwimSwam Podcast. Dean breaks down both of his golden races, describing how he adjusted to the Olympic environment and embraced the pressure of an Olympic final. You may want to stay tuned until the very end... Dean gives away his secret on how to store your gold medals safely when traveling.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

Friday Jul 30, 2021

Katie Hoff Analyzes the Women's Olympic 400 IM, 400 Free, 200 IM and More

Friday Jul 30, 2021

Two-time Olympian and three-time Olympic medalist Katie Hoff has high swimming IQ. She's been to the big show and experienced the pressure. In SwimSwam's ongoing coverage of the 2020 Olympic Games, Hoff helps us unpack the women's 400 IM, 400 free, 200 IM, 200 free and 4x200 freestyle relay. Also, she provides her insight into managing mental health during the Olympic pressure-cooker. Stay engaged and follow Katie Hoff on Instagram here - kthoff7

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

Thursday Jul 29, 2021

Sprint Legend James Magnussen Unpacks Men's 100 Free Final, Aussie Dominance

Thursday Jul 29, 2021

We sat down with sprinting legend James Magnussen to unpack the 100 free final and ended up unpacking the entire Olympic Games. We talk about most of the big races that have happened so far and specifically Australia's golden moments. We are used to seeing the Aussie trials come in March and then them not race again until the Games, but James is relieved that the system has finally changed and it seems to be paying off, with stars like Kaylee McKeown and Ariarne Titmus maintaining their dominance from Trials to the Games.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

Thursday Jul 29, 2021

SwimSwam's Top 5 Swims of the #Tokyo2020 Olympic Games: Day 5

Thursday Jul 29, 2021

#5 – M 800 Free: In a race of the ages, Greg Paltrinieri was out like a shot in lane 8, holding a solid lead through the first 600. However, the field began to catch him in the last 200, but it was Bobby Finke, who flipped 4th at the 750, who came home in 26.3 to pass 3 other competitors to win in an American record in 7:41.87

#4 – M 200 Breast: Zac Stubblety-Cook swam a similar race to Finke, biding his time throughout the first 150 and splitting 32.2 coming home to touch first at 2:06.38, the #3 performance ever and an Olympic record

#3 – W 200 Fly: Zhang Yufei was out like a shot, touching at 26.9 and 58.2. She didn't slow down either, taking gold in 2:03.86, the fastest time we've seen in the event since 2009, when the super-suited world record was set

#2 – M 100 Free: The men's 100 free delivered just as expected, with Caeleb Dressel going out fast and Kyle Chalmers coming home strong. In the end, Dressel held on for gold, his first individual Olympic title, in an Olympic record time of 47.02

#1 – W 4x200 Free Relay: This race was nuts. Australia put their big guns first and surprisingly China was able to hang with them, battling for first the first 600 meters while the US did a good job at lurking in 3rd. Then Katie Ledecky dove in, splitting a massive 1:53 to pass Australia and nearly China as well, but Li Jingjie held on for China and delivered them gold, with all 3 teams going under the previous world record and China ultimately owning it in 7:40.33

BELLY FLOP OF THE DAY: Australia 4x200 Free Relay

We feel guilty saying it because they were under the old world record, but there were so many situations where Australia wins this relay. The heavy favorite on paper, we thought this was a shoo-in for the Aussies, and leaving a 1:55.11 lead-off from prelims off of the finals relay coupled with Titmus adding a second from her individual left them vulnerable, and USA and China took full advantage

HOT TOPIC OF THE DAY: Men's 200 IM Final - What the heck is going to Happen?

With big-time players Daiya Seto, Michael Andrew, Wang Shun and Duncan Scott looming, it is anyone's race in the 200 IM final. We know Michael will be out fast at the 150, so ultimately it comes down to who can come home the strongest on the freestyle leg.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Wednesday Jul 28, 2021

Melanie Margalis on Why It's So Hard to Dominate 200 & 400 IM at the Same Meet

Wednesday Jul 28, 2021

We sat down with Olympic champion Melanie Margalis, the IM savant who is enjoying being a swim fan for once. Margalis swim nerds it up, delving into why it is so difficult to have both your 200 IM and 400 IM fire on the same level at the same meet, how to improve a single stroke in your IM, and what she saw from double gold-medalist Yui Ohashi.

Margalis also recalls multiple stories from Olympic ready rooms, world championships, and NCAA meets, including when she thought she'd be anchoring the Olympic 4x200 free relay. Coming in at just under an hour, we cover a lot of ground!

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

Wednesday Jul 28, 2021

Olympic Star Aaron Peirsol Talks Ryan Murphy and The Elite U.S. Backstroke Club

Wednesday Jul 28, 2021

Aaron Peirsol has seven Olympic medals and still holds the 200 backstroke world record, 1;51.9. He has wisdom and insight to share. He unpacks that in this SwimSwam podcast, a part of our ongoing Olympic coverage bringing you stars to provide a deeper point of view on each and every event. Peirsol details the United States' long successful history in backstroke, going back to the 1976 Olympic Games and John Naber. Peirsol also allows us into their tight, inner-circle. They talk, they lean on each other, and they provide support to the next rising star...whoever that may be. I hope you enjoy it. Peirsol is great company and conversation on any topic.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

Wednesday Jul 28, 2021

SwimSwam's Top 5 Swims of the #Tokyo2020 Olympic Games: Day 4

Wednesday Jul 28, 2021

SWIMSWAM’S TOP 5 SWIMS OF THE 2020 OLYMPIC GAMES: DAY 4

#5 – M 200 Fly: World record holder Kristof Milak backed up his world title, doing his thing and dominating the field in the 2nd 100, touching for his first Olympic gold in 1:51.25

#4 – W 200 IM: Yui Ohashi completed the IM sweep in her home country, taking the 200 in 2:08.52 to become the 7th woman in a row to win both medley events at the Olympic Games

#3 – W 1500 Free: After placing 5th in the 200 free, Katie Ledecky bounced back in a big way, getting back in the pool just over an hour later to dominate the first Olympic iteration of the woman's 1500 and win gold, her first of these Games

#2 – W 200 Free: That race where Ledecky got 5th, Ariarne Titmus earned her 2nd gold in Tokyo, swimming a similar race to the 400 and coming back on the rest of the field in the last 50 to touch the wall 1st

#1 – M 4x200 Free Relay: It was a perfectly executed race for Great Britain, who had 3 of the 6 fastest splits of the field to win their first gold in this event since 1904 and come .03 within the super-suited world record held by the USA

BELLY FLOP OF THE DAY: USA Leaves Dressel Off Relay

Where was Caeleb Dressel? He should have been on the 4x200 free relay, even Michael Phelps agrees with us. Although USA put up some very solid splits, we're confident they would have got on the podium with Dressel leading off. Would they have gotten past Britain? No way. But they get a medal with Caeleb on it.

HOT TOPIC OF THE DAY: Men's 100 Free Final - What the heck is going to Happen?

The men's 100 free depth is overwhelming, with 47.9 missing the final altogether. Caeleb Dressel is just 2nd seed with a 47.2, behind Kliment Kolesnikov's 47.11 European record. Mel says there's too much speed in this field and Kyle Chalmers won't even medal... I think he's a fool and that the defending Olympic champ will absolutely put himself into the top 3. All will be revealed in this next finals session in what could very well be the race of the century.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Tuesday Jul 27, 2021

Rebecca Soni Gives Insight to Exceeding Your Expectations as an Athlete

Tuesday Jul 27, 2021

We sat down with 3x Olympic champion Rebecca Soni, the breaststroke legend who won back-to-back Olympic titles in the 200 breast. After seeing 17-year-old Lydia Jacoby take the title in the women's 100 breast, Soni compared Jacoby's reaction to what Soni felt when winning her first 200 breast title in 2008. Soni emphasizes that exceeding your expectations as an athlete at the top level is a very rare thing and something to be appreciated and enjoyed.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

Tuesday Jul 27, 2021

Ricky Berens Dissects What it Takes to be Great in the 200 Free, 800 Free Relay

Tuesday Jul 27, 2021

We sat down with Olympic and world champion Ricky Berens to get his perspective on the 2020 Olympic 200 free final and what he see's for the 4x200 free with USA. Berens breaks down the subtleties of what it takes to swim a great 200 free and where the world is at in that progression. While chances are grim, he explains why USA still has a chance to win gold tonight against Britain, Russia, and the rest of the field.

SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com