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JUNE 2022 • VOL 63 • NO 06 FEATURES
024 A WORK IN PROGRESS
010 PODIUM POTPOURRI: EMILY SEEBOHM
Hunter Armstrong already has an Olympic gold medal and a world record to his credit, but knowing his background in swimming, he really is just getting started!
by Dan D’Addona Swimming World takes a get-to-know-you look with Olympic medalists in our new “Podium Potpourri” series. Next up is three-time Olympian for Australia, Emily Seebohm.
012 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW: “EXTRAORDINARY!” by David Rieder Because of the uncertainties related to the Covid pandemic that first appeared more than two years ago, the 19th edition of the World Aquatics Championships has been scheduled— and rescheduled—four times between 2021 and 2023 with two different locations (Fukuoka and Budapest). Appropriately called the “extraordinary” World Championships, the world’s best swimmers (well, most of them) will gather in Hungary later this month, meaning there will be a major global long-course meet now scheduled for June 2022, July 2023, January 2024 and July 2025.
016 ICONIC MOMENTS OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS by John Lohn As the next edition of Worlds is set to open in Budapest this month, June 18-July 3 (swimming, June 18-25), Swimming World has compiled a list of some of the finest swims or most-significant storylines in the history of the competition. The selections are listed chronologically, and while some deserving options are not included, these 11 certainly earned recognition.
019 THE WATERMEN: THE BIRTH OF AMERICAN SWIMMING AND ONE YOUNG MAN’S FIGHT TO CAPTURE OLYMPIC GOLD Review by Bruce Wigo Sportswriters and historians are constantly on a quest to rediscover a hero or event, forgotten by time, whose story could be immortalized in a book or on film. And once or twice in a decade, one of these stories captures the imagination of the public and becomes a runaway best seller—like Laura Hildebrand’s Unbroken, Daniel Brown’s Boys in the Boat or Julie Checkoway’s Three-year Swim Club. Add The Watermen by Michael Loynd to this illustrious list.
022 THE MISSED TURN: GONE TOO SOON by John Lohn In the latest installment of Swimming World’s burgeoning series, “The Missed Turn,” honor is paid to the career of Eric Namesnik. A twotime Olympian, Namesnik became a star at the University of Michigan and developed a reputation as a tough-as-they-come grinder who found a way to tap into every ounce of talent he possessed.
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by Matthew De George
027 NUTRITION: NO “BEETING” AROUND THE BUSH! by Dawn Weatherwax Beets and other foods contain nitric oxide, a compound made by the body that serves as a signaling molecule. This allows the cells to receive, process and transmit signals with its environment and with itself. It has been found to signal cardiovascular and immune cells, which has an effect on health and performance.
020 ON THE COVER
Ohio State’s Hunter Armstrong not only set a world record in the 50 meter backstroke (23.71) at the Phillips 66 International Team Trials, but he also won the 100 back (52.20) and tied for fourth in the 100 free (48.25), earning a spot on the men’s 4x100 freestyle relay that will be competing at the World Championships in Budapest later this month. Last year, he qualified for the U.S. Olympic team by placing second in the 100 back. He tied for ninth in the semifinals of the event at Tokyo, then won a gold medal by swimming the backstroke leg in prelims of the men’s 400 medley relay. (See feature, pages 24-26.) [ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ]
042 HOW THEY TRAIN: PIPER ENGE 030 MENTAL PREP: BEFORE THE BEEP WITH LILLY KING by Shoshanna Rutemiller
COACHING 028 DEALING WITH DISMAY (Part 1) by Michael J. Stott This month, Swimming World begins a two-part series on supporting athletes after disappointing performances. The first installment takes a macro look as seen through the eyes of Ben Keast, now coach at SwimMAC and former assistant coach at Swimming Canada’s High Performance Centre in Vancouver.
034 SWIMMING TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS: THE DRAG COEFFICIENT—THE BEST MEASURE OF SWIMMING TECHNIQUE by Rod Havriluk Research shows that faster swimmers have lower active and passive drag coefficients than slower swimmers, and are, therefore, more technically proficient. The active drag coefficient also shows technique improvements by age and from instructional intervention.
039 SPECIAL SETS: ANNIE CHANDLER—MATT GREVERS’ BETTER HALF by Michael J. Stott Thanks to YouTube, many people know Annie Chandler as the one who Olympic gold medalist Matt Grevers proposed to on the podium after she presented him a gold medal at the 2012 Missouri Grand Prix. Chandler was quite the swimmer herself in high school, college and as a national team member. Here are some of her memorable sets while swimming for the University of Arizona.
041 Q&A WITH COACH ABI LIU, BELLEVUE CLUB SWIM TEAM (WASH.)
by Michael J. Stott Mercer Island (Wash.) High School has an impressive aquatic heritage, boasting two Olympic medalists (Nancy Ramey, Mary Wayte) and NCAA swimming and water polo All-American Megan Oesting. The latest in this lineage is rising junior Piper Enge, who is ranked by collegeswimming.com (Swimcloud) as Washington’s No. 1 female recruit (eighth nationally) in the Class of 2024.
TRAINING 033 DRYSIDE TRAINING: MY “TOP FIVE” by J.R. Rosania In this article, author J.R. Rosania shares five of his favorite and most effective dryland exercises. Each exercise has a specific purpose to improve your strokes, turns and starts.
JUNIOR SWIMMER 036 GOLDMINDS: YOU ARE MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU ARE by Wayne Goldsmith Who you are is not based on your swimming accomplishments. The qualities and capabilities you learn in training to be a swimmer help contribute to the person you are and who you will become.
044 UP & COMERS: ELLIE STANLEY by Shoshanna Rutemiller
COLUMNS 008 A VOICE FOR THE SPORT 009 DID YOU KNOW: ABOUT PIERRE ANTOINE HÉNIN? 045 GUTTERTALK 047 PARTING SHOT
by Michael J. Stott
SWIMMING WORLD MAGAZINE (ISSN 0039-7431). Note: permission to reprint articles or excerpts from contents is prohibited without permission from the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for errors in advertisements. Microfilm copies: available from University Microfilms, 313 N. First St., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Swimming World Magazine is listed in the Physical Education Index. Printed in the U.S.A. © Sports Publications International June 2022.
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VOICE FOR THE SPORT
SHED NO TEARS BY JOHN LOHN
T
here’s no denying the talent of Evgeny Rylov. He’s earned recognition as the best backstroker in the world, courtesy of the Olympic titles he captured last summer in Tokyo. And given his international consistency through the years, including excellence at the World Championships, there’s no arguing his status as an all-timer in his specialty stroke. This summer, though, the 25-year-old Russian will be noticeably absent when the World Championships are held at the Duna Arena in Budapest. Even before FINA declared Russian athletes ineligible for the World Champs, due to their homeland’s invasion of the Ukraine, Rylov announced he would voluntarily skip Worlds. Why? His Instagram account told the story: “In support of Russian Paralympians, in support of all Russian athletes who have been removed from international competitions, I refuse to go to the (World Championships) this summer. I believe that losing competition is losing the development of sport. As sad as it may sound, sport cannot move without decent competitors.” Sad, indeed. But, yes, it can. Apparently, Rylov is of the notion that the sporting world—and its progress—holds greater significance than the thousands of lives that have been lost to Vladimir Putin’s tyrannical assault and declaration of war on Ukraine. Rylov proved this stance when he attended—and appeared on stage—during a rally supporting Putin. In response to Rylov’s decision, FINA imposed a nine-month suspension on the four-time Olympic medalist. The ban runs through Jan. 20, 2023, which makes the end date just a bit longer than the FINA ban of all Russian athletes through the end of 2022. FINA’s decision also follows the move by Speedo, previously Rylov’s sponsor, to dump the Russian from its roster of athletes. “I don't understand what I did, but in the end, (FINA) filed a complaint against me for (comments that) offended the feelings of other athletes,” Rylov told Russian media. “You see, I offended them by simply supporting my country, my president. I don’t know how to argue with that.” Rylov’s words appeal for pity, as he tries to paint himself as a victim of political circumstance. Instead, his position is pathetic, and a callous nature is revealed. Political victims in the sport are easy to find. Ask Tracy Caulkins and Craig Beardsley. Ask Rowdy Gaines and Mary T. Meagher. Ask Cynthia Woodhead and Brian Goodell. What about Jonty Skinner? Rylov is nothing similar, and the moment he publicly supported the invasion of Ukraine, and the murder of innocent citizens, he yielded any empathy sent in his direction. Simply, he identified as a dictatorial sympathizer whose presence on an international pool deck wouldn’t be missed if he never again appeared in a Russian cap. Who cares if he never again competes for whatever three-letter acronym is used to identify athletes representing a country whose human-rights violations have been complemented by a government-guided doping system? This summer, other Russian athletes will be affected by Putin’s power-hungry maneuvers. The All-England Club, which organizes Wimbledon, announced in mid-April that it was banning entries from all tennis players representing Russia and Belarus, which has strong ties to Putin’s government. In this instance, that decision can be debated. Those players, including Grand Slam titlist Daniil Medvedev, have not publicly cheered Putin’s actions. Back to the pool, neither has Olympic medalist Kliment Kolesnikov, who won’t get the chance to compete for several medals. Is connecting their nationality to their leaders’ despotic ways a fair approach? Arguments can go both ways. What is inarguable is the way Rylov has carried himself, first through his for-all-to-see appearance, and second for his pitiful words. So, shed not a tear for Evgeny Rylov this summer—and through the duration of his suspension. If the backstroke events are missing a power player, so be it. Better that scenario unfold than for the sport to witness an outward supporter of murder honored on a podium.v
John Lohn Editor-in-Chief Swimming World Magazine 8
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INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME
DID YOU
KNOW ABOUT PIERRE-ANTOINE HÉNIN? BY BRUCE WIGO PHOTOS COURTESY INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME
P
ierre-Antoine Hénin was already Europe’s most famous lifesaver when, on the 31st of August, 1833, he swam naked from the beach in an attempt to rescue 136 passengers and crew from the Amphitrite, a ship breaking up on a shoal off the coast of Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. After the Napoleonic Wars ended, Boulogne-sur-Mer became a popular seaside resort, where discreet women bathers were carried by horse-drawn machines to the water’s edge for a dip. Among the spa attendants and wagon drivers was 29-year-old Pierre-Anton Hénin, a “master swimmer” who watched over those clients who were bold enough to enter the water more than ankle-high. There was no hint of the violent storm that was to come when the English vessel, Amphitrite, left Woolwich, England on Sunday, the 25th of August. It was transporting a “deplorable cargo” of 108 female convicts and 12 children, sentenced to the penal colony of Botany Bay, Australia. When she ran aground onto a sandbank close to the entrance of the port, the town’s pilot and local fishermen knew the mortal danger the ship was in. Heroically, the locals rowed a boat out through the surf to attempt a rescue and evacuate the crew and any passengers. But the captain refused their help because he was convinced a change in tides would free the ship and, he told them, he had no authority to release his prisoners. After talking with the pilot, Pierre-Antoine Hénin stripped off his clothes, dove into the water and started swimming toward the stricken ship. He climbed on board and pleaded with the captain and crew to abandon the ship or they would surely perish. As there were no lifeboats, he asked for a long rope that he could swim to shore. His idea was to connect the rope to dry land either to help lifeboats from shore or be used with pulleys as a primitive zip line for a risky escape from the ship. However, the rope that the crew provided him proved to be too short, so he had to swim back to the ship for a longer line, but none was thrown. By now, he had been in the water for more than an hour-and-a-half. Exhausted and cold, Hénin swam back to shore. What made Amphitrite’s wreck and Hénin’s heroics both sensational and unique was that—unlike most shipwrecks—it was witnessed by thousands of people on the shore. Only three crew members survived, and over the next few days, the bodies of dozens of “perfectly formed women” were found strewn on the beach. In his famous portrait (see photo, top right), Hénin holds over his shoulder a jacket adorned with the handsome cross of the Legion d’Honneur, presented to him during an audience with King LouisPhillipe on Dec. 18, 1833, and lifesaving medals from the Humane Societies of London and France for his “courage and humanity.” By the time of his death nine years later, Hénin had been awarded four more lifesaving medals. The original of the portrait hangs in Castle Museum in the Boulogne-sur-Mer. This reproduction hangs in the International Swimming Hall of Fame. v Bruce Wigo, historian and consultant at the International Swimming Hall of Fame, served as president/CEO of ISHOF from 2005-17.
>> Pierre-Antoine Hénin
>> N.E. Deey’s painting of the Amphitrite, wrecked off Boulogne, Aug. 31, 1833, with 108 females on board
TOTAL ACCESS MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS OF AMPHITRITE AND BOULOGNE-SUR-MER. NOT A TOTAL ACCESS MEMBER? YOU’RE JUST A CLICK AWAY: SWIMMINGWORLD.COM/VAULT
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[ Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr / Swimming Australia ]
with Emily Seebohm Swimming World takes a get-to-know-you look with Olympic medalists in our new “Podium Potpourri” series. Next up is three-time Olympian for Australia, Emily Seebohm. BY DAN D'ADDONA
WHAT IS YOUR PUMP-UP SONG BEFORE YOU GET BEHIND THE BLOCKS OR WHILE YOU’RE IN THE READY ROOM? WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE SONG THAT SPEAKS TO YOU? I don’t listen to music in the ready room—I am more of a talker. I found if I sit there and don’t talk, I get in my own head. When I am stretching, though, I love my music, and my all-time go-to artist is Taylor Swift...always gets me in the mood! WAS THERE ANOTHER SPORT YOU PARTICIPATED IN WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER? ANY MEMORIES STAND OUT? I did so many different sports growing up, I just couldn’t get enough of it. I really loved netball outside of swimming, but I always got so mad when we weren’t doing well. I finally realized that I was much better suited for a sport in which (the outcome) was just up to me. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE AND/OR BOOK? WHY? This is pretty much out of left field—and no one would ever think that—but I just love Jurassic Park—especially 1 and 3. I felt Jurassic Park 2 was a letdown. I’m also really enjoying the new ones as well. COMPARE YOURSELF TO A SUPERHERO—WHICH ONE AND WHY? I am going to go with Catwoman. I am super agile and flexible— and growing up with brothers, I can fight! WHERE DO YOU KEEP YOUR MEDALS? Nowhere special—really just at mum-and-dad’s house. They 10
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aren’t even locked up, and I think my 2017 gold World Championship medal went missing at a school appearance I did.
WHAT WENT THROUGH YOUR MIND ON THE PODIUM IN TOKYO? HOW WAS IT DIFFERENT FROM YOUR FIRST OLYMPIC PODIUM? I asked Kaylee (McKeown) before we went out to the podium if I could present her medal. I really wanted to be able to do something special like that because we had no family there watching, and I train with Kaylee’s sister. I felt like I was doing it for her. I mean, who can say that they presented an Olympic gold medal?! WHAT WAS IT LIKE SEEING SO MUCH OLYMPIC SUCCESS FROM AUSTRALIA IN TOKYO? It was such an amazing experience—very different from other Olympics, being so separated from the world and really using each other for support. WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO FOOD AFTER A BIG MEET WHEN YOU WANT TO CELEBRATE? WHAT DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO MOST ABOUT THAT? At the Olympics, it was pizza. Otherwise, I love nachos and Thai...but not together! WHEN DID YOUR LOVE OF HORSES BEGIN, AND HOW HAS THAT GROWN OVER THE YEARS? I grew up watching a show here in Australia called The Saddle Club—like I was obsessed with it! So that’s where the passion and love for horses came. I got my first horse at 16, but he passed away only six months after having him. Swimming got really busy, and it wasn’t until 2013 when I got my second horse, Platinum, who is the most beautiful thing ever. He’s almost 18 now, so he’s a little slower and needs more rest, but he’s loving life out in the paddocks and being the boss over some pony friends he has. v
PREVIEW: WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
“EXTRAORDINARY!” Because of the uncertainties related to the Covid pandemic that first appeared more than two years ago, the 19th edition of the World Aquatics Championships has been scheduled—and rescheduled— four times between 2021 and 2023 with two different locations (Fukuoka and Budapest). Appropriately called the “extraordinary” World Championships, the world’s best swimmers (well, most of them) will gather in Hungary later this month, meaning there will be a major global longcourse meet now scheduled for June 2022, July 2023, January 2024 and July 2025. BY DAVID RIEDER
A
fter the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics to 2021, the FINA World Championships scheduled for Fukuoka, Japan, were delayed from July 2021 to May 2022 to accommodate the Games. But early in 2021, the Fukuoka meet was postponed again to July 2023, and it appeared that the year 2022 would pass without any international championship meet that welcomed the entire world. Then, a few weeks later, FINA announced the addition of a new “extraordinary” championships set to take place, June 18 through July 3, in Budapest, Hungary. In a departure from World Championships norms, the pool swimming competition was scheduled for the first eight days instead of the final eight. That means swimming’s biggest competition outside of the Olympic Games is returning to the Duna Arena after first hosting the event in 2017, and American sprinter Caeleb Dressel will be returning to the venue where he first elevated himself from a rising star in the domestic sphere to the world’s premier sprinter. At his first Worlds, Dressel stormed to gold and an American record in the 100 meter freestyle, and then he became the first swimmer to win three world titles in one day, capturing gold in the
100 butterfly, 50 free and mixed 400 free relay on the meet’s seventh day. Including relays, Dressel won seven gold medals to tie a record first set by Michael Phelps in 2007. Since then, Dressel has only been back to Budapest once, during the 2020 ISL season, and he finished off that campaign by setting three short course meters world records (50 free, 100 fly, 100 IM) during the ISL final. At the 2019 Worlds, he won eight total medals (six gold and two silver) to break the all-time records for medals at one World Championships, and then he produced on the biggest stage when he won five Olympic gold medals in Tokyo. His wins in the 100 free, 100 fly and 50 free made him just the third man to win three or more individual golds in one Games, joining Phelps and Mark Spitz. This year, Dressel will be favored to win repeat gold medals in both sprint freestyle and both sprint butterfly events, and he will be at the center of at least four American relay efforts. At last year’s Olympics, Australia’s Kyle Chalmers provided the biggest challenge to Dressel’s golden streak when he nearly caught the American for gold in the 100 free, but Chalmers has chosen to miss this year’s Worlds. Thus, the biggest challenger to Dressel’s supremacy will be 22-year-old Hungarian star Kristof Milak, the world record holder in the 200 fly. Three days after capturing his 200 fly gold, Milak put a scare into Dressel in the 100-meter distance, and he fell just 23-hundredths behind as Dressel set a world record. Milak is the secondfastest performer in history, and he will be charging hard in their Budapest showdown as he is buoyed by the home crowd. Milak will also be the big favorite to repeat as world titlist in the 200 fly, and he could threaten the 1:50-barrier, a performance that would have been unfathomable just three years ago.
>> American sprinter Caeleb Dressel will be returning to the Duna Arena, site of the 2017 World Championships, where he first elevated himself from a rising star in the domestic sphere to the world’s premier sprinter. Two years later, he won eight total medals to break the all-time records for medals at one World Championships. [ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ]
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WOMEN’S STARS FROM TOKYO ABSENT While Tokyo provided the setting for Dressel’s showcase on the men’s side, the swimmer who won the most medals was Australia’s Emma McKeon, whose seven total awards were the most ever by a female swimmer at one Games. McKeon was the Olympic champion in the 50 and 100 freestyle and the bronze medalist in the
>> Hungarian Kristof Milak, world record holder in the 200 fly and history’s second-fastest performer in the 100 fly behind Caeleb Dressel, will be buoyed by the home crowd at the Duna Arena in Budapest. [ Photo Courtesy: Becca Wyant ]
100 butterfly, and she helped Australia to golds in the 400 free and medley relays. Also winning freestyle gold in Tokyo was Aussie countrywoman Ariarne Titmus, who won an epic showdown against Katie Ledecky in the 400 free before overtaking Siobhan Haughey for 200 free top honors. But both McKeon and Titmus have announced their intentions to skip Worlds, with both planning to focus on the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, one month later. Three other individual gold medalists will be missing from action at Worlds: Canada’s Maggie Mac Neil won gold in the 100 butterfly in Tokyo, but she will race only relays this year. South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker, the 200 breaststroke world champion and world record holder, will also focus on the Commonwealth Games, while 100 breast winner Lydia Jacoby of the United States did not qualify for Worlds, placing fourth in the event at U.S. Trials in April. That means only half of the races in Budapest will include the women’s champion: Ledecky will be back in the 800 and 1500 free as the big favorite in both, and with Titmus absent, she will also take over as favorite in the 400 free. Japan’s Yui Ohashi will try to back up her Olympic gold medals in both IM events, and Australia’s Kaylee McKeown will aim for world titles in the backstroke events. China’s Zhang Yufei, who dominated the 200 butterfly in Tokyo, will be favored in that event as well as the 100 fly, where she was the Olympic silver medalist behind Mac Neil. SEEKING A FIVE-PEAT No swimmer, female or male, has ever won five consecutive world titles in one event. Only two swimmers have ever won five titles overall, but not in a row. Michael Phelps skipped the 200 fly at the 2005 World Championships, while Katinka Hosszu missed the 400 IM final in 2011, but won titles in 2009, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019. This year, two swimmers will have a chance to secure that honor of five straight. One of those is Hosszu, who has now won four world titles in a row in both individual medley events, but the Hungarian veteran had a poor Olympics, finishing fifth in the 400 IM and seventh in the 200 IM, and she has competed sparingly since. The other contender for a historic finish is Katie Ledecky, going for her fifth 800 freestyle title in a row. Ledecky first took charge of
>> This year, two swimmers will have a chance to win five straight world titles in one event. One of those is Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu, who has won four world titles in a row in both IM races. The other is Katie Ledecky (pictured), going for her fifth 800 freestyle title in a row. [ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ] CONTINUED ON 14 >> JUNE 2022
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WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS PREVIEW / Continued from 13
>> Only half of the individual races in Budapest will include last year’s Olympic women’s champion: USA’s Katie Ledecky (800-1500 free), Australia’s Kaylee McKeown (100-200 back), China’s Zhang Yufei (200 fly) and Japan’s Yui Ohashi/pictured (200-400 IM). [ Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu/ISL ]
the 800 free with a shocking upset win over Rebecca Adlington at the 2012 Olympics (when she was 15), and she has not lost since, so she will be favored to accomplish that feat this year. In history, only five swimmers have ever won four consecutive world titles in one event. The list includes: • Grant Hackett, 1500 freestyle (1998, 2001, 2003, 2005) • Ryan Lochte, 200 IM (2009, 2011, 2013, 2015) • Sun Yang, 400 freestyle (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019) • Hosszu, 200 IM and 400 IM (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019) • Ledecky, 800 free (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019) Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom will be bidding to join that four-peat club, having already won three consecutive gold medals in the 50 butterfly. Her premier rival in the event, the Netherlands’ Ranomi Kromowidjojo, retired at the end of 2021, so she will be a big favorite this year. Sjostrom narrowly missed out on a four-peat in the 100 fly in 2019. In addition to the 50 fly, the 28-year-old will be favored for gold in the 50 freestyle with McKeon absent, and she should contend for gold in the 100 free as well. Sjostrom rebounded from a fractured elbow to win silver in the 50 free in Tokyo before an amazing fall short course season. Great Britain’s Adam Peaty, the dominant sprint breaststroker in the world since 2014, would have been the heavy favorite to win his fourth consecutive gold medals in the 50 breast and 100 breast this year, but he will miss the World Championships after fracturing a bone in his right foot during training in May. Describing himself as “devastated,” Peaty said he would need to have complete rest for six weeks, which would take him to around the third week in June. THE RISE OF DUNCAN SCOTT After narrowly coming up short of Olympic gold in two individual events last year, 25-year-old British star Duncan Scott will be in the mix for three individual world titles in 2022 while contributing to two relays with gold-medal potential. In Tokyo, Scott finished just behind countryman Tom Dean in the 200 free as the two produced the nation’s first 1-2 finish in swimming since 1908. Three days later, China’s Wang Shun held off Scott for gold in the 200 IM. 14
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world title.
This year, Scott has added the 400 IM to his schedule of events, and in April, he produced a performance quicker than the time that won Olympic gold last year. Scott has no major weaknesses, and his elite freestyle makes him incredibly dangerous on the end. The 400 IM sets up as one of the most anticipated races of the World Championships with defending world champion Daiya Seto, Olympic gold medalist Chase Kalisz, Olympic bronze medalist Brendon Smith and a pair of rising 20-year-olds, France’s Leon Marchand and the USA’s Carson Foster, all expected to be in the mix. Additionally, Scott will likely anchor the British 800 freestyle relay squad that dominated the field at the Olympics last year, and at the last World Championships, he anchored Britain’s 400 medley relay to a stunning, come-from-behind gold medal with his 46.14 split that is the secondfastest in history. Scott is likely to leave Budapest with a significant medal haul, and his variety of individual chances could produce his first-career individual
AMERICAN WOMEN BRING BIG MEDAL POTENTIAL The United States women will struggle to make the medal podium in the 50, 100 or 200 freestyle events in Budapest. Simone Manuel, the 2019 world champion in both sprints, has not competed in 2022, while Ledecky withdrew from the 200 free individual race to concentrate on the longer distances. But the Americans will take a dynamic contingent of female medal contenders to Budapest, and with the competition somewhat weakened this year, they are likely to win medals in most of the remaining 15 individual events. Ledecky should be the big favorite in the 400, 800 and 1500 free, and compatriots Leah Smith (400 and 800) and Katie Grimes (1500) will also be in the mix for medals. In the backstrokes, Regan Smith is a gold-medal contender in the 100, while Phoebe Bacon and Rhyan White will look to build on Olympic final appearances last year in the 200. Lilly King will be the gold-medal favorite in the 100 and 200 breast at Worlds, with Italy’s Benedetta Pilato only slightly ahead of King as a favorite in the 50-meter event. The women’s sprint butterfly races will feature the duo of teenagers Torri Huske and Claire Curzan. Huske missed a 100 fly medal by just 1-hundredth in Tokyo, while the 17-year-old Curzan won two individual bronzes at the Short Course World Championships in December. Hali Flickinger and Regan Smith were the silver and bronze medalists, respectively, in the 200 fly in Tokyo, while IM silver medalists Alex Walsh (200) and Emma Weyant (400) will also be back competing for medals. RUSSIAN SWIMMERS ABSENT There will be no Russian swimmers competing at the World Championships as a result of the country’s invasion of Ukraine earlier this year. That will change the dynamics of numerous races, most notably the men’s backstroke events. Evgeny Rylov and Kliment Kolesnikov finished 1-2 in the 100 back in Tokyo, and their absence will leave Americans Ryan Murphy and Hunter Armstrong as the pre-race favorites. Murphy and Great Britain’s Luke Greenbank will be the ones to watch in the 200 back with Rylov, the two-time world champion in addition to his Olympic gold medal, out of the mix.
>> After narrowly coming up short of Olympic gold in two individual events last year, 25-year-old British star Duncan Scott will be in the mix for three individual world titles (200 free and 200-400 IM) in 2022 while contributing to two relays with gold-medal potential. This year, Scott has added the 400 IM to his schedule of events, and in April, he produced a performance quicker than the time that won Olympic gold last year. [ Photo Courtesy: Ian MacNicol/Scottish Swimming ]
Kolesnikov also won bronze in the 100 free in Tokyo, and Russia typically brings a strong contingent in the 800 free relay, with the Martin Malyutin-led group securing a silver medal in Tokyo. Also prohibited from attending are Anton Chupkov, the world record holder in the 200 breast, and Andrei Minakov, the 2019 World Championships runner-up in the 100 fly. The Russian women did not win any medals in Tokyo, but their absence will be felt in the breaststrokes, where Yuliya Efimova has been a stalwart contender for the last decade and teenager Evgeniia Chikunova has recently emerged. Chikunova placed fourth in Tokyo in both the 100- and 200-meter events. ADDITIONAL NOTES • After securing the first-ever Olympic swimming medals for Hong Kong at the Tokyo Games, Siobhan Haughey will be back and seeking gold medals in the 100 and 200 free. She will be the top returning finisher from Tokyo in both events. Haughey did secure gold at the Short Course World Championships in both races, setting a world record in the 200-meter event. •
Canada’s women have steadily become a huge force in women’s swimming, and that trend should continue in Budapest. Kylie Masse is the two-time world champion in the 100 back, and she captured silver in both backstroke races in Tokyo, while Penny Oleksiak also won an individual medal in the 200 free. All three Canadian relays should contend for medals, while 15-year-old Summer McIntosh has become a breakout star over the past year with enormous time drops. She could pull off amazing performances in the 400 free and 400 IM.
•
While Australia’s women dominated the Tokyo Olympic swimming competition, the only men’s gold medalist from Down Under was Zac Stubblety-Cook, who pulled away for Olympic gold in the 200 breaststroke. In an unpredictable event, Stubblety-Cook will enter Budapest as the favorite and within striking distance of Anton Chupkov’s world record of 2:06.12. It’s not clear if the first-ever 2:05 will occur in 2022, but that time is definitely not far away.
•
European women captured just four total medals in the pool
>> The men’s 400 IM sets up as one of the most anticipated races of the World Championships with defending world champion Daiya Seto (right), Olympic gold medalist Chase Kalisz (left), Olympic bronze medalist Brendon Smith, Britain’s Duncan Scott and a pair of rising 20-year-olds, France’s Leon Marchand and the USA’s Carson Foster, all expected to be in the mix. [ Photo Courtesy: Joao Marc Bosch ]
in Tokyo, with two of those honors coming in the same race on the final day. A confluence of factors contributed to that disappointing performance: Sarah Sjostrom won just one medal after fracturing her elbow earlier in the year, and Katinka Hosszu’s streak of dominance stretching back to 2013 came to an end. In her final major competition, 32-year-old Federica Pellegrini could not return to medal form. The stars of women’s swimming right now reside in North America, Australia and Asia, although the Italian women’s contingent that includes Simona Quadarella, Benedetta Pilato and Arianna Castiglioni could have a strong meet this year. •
There should be plenty of intrigue in the men’s distance races, as surprising gold medalists from Tokyo attempt to back up their accomplishments. Tunisia’s Ahmed Hafnaoui was just 18 when he pulled off a complete stunner to win the 400 free, while in both the 800 and 1500, American Bobby Finke used stunning finishing splits to overtake European rivals and distance stalwarts Florian Wellbrock, Mykhailo Romanchuk and Gregorio Paltrinieri.v JUNE 2022
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ICONIC MOMENTS OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Rick DeMont (400 Freestyle) No, it didn’t carry the same prestige, and it couldn’t erase the pain of the prior year. Yet, what American Rick DeMont managed at the 1973 World Championships in Yugoslavia served as a measure of redemption for a teenager robbed of Olympic glory and let down by senior officials who should have protected the youth’s best interests. At the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, DeMont initially appeared to win gold in the 400 meter freestyle. Within days, though, DeMont was disqualified, his Olympic title handed to runner-up Brad Cooper of Australia. The DQ was the result of a positive test for trace amounts of ephedrine, which was found in DeMont’s asthma medication. United States authorities were supposed to list the substance on DeMont’s medical forms, which would have allowed for its use. However, officials failed to file the paperwork, and DeMont was the victim of negligence. When the World Champs debuted in 1973, DeMont again won the 400 freestyle—and this time was allowed to keep his crown. Behind a performance of 3:58.18, the future standout coach established a world record and became the first man to crack the four-minute barrier. More, he earned a degree of redemption for the travesty he endured on the Olympic stage.
1978 (West Berlin) Tracy Caulkins (Multi-Events) An argument can be made that Tracy Caulkins is the finest all-around performer in the history of the sport, an athlete who set American records over all four strokes, 16
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[ Photo Courtesy: AP Wirephoto ]
1973 (Belgrade)
>> Rick DeMont, USA
>> Tracy Caulkins, USA
[ Photo Courtesy: Dan Helms ]
Since FINA introduced the World Championships in 1973, hundreds of athletes have been crowned as global titlists. Beyond capturing Olympic gold or setting a world record, earning a world championship is the highest honor attainable for an athlete in the sport. And in nearly a half-century of World Champs, there is no shortage of premium performances. As the next edition of Worlds is set to open in Budapest this month, June 18July 3 (swimming, June 18-25), Swimming World has compiled a list of some of the finest swims or most-significant storylines in the history of the competition. The selections are listed chronologically, and while some deserving options are not included, these 11 certainly earned recognition.
>> Petra Schneider, GDR
[ Photo Courtesy: Dan Helms ]
BY JOHN LOHN
along with the individual medley. And what Caulkins did at the 1978 World Champs only confirmed her status as a multi-event star. In the third edition of the meet, Caulkins made six visits to the podium, including four trips for her individual performances. In addition to setting world records in the 200 butterfly, 200 individual medley and 400 IM, Caulkins was the silver medalist in the 100 breaststroke, her time under the previous global standard. Caulkins also helped a pair of American relays to titles, and her performances were supposed to be precursors to greatness at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. However, Caulkins was one of the hundreds of American athletes caught in a political maelstrom as United States President Jimmy Carter called for a boycott of the Games.
1982 (Guayaquil) Petra Schneider (400 Individual Medley) One of the worst-kept secrets in the sport from the early 1970s through the late 1980s was the systematic-doping program that carried East Germany to female dominance. One of the most-emblematic exhibits of that steroid-fueled machine was the effort of Petra Schneider in the 400 medley at the 1982 edition of Worlds in Ecuador. En route to a time of 4:36.10, Schneider shredded the opposition in the decathlon of the sport. Aside from bettering countrywoman Kathleen Nord by more than seven seconds, Schneider finished more than eight seconds ahead of Tracy Caulkins, the reigning world champ. Although Caulkins was not in peak form, the thumping endured by the American suggested something was amiss—even if officials refused to acknowledge the
injustice. Schneider’s record from 1982 was so powerful, it endured for 15 years, not wiped from the record book until China’s Chen Yan clocked 4:34.79 in 1997. Even today, 40 years after she registered the outing, Schneider’s mark remains an impressive swim in the event.
[ Photo Courtesy: Tony Duffy ]
>> China’s women won all but four events, setting five world records, in 1994
>> Ian Crocker, USA
[ Photo Courtesy: George Olsen ]
>> Ian Thorpe, Australia
[ Photo Courtesy: Bill Collins ]
>> Kristin Otto, GDR
[ Photo Courtesy: Allsport ]
1986 (Madrid) Kristin Otto (Multi-Events) At the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Kristin Otto collected six gold medals, headlined by titles in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly. That Olympic excellence was not surprising based on Otto’s prior dominance, including her efforts at the 1986 World Champs. While Matt Biondi was the showstopper in the men’s competition, Otto walked away with six medals in women’s action. The East German won the 50 freestyle and 200 individual medley, was on a pair of triumphant relays, and secured silver in the 100 butterfly and 50 freestyle. Despite never testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs, Otto’s name appeared in documents—released after the fall of the Berlin Wall—that indicated the use of steroids. Otto, like many East German athletes, is remembered equally for her multi-medal hauls as much as for the doubt surrounding those achievements.
1994 (Rome) Chinese Doping The presence of doping has been a primary theme during several editions of the World Championships, including the 1994 version. Although China was strong at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, its women were phenomenal at the 1994 Worlds in Italy, where they earned gold medals in 12 of the 16 events contested. More, China had three gold-silver finishes. Eyes rolled on the pool deck, with some coaches—irate over what transpired— unwilling to bite their tongues any longer. They knew what PEDs meant to East Germany, and a repeat was not going to be accepted. “I believe you have to be incredibly naive to ignore the circumstantial evidence,” said Dennis Pursley, the United States’ national team director. “The current situation is an exact replica of (East Germany), and it is depriving deserving athletes of the attention and success they deserve. “We can’t put our heads in the sand again and pretend what we know is happening isn’t happening. Our athletes just aren’t buying it this time. Common sense tells you that our athletes aren’t going to make the major sacrifices required to compete at this
level when they know the deck is stacked against them.”
1998 (Perth) Ian Thorpe (400 Freestyle) Performances in the years ahead were more iconic and difficult to fathom, but there is something special about that breakout moment in an athlete’s career. And for Australian Ian Thorpe, his introduction to the world came at the 1998 Worlds in western Australia. A 15-year-old prodigy, Thorpe unleashed a spectacular come-from-behind performance to claim the gold medal in the 400 freestyle. Thorpe ran down countryman and would-be longtime rival Grant Hackett to prevail in 3:46.29, Hackett a touch behind in 3:46.44. In less than four minutes, Thorpe set the stage for what would come. Throughout his career, Thorpe was awe-inspiring, establishing himself as an Olympic champion in the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle, and serving as a major cog in Australian relay success. And it all started at the World Championships, a competition on home soil that provided the opportunity for The Thorpedo to reveal his power.
2003 (Barcelona) Ian Crocker (100 Butterfly) A few years earlier, Ian Crocker qualified to represent the United States at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. As a teenager, Crocker just missed an individual medal, finishing fourth in the 100 butterfly. By the time the 2003 World Champs in Spain rolled around, Crocker was a Team USA staple, having won silver in his prime event at the 2001 Worlds in Fukuoka, Japan. But Crocker took a major leap forward in Barcelona, to the surprise of everyone— including himself. In the final of the 100 fly, the American held off a hard-charging Michael Phelps by 12-hundredths and won in 50.98 to become the first man in history to break the 51-second barrier. How big of a jump was the swim for Crocker? Well, it was also the first time he had cracked the 52-second barrier, and the swim elicited a shocked reaction from the University of Texas star.
2005 (Montreal) Otylia Jedrzejczak (200 Butterfly) The biggest storyline of the 2005 World Championships was Australian Grant Hackett and his sweep of the 400, 800 and 1500 freestyle events. But controversy could not be ignored in the women’s competition as Poland’s Otylia Jedrzejczak and Australian Jessicah Schipper dueled in the 200 butterfly. CONTINUED ON 18 >> JUNE 2022
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ICONIC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS MOMENTS / Continued from 17
2007 (Melbourne)
>> Michael Phelps, USA
>> 2009 Speedsuits
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[ Photo Courtesy: Andrea Nigh ]
>> Otylia Jedrzejczak, Poland
Michael Phelps (Multi-Events) The eight gold medals won by Michael Phelps at the 2008 Olympics is widely considered (rightfully so) the greatest meet in the sport’s history. A year earlier, however, Phelps was equally impressive at the World Championships in Australia. Inside Rod Laver Arena, Phelps won seven gold medals (five individual), and an eighth would have been likely if not for an American disqualification in the prelims of the 400 medley relay. Phelps set four solo world records that week, including the takedown of Ian Thorpe’s global mark in the 200 freestyle. More, he didn’t just defeat the opposition. He pummeled his foes, leaving no doubt that Phelps was basically racing in another pool. It was the perfect setup to the next summer and what Phelps pulled off in Beijing. Of course, the 2008 Games featured Phelps breaking Mark Spitz’s record of seven gold medals in a single Games and included his epic rundown of Serbian Milorad Cavic in the 100 butterfly.
>> Adam Peaty, Great Britain
2009 (Rome) The Suit Charade Simply put, the 2009 edition of the World Championships was a joke. Held at the height of the controversial inclusion of polyurethane suits, 43 world records were set during the competition, which was more about technology than pure skill. Athletes benefited considerably from the enhanced buoyancy provided by the suits, and finishing power never previously seen. World records are supposed to be appreciated, as they are the culmination of hard work and talent coming together. In Rome, the world records were basically expected during each final, the suits having closed the gap between good swimmers and the great ones. Meanwhile, some of the times posted remain in the record book. If there was a positive, it was the pressure placed on FINA to return swimming to a skill-based sport, and not a circus based on what someone was wearing.
2019 (Gwangju) Adam Peaty (100 Breaststroke) In between capturing Olympic titles in the 100 breaststroke at the 2016 Olympics and the 2020 Games, Great Britain’s Adam Peaty reached a point that was once deemed impossible. In the semifinals of the 100 breaststroke at the 2019 World Champs in South Korea, Peaty clocked in at 56.88 to become the first man under the 57-second threshold. At the time of the performance, Peaty was also the only individual ever to crack 58 seconds, proof that he had taken the event to a special realm. Working with Coach Mel Marshall, Peaty had identified his goal of going sub-57 as “Project 56,” a catchy name for a target that no one else could dream of hitting. While Peaty was 57-low in the final of the event, he chased down a longtime goal and proved that no belief is unattainable. v
[ Photo Courtesy: arena ]
At the finish of the event, it seemed both women deserved a tip of the cap, as they each went under the previous world record. Jedrzejczak won in 2:05.61, slightly quicker than the 2:05.65 of Schipper. Yet, when replays of the finish were shown, it was obvious that officials missed a violation by Jedrzejczak, as she touched the wall with one hand, as opposed to the required twohand touch in butterfly. The Australian media called for a disqualification of the Polish swimmer, but with no replay allowed in an official capacity, the result was not reversed, and the event is viewed historically with an asterisk.
INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME
THE WATERMEN: THE BIRTH OF AMERICAN SWIMMING AND ONE YOUNG MAN’S FIGHT TO CAPTURE OLYMPIC GOLD BOOK REVIEW BY BRUCE WIGO PHOTOS COURTESY INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME
Sportswriters and historians are constantly on a quest to rediscover a hero or event, forgotten by time, whose story could be immortalized in a book or on film. And once or twice in a decade, one of these stories captures the imagination of the public and becomes a runaway best seller— like Laura Hildebrand’s Unbroken, Daniel Brown’s Boys in the Boat or Julie Checkoway’s Three-year Swim Club. Add The Watermen by Michael Loynd to this illustrious list.
y profession, Michael Loynd is neither a sportswriter nor a university-trained historian. He also wasn’t looking to write a book when he took his wife and four kids to Europe for a family vacation in 2013. But it was that vacation that would indirectly— and serendipitously—lead him to the story of The Watermen. What Michael Loynd is, however, is a lawyer, philanthropist, community board activist and big dreamer who tells an incredibly well-researched story in a wonderfully entertaining and enlightening manner that will keep you turning the pages and wanting more. It was while passing through some small Swiss towns in the Alps that had only hosted an Olympic event—not necessarily the entire Games—that Mike Loynd noticed they all proudly displayed the Olympic rings. And he wondered why his hometown of St. Louis—which had hosted the first American Olympics—didn’t do the same. When Loynd returned home, he teamed up with the St. Louis Sports Commission to lobby the International Olympic Committee for the rights to the rings and establish an Olympic Legacy program. And five years later, thanks largely to Mike Loynd, the rings returned to St. Louis in 2018—114 years after the city had hosted the III Olympiad in 1904.
B
[ Photo Courtesy: Joe Angeles/Washington University ]
AMERICA’S FIRST OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST IN SWIMMING It was while researching his Olympic City Legacy Project that Loynd stumbled across the name of Charles M. Daniels for the first time. He was “stunned” that he had never heard of him before, for Daniels had not only won America’s first individual Olympic gold medals in swimming in St. Louis in 1904, but his record of winning eight Olympic medals overall (5 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze in 1904-06-08) had stood for more than six decades—until Mark Spitz took his total to 11 medals overall (9 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze in 1968-72). Daniels also was inducted into the inaugural class of honorees at the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1965. But what
>> The Watermen, cover
>> In 2018, Mike Loynd announced the return of the Olympic rings to St. Louis, the first city to build new state-of-the-art athletic facilities for the Olympic Games, which became an important part of the Washington University campus after the Olympics had concluded. CONTINUED ON 20 >> JUNE 2022
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THE WATERMEN / Continued from 19
Loynd found even more amazing was that there had never been a biography written about Charlie Daniels and the role he played in the early history of Olympic and American competitive swimming. For most of the 19th century, swimming had been “synonymous with indecency, the uncouth and the poorest and dirtiest of society,” writes Loynd. But by the time Daniels was born in 1885, swimming had become synonymous with the privileged elite— those who could afford to learn how to swim in unpolluted private natatoriums or attain membership in exclusive athletic clubs or pay for vacations at the seaside resorts of Newport, Long Branch and Cape May. It was into this world of financial and social privilege that Charles Daniels was born on March 24, 1885. His illustrious grandfather and namesake had been a congressman and served as a New York Supreme Court Justice for 28 years. His mother was a descendant of Senator Daniel Webster of Massachusetts, and her father was the owner of Buffalo, New York’s most successful dry goods store. Daniels’ parents, Tom Daniels and Alice Meldrum, grew up in mansions a short distance from each other on Buffalo’s Millionaire Row. When they married in 1884, it was the city’s most anticipated social event of the year. Among the “Who’s Who” of guests were Judge Charles Folger, a distant cousin of Benjamin Franklin and Secretary of the U.S. Treasury; William Waldorf Astor, one of America’s richest men; and the governor of New York and next President of the United States, Grover Cleveland. ENORMOUS PERSONAL CHALLENGES But while Charlie Daniels might have been born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, that didn’t mean he was free from having to overcome enormous personal challenges while growing up. His father, Tom, turned out to be a self-absorbed, narcissistic womanizer who squandered not only his own inheritance, but most
of his wife’s, on luxuries and failed business schemes. One day, Tom took the family to the beach, where he spent the time showing off his athletic and aquatic talents. When Charlie expressed interest in learning to swim, his dad took him to a natatorium. Without any instruction, Tom pushed his son into the deep water...with the mandate to “swim!” Not surprisingly, Charlie sank and nearly drowned. After that failure, Tom wasted no opportunity to shame or embarrass the boy in public. Before Tom could do any more damage to his son, Alice kicked Tom out of their rented apartment in New York City. Divorce is commonplace today, but in 1900, it was socially unacceptable—and even scandalous, especially for women. For their own survival, Alice and Charlie had to maintain the public facade of an intact family as long as they could. But Tom was living openly with another woman and was later caught in an investment swindle that made him as notorious as Bernie Madoff, the American fraudster who ran the largest Ponzi scheme in history. Alice had no choice but to take the nuclear option to protect what was left of her dignity and inheritance. As a single mom, Alice struggled to free Charlie from the crippling anxiety, depression and sense of worthlessness that was overwhelming his life. She took him to private swim lessons, where a competent instructor helped him overcome the trauma of his neardrowning experience. Charlie was also small for his age and physically weak. America’s newest hero, Teddy Roosevelt, had overcome anxiety and physical weakness in his youth by “strenuous activity in the great outdoors.” So Alice took Charlie to a lodge in upstate New York, where he received his first introduction to the skills of a woodsman: camping, canoeing, hunting, hiking and shooting. A NEW FATHER FIGURE Returning to the city, Charlie found a new father figure in Dr. Phillip Seixas, the athletic director of his high school. “Doc” Seixas
>> C.M. Daniels was among the many “amateur” sports celebrities (along with professional baseball players) who appeared on trading cards promoting tobacco products.
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>> After the General Slocum Disaster of June 15, 1904, Annette Kellerman and Charles Daniels became international celebrities who promoted the joys and importance of swimming for safety, health and leisure—Annette, through her stage and film performances, and Charles, through his unrivaled dominance in the competitive arena as America’s first great Olympic swimmer.
was a graduate of Columbia, a medial doctor and an all-around athlete who counted Teddy Roosevelt as a friend and admirer. Like he did for all the boys at the school, “Doc” tried to find a sport that Charlie could enjoy and excel. He tried running and high-jumping, baseball, the new sport of basketball and gymnastics—all to no avail. “Doc” also ran a summer camp that fostered scouting and woodsmanship. While Charlie truly loved the outdoors and became an expert woodsman, what he wanted to do most was prove to himself he could become as good a swimmer as his father—and, someday, perhaps win his father’s respect. One of the rituals at the camp was to start each day with a swim, and “Doc” helped a determined Charlie develop a respectable stroke. If Charlie was to have any chance to become a real “swimmer,” “Doc” knew the boy would have to get better coaching at one of the elite athletic clubs. But as the son of Tom Daniels, he also knew that Charlie would never be socially accepted as a regular member at any of the important clubs. There was, however, a back door— as an athletic member—if he could just overcome his anxieties and pass a tryout.
PSYCHOLOGICAL INSIGHT To help him gain a psychological insight into Daniels and coaches who helped mold him, both psychologically and physically, into the greatest swimmer the world had ever known, Loynd interviewed mental health experts about anxiety and researched the era’s knowledge of and approaches to mental health. He also interviewed Olympic gold-medal swimmers, including Debbie Meyer, Mark Spitz, John Naber, Rowdy Gaines and Matt Biondi about the emotional roller coaster athletes go through when competing on the world’s biggest stage. *** The Watermen is not just a book for swimming enthusiasts like myself—it is for anyone who enjoys a good underdog story...and the underdogs include Daniels, American swimming and the Olympics themselves. But it is also the entertaining story of an era, when America rose to become an international economic powerhouse and when swimming had an incredible, albeit under-appreciated, impact on American culture—from the way people dressed in public to women’s rights and to a modern concept of how people spend their leisure time. And Loynd is a master at using his extensive background research and knowledge to bring Daniels and the era in which he lived back to life—as only someone totally committed and passionate about his subject can do. For his efforts, I give Mike Loynd a gold medal for literature, and I think you will, too. The Watermen is available through Amazon and other book retailers after June 7. v >> Charles Daniels co-wrote the book, Speed Swimming, with his Hall of Fame coaches, Otto Wahle and Lou Handley. The book is the first to describe Daniels’ “American Crawl” that revolutionized competitive swimming and would be used by his successors, Duke Kahanamoku and Johnny Weissmuller.
Bruce Wigo, historian and consultant at the International Swimming Hall of Fame, served as president/CEO of IHOF from 2005-17. JUNE 2022
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THE MISSED TURN
GONE TOO
SOON In the latest installment of Swimming World’s burgeoning series, The Missed Turn, honor is paid to the career of Eric Namesnik. A two-time Olympian, Namesnik became a star at the University of Michigan and developed a reputation as a tough-as-they-come grinder who found a way to tap into every ounce of talent he possessed. BY JOHN LOHN
e’s been gone for 16 years now, a tragic accident stealing the life of Eric Namesnik. He was a father. A husband. A son. A friend. A teammate. A coach. And during his days in the pool, he was a tenacious worker, one of those guys who was clearly talented, but whose work ethic elevated him to another level. In Namesnik’s case, he soared to the pinnacle of the sport. On Jan. 8, 2006, Namesnik should have handled duties related to his head-coaching position with Wolverine Aquatics. But the previous day, “Snik,” as he was commonly known, was involved in an automobile accident on icy roads in Michigan that left him with a traumatic brain injury. Four days after the crash, Namesnik was taken off life support and passed away, his death at the age of 35 a devastating blow to the sport. At the time of his passing, Namesnik was a rising star on the coaching scene, having substantially grown the profile and size of Wolverine Aquatics. Before that, he was the right-hand man of Jon Urbanchek for seven years at his alma mater, the University of Michigan. Urbanchek was first Namesnik’s coach, but the two developed a special bond, a relationship that was more father-son than coach-pupil. In Urbanchek’s eyes, there was no doubt “Snik” was on the path to big-time success on the coaching scene. “You know, he swam with me for eight years, and then he was the best assistant coach I ever had,” said Urbanchek, an inductee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. “If he were alive today, he would be a damned good college coach.”
ELITE STATUS
While Namesnik seemed destined to become one of the United States’ premier coaches, what he managed in the water initially defined his elite status in the sport. Hailing from Western Pennsylvania, Namesnik arrived in Ann Arbor in 1989 and was an immediate factor for the Wolverines, his determination and work with Urbanchek paying major dividends. At the 1991 World Championships, Namesnik claimed silver medals in the 200 and 400 individual medley events, the titles captured by legendary Hungarian Tamas Darnyi. A year later, at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Namesnik replicated his silver-medal finish to Darnyi in the 400 IM. If nothing else, Namesnik proved he belonged with the Big Boys, additional evidence found in the four American records he set in the 400 medley from 1990-93. In 1991, “Snik” picked up gold in the 400 medley at the Pan Pacific Championships, the lone 22
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[ Photo Courtesy: Bill Collins ]
H
time he stood atop an international podium.
NAMESNIK & DOLAN: CHALLENGING EACH OTHER
The pursuit of Olympic glory is known by a miniscule percentage of individuals, and the path to success can be easily derailed. Not only must training programs be precisely constructed and meet the specific needs of the athlete, the environment, too, requires attention. For Namesnik, already with an Olympic medal on his ledger, his journey toward a second Olympiad featured a unique dynamic. In 1993, Tom Dolan arrived on the University of Michigan campus, where Namesnik continued to train with Club Wolverine. His presence meant Urbanchek would oversee the preparation of two athletes chasing the same dream—gold in the 400 IM at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. These situations can be delicate and spark animosity, as was the case when legendary coach Richard Quick was forced to separate the training of Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres during the 2000 campaign. Urbanchek, though, spun magic while mentoring his charges, and Namesnik and Dolan benefited from their practice battles, even if they were never close friends. At the 1994 World Championships, Dolan delivered a breakthrough performance, setting a world record in the 400 medley, with Namesnik securing bronze. At the next year’s Pan Pacific Champs, Dolan and Namesnik went goldsilver, a showing that set the stage for the Atlanta Games. On home soil, Dolan and Namesnik engaged in an epic duel. Sitting in second and third after the opening butterfly leg, the Michigan Men were even during the backstroke leg, touching at the midway point of the race in identical times of 2:02.87. While Dolan took the lead on the first half of breaststroke,
GIVING BACK
Once Namesnik wrapped up his competitive career, he fittingly moved to the coaching ranks, looking to impart his wisdom and experiences on developing athletes. On deck with Urbanchek, Namesnik helped
Michigan maintain its status as a national power and was able to use his background to get the most from the Wolverine athletes. In 2004, when Urbanchek stepped down as head coach, Namesnik pursued the headcoaching position. Ultimately, the job went to Bob Bowman, the coach of superstar Michael Phelps. As a result, Namesnik moved on from Michigan and took command of Wolverine Aquatics. He also served as a volunteer assistant at Eastern Michigan University. In time, there was little doubt he would land a head coach role at a major school. ***
[ Photo Courtesy: Bill Collins ]
Namesnik answered on the second lap of the stroke and took a lead of 44-hundredths heading into freestyle. Over the final 100 meters, Dolan and Namesnik went stroke for stroke, with Namesnik ahead by 3-hundredths at the 350-meter mark, but Dolan was able to pull ahead over the last length to prevail in 4:14.90, “Snik” winning silver in 4:15.25. “One of the reasons I came to Michigan was because ‘Snik’ was the American record holder in the event that I swam,” said Dolan, in a past interview with the Go Blue website. “So, what better place to go to try to be the best? The relationship ‘Snik’ and I had was very special and unique in that we were different personalities, but definitely challenged each other on a daily basis. And that’s difficult for two people who are the best in the world training right next to each other. But I credit ‘Snik’ with a lot of the organization I learned about daily workouts and training.”
“As a coach, I look back at ‘Snik’ and see that he literally gave everything he could in every workout, every battle. He was the son I never had. What he did for Michigan is unmeasurable. It’s not just how fast he swam, but the good person he was, the character.” —Coach Jon Urbanchek, University of Michigan
The career of Eric Namesnik can be viewed as one of close calls, due to his numerous silverand bronze-medal showings at the Olympics, World Championships and other international competitions. Primarily, though, Namesnik should be best remembered for the way he carried himself, and how he achieved excellence in the sport behind an approach that can only be defined as dogged and resilient. “People pulled for Eric because he didn’t have that great talent, but did have the dedication and commitment,” Urbanchek once said. “As a coach, I look back at ‘Snik’ and see that he literally gave everything he could in every workout, every battle. He was the son I never had. What he did for Michigan is unmeasurable. It’s not just how fast he swam, but the good person he was, the character.” v
>> At the 1991 World Championships, Namesnik, who set four American records in the 400 IM from 1990-93, claimed silver medals in both IM races. A year later, he again finished runner-up in the Olympic 400 IM. The lone time he stood atop an international podium came in the 400 medley at the 1991 Pan Pacific Championships. [ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ] JUNE 2022
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A WORK IN
PROGRESS Hunter Armstrong already has an Olympic gold medal and a world record to his credit, but knowing his background in swimming, he really is just getting started! BY MATTHEW DE GEORGE | PHOTOS BY PETER H. BICK
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here was a time when Hunter Armstrong nearly quit swimming. Like just about everything in Armstrong’s swimming journey, it’s not exactly what you think. This wasn’t a tale of burnout. It wasn’t a plateau in training, of failing to better past times, of the pressure of expectations on a young star. No, Armstrong told his hometown newspaper, the TimesReporter in Ohio, last summer, that this desire to walk away was much more elemental. “I was the slowest one on my team, and I was getting beat by the girls,” Armstrong said. “It was bad.... I wasn’t having fun, and I was tired of losing.” Depending on your definition of “quit,” Armstrong got pretty close. (He admitted on an Instagram Q&A from the U.S. Olympic team’s White House visit in May, that, “I actually did quit swimming in middle school.”) But nearly a decade on, little of that matters when Armstrong is behind the block, authoring new chapters to one of the most fascinating stories in American swimming. Armstrong wasn’t the fastest 12-year-old. He wasn’t the fastest at 14. He wasn’t the fastest high school swimmer in Ohio, and he started college at West Virginia, hardly a powerhouse. And now? Now, Hunter Armstrong is an Olympic gold medalist from the men’s 400 medley relay in Tokyo. And he’s the fastest man ever over 50 meters of backstroke, a record set at the recent U.S. International Team Trials in Greensboro, N.C. “It means the world, pun intended,” Armstrong said then. Armstrong’s ascent as a multi-sport athlete and a late specializer should mean something for American swimming. He challenges so many of the pre-conceived notions of what an international swimmer should be at various youth mileposts. Highlighting what makes Armstrong so special lets him serve as an example in finding other swimmers like him. 24
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“I think his personality, he’s very driven internally,” Ohio State sprint coach and associate head coach Matt Bowe told Swimming World. “It’s almost like the inner kid in him. He really wants to compete. He wants to race against people. He is one of those athletes in practice who sees someone next to him and wants to race them. I think that’s one of his biggest strengths, staying hungry and wanting to race people.” FROM NOWHERE TO TOKYO It bears repeating how unlikely Armstrong’s Olympic place seemed last summer. He was a part-time swimmer up until 2018, splitting time with football before committing to swimming. An all-state selection in Ohio, he never won a state title, twice runner-up to University of Florida standout Adam Chaney. He finished 13th at the NCAA Championships in the 100 back and 21st in the 50 freestyle in 2021. His goal entering Olympic Trials was a top-six finish to make the national team. He ended up in the top five all-time in American history, his time of 52.48 seconds booking a ticket to Tokyo behind Ryan Murphy. The rocket ride that began with an outstanding TYR Pro Swim Series in May landed him ninth in the Olympics, 1-hundredth out of the final, before earning gold in prelims of the medley relay. When Bowe and Ohio State coach Bill Dorenkott landed Armstrong in Columbus, they knew they were getting a diamond in the rough. But they perhaps did not know how brilliant that gem would shine. They knew polishing his technique would lead to gains, as would a dedicated weightlifting regimen for the first time. But his improvement is beyond any expectation. “He wasn’t an athlete who did a ton of yardage when he was younger,” Bowe said. “He didn’t have a lot of the basic skills, and was pretty raw in terms of his talent. I remember when we were recruiting him, being at junior nationals, and his coach,
Mike (Davidson), was teaching him at the meet how to do an open turn. It was pretty funny to see a high school senior being taught that kind of stuff. “It’s really been no different since he got to college. His skill level on certain basic things—starts, turns—he’s had a huge scope for improvement and he is improving those things, which is why he’s getting so much faster.” His Tokyo trip may have come out of the blue, but it’s a testament to his mentality that Armstrong has gotten faster since. Dorenkott said last summer that he saw a world record in Armstrong’s future; sprint buddy Michael Andrew predicted it the day of the swim in Greensboro. Armstrong made good on those prognostications. His 50 back was the only world record of the meet, first downing Murphy’s American record at 24.01 in prelims, then dashing the world record set last year by Kliment Kolesnikov with a time of 23.71. The next day, he gutted out the 100 back, attacking the front half to best Murphy and get to Worlds in 52.20. And he showed his range by tying Drew Kibler for fourth in the 100 free, giving him a relay swim at Worlds in an event where he finished 19th in Omaha a year ago. He also tied for fifth in the 50 free in 22.00 in Greensboro. An astute kid, Armstrong is not oblivious to the doubters. His goal in 2022 was, primarily, to prove that 2021 wasn’t a fluke. The willingness to shout out vulnerability hints at a toughness crafted in domains beyond swimming. “To be able to rebound and show that making the Olympics wasn’t a mistake, that was my biggest worry going into this meet,” Armstrong said. “I had to prove to myself and others that
I deserved to be on that team, and hopefully I’m able to back that up at Worlds.” BECOMING A STAR The Olympic stage was an adjustment for Armstrong, as it would be for any first-timer, much less a swimmer at his first major international meet. But the tenor of the changes Armstrong had to get used to was, let’s say, slightly different than merely being in awe of a large (and empty) venue. “When I got to the Olympics, all of our staff was great and supportive, but they kind of just expected that I knew what I was doing. And I don’t,” Armstrong said, in his typically frank way. “Last summer was my third summer ever swimming. I don’t know how to warm up. I don’t know how much to warm down. And luckily I have a great sprint coach (Bowe) who kind of has me on a leash and makes sure that I do everything I’m supposed to do.” Armstrong has gotten plenty of help. The American backstroke program is not only the world’s most dominant, but one of the most distinguished groups in world swimming. (Evgeny Rylov’s backstroke double in Tokyo ended the streak of six consecutive golds in each event for American men; in addition to 12 gold medals since the 1996 Olympics, American men have won seven silver and two bronze.) The latest star in that lineage, Murphy, is also an exemplary leader. He’s taken Armstrong “under his wing” as an extra coach figure to guide Armstrong in the little things he feels he should already know. It doesn’t hurt that Armstrong is a fascinating character outside of the pool. He gained attention last summer for his card
>> Ohio State’s Hunter Armstrong not only set a world record in the 50 meter backstroke (23.71) at the Phillips 66 International Team Trials, but he also won the 100 back (52.20) and tied for fourth in the 100 free (48.25), earning a spot on the men’s 4x100 freestyle relay that will be competing at the World Championships in Budapest. CONTINUED ON 26 >> JUNE 2022
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HUNTER ARMSTRONG / Continued from 25
>> Hunter Armstrong qualified for the U.S. Olympic team last year by placing second in the 100 back. He tied for ninth in the semifinals of the event at Tokyo, then won a gold medal by swimming the backstroke leg in prelims of the men’s 400 medley relay. Written on his left arm is “Invictus Maneo,” which is the motto for the Armstrong clan of Scotland. The Latin phrase means, “I remain unvanquished (unconquered or unbeaten).”
tricks, keeping Team USA entertained and relaxed. He played drums in the marching band through middle school. He’s wellrounded in a way that kids who devote themselves full time to swimming when they’re in elementary school don’t often get a chance to be. That may play into his resilience. NCAAs weren’t the best this year, Armstrong finishing fifth in the 100 back and 16th in the 100 free. He called them “emotionally draining,” plus physically taxing on a triple taper. But with the return to the long-course pool, he’s right back where he left off last season. And he’s proving he can build on the high of Tokyo. THE UNIQUE FEEL Where so many swimmers have to learn how to race at elite levels, Armstrong has almost done the opposite. He had the athleticism and competitiveness; it was just a matter of reinforcing the swimming aspect. The gifts he entered Ohio State with are undeniable, both physical and mental. They only needed molding by the right set of coaches and circumstances. Bowe puts it this way: The former Loughborough University swimmer and coach, who represented Great Britain internationally, has worked with his share of Olympians. He believes coaching is a two-way street, and he attempts to learn from his swimmers as well. So when he first saw what he calls “some quirky things” in Armstrong’s technique, Bowe heard his swimmer out instead of jumping in to correct, even on fine points he wouldn’t necessarily install if starting from scratch. If Armstrong was comfortable with an unorthodox, yet effective arm angle for his freestyle catch, or if his fingers were less vertical through the stroke than recommended, Bowe wanted to work with it. Even now, Armstrong is one of the world’s premier 26
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backstrokers while primarily training freestyle sets. What Bowe and Dorenkott recognized in Armstrong is his feel for the water, ineffable as that concept is. Crucially, it doesn’t look the same as his peers’ feel for the water, but it’s special nonetheless. “Our job is not to change them, but to refine them or make them better,” Bowe said. “But you don’t want to change things if it’s working or it’s successful for them.” One odd example is that Armstrong is a better long-course swimmer. Their theory is that because he lacks technique on underwaters and turns, he’s not able to capitalize on the short pool’s more numerous walls. (His world record is one start, one breakout and then just swimming.) If you think of long course as the realm of the pure technicians, the discipline over which you can’t fake it, it would seem unlikely that Armstrong excels there. Or take International Trials, where Armstrong was spent after his world record in the 50, but still had the 100 back to go. Instead of sitting back like at Olympic Trials, where he was seventh at the 50-meter mark before rallying, Armstrong attacked it from the start. It ended with a win over Murphy...and a high-level swimming concept executed with aplomb. It’s tantalizing to think what Armstrong can do with more time as a swimmer. It’s equally interesting to take the broad view of how many swimmers might be able to follow his unorthodox path—the right combination of talent, passion, program and mentoring—to take the strides he has. “He is absolutely the most elite athlete I’ve ever met in terms of being able to focus in on getting ready to race,” Bowe said. “By that, I don’t mean in the days leading up. I mean in the 20 to 30 minutes before he races, you can just tell that he puts the blinders on, clears out the distractions. His ability to handle pressure under the bright lights is second to none.” v
NUTRITION
NO “BEETING” AROUND THE BUSH! Beets and other foods contain nitric oxide, which has an impact on health and performance. BY DAWN WEATHERWAX, RD, CSSD, LD, ATC, CSCS
WHAT IS NITRIC OXIDE? Nitric oxide (NO) is a compound made by the body and is a signaling molecule. This allows the cells to receive, process and transmit signals with its environment and with itself. NO has been found to signal cardiovascular and immune cells, which has an effect on health and performance. HOW DOES NITRIC OXIDE IMPACT PERFORMANCE? Nitric oxide promotes blood flow by dilating arteries and relaxing the body’s blood vessels. This includes penetrating the muscles in our arteries. This increase in circulation and oxygenation of the blood improves energy and stamina, and reduces inflammation and oxidative stress, which impacts an athlete’s recovery time. WHICH FOODS ARE HIGH IN NITRIC OXIDE? The following foods are a great source of nitric oxide: beets, broccoli, carrots, dark chocolate, eggplant leafy greens (arugula, bok choy, chard, cabbage, kale, red spinach, spriulina) and wax gourd. ENHANCING ABSORPTION It has been found that vitamin C increases the bioavailability and absorption of NO in the body. Foods high in vitamin C include: aronia berries, bell peppers, broccoli, guavas, kale, kiwi, oranges, papaya, snow peas, strawberries and tomatoes. WHEN TO CONSIDER SUPPLEMENTING Since a food source varies in nitric oxide concentrations, a supplement should be considered for athletic performance. You want to find one that is NSF sport-certified and has vitamin C sources included for ideal options. The goal is to take one hour before exercise or competition to enhance circulation and energy or within one hour post-travel or training/competition to maximize recovery and aid in sleep. SUMMARY Beets and other vegetables contain nitric oxide to aid in circulation, oxygenation, energy, stamina and recovery. Try to aim for a minimum of two to three servings a day of nitric oxide foods paired with foods high in vitamin C to maximize daily results for health. For performance, consider taking a supplement before or after training/competition (even travel). Enjoy adding these foods to the day-to-day routines! *** Here is a sample menu that incorporates nitrate oxide foods throughout. Remember: This article is educational only and should not be used in place of medical advice. 3,000 to 3,500 HIGH IN NITRATE OXIDE CALORIE TRAINING MENU Pre-Swim Practice (4:30-5:15 a.m.) 1-3 Dates 1 cup Raw or frozen greens 1-3 T Flax seeds 20-28 g Garden of Life protein powder/Orgain organic grass-fed or plant-based protein/Klean Athlete protein 1 lg Banana frozen 1-1/2 cups Frozen berries 16 oz Almond milk
[ Photo Courtesy: Julia Avamotive / Pexels.com ]
Training (5:30-6:45 a.m.) 4-16 oz Water an hour (amount needed depends on sweat rate) Breakfast (6-7:30 a.m.) MUST HAVE WITHIN 30-45 minutes after training 1-2 servings Whole-grain pancakes 3T Grounded flax 1-2 cups Berries 3 Organic eggs 16 oz Water/soy milk/organic grass-fed milk/nut milk/oat milk Optional: Multivitamin and mineral tablet Fish oil capsule (very high in EPA/DHA) Vitamin D3 Probiotics Lunch (11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) 1-2 oz Nutthins/crackers 1/2-1 cup Cottage cheese, 3-5 oz organic chicken 1-2 T Olive oil 1-3 cups Mixed greens, heated in olive oil until wilted 1/2-1 cup Cooked sliced/cubed beets and raw radishes 1-2 tsp Lemon or lime juice 1-2 T Chopped or slivered almonds/seeds 1-2 cups Berries/citrus fruit 16 oz Water with 1-2 NUUN electrolyte tablets Afternoon Snack (2-3:30 p.m.) 6-8 oz 1 med or lg tortilla, 2-3 T nutbutter or chickpea butter, 1-2 cups berries 16 oz Water (add one NUUN electrolyte tablet/optional) or beet juice or Water with 1 scoop Resync Recovery (optional) Only do once a day unless otherwise supervised Training (3:30-5:30 p.m.) 4-16 oz Water an hour (amount needed depends on sweat rate) Post-recovery within 30-45 min: 2 Kodiak muffins with cacao/chia/flax and soy/Fairlife/reg milk 16 oz Water (add one NUUN electrolyte tablet/optional) or beet juice or Water with 1 scoop Resync Recovery (optional) Only do once a day unless otherwise supervised (If you can have dinner within that time, then this snack is optional) Evening Meal (6-8:30 p.m.) 4-6 oz Organic turkey 1-2 cups Eggplant 1-2 cups Rice 1 Avocado or 1 T olive oil or 3 T organic butter 16 oz Water Optional: Multivitamin and mineral tablet 1 Omega-3 capsule high in DHA and EPA Evening Snack—OPTIONAL (8-10 p.m.) 1-2 Pita bread 2-3 T Chickpeas mashed 1T Olive oil 1 cup Sliced cucumber, tomatoes and snow peas and any desired greens 1-2 cups Berries or kiwi or large orange v Dawn Weatherwax (RD, CSSD, LD, ATC, CSCS) is a registered/licensed dietitian with a specialty in sports nutrition and founder of Sports Nutrition 2Go and Dawn Weatherwax Sports Nutrition Academy. JUNE 2022
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DEALING WITH
(Part 1) This month, Swimming World begins a two-part series on supporting athletes after disappointing performances. The first installment takes a macro look as seen through the eyes of Ben Keast, now coach at SwimMAC and former assistant coach at Swimming Canada’s High Performance Centre in Vancouver. BY MICHAEL J. STOTT
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AT HEART “How coaches support their athletes after disappointing performances gets to the core of what coaching is about: relationships, goal setting, implementing plans and adapting— complex factors that are interconnected and evolving. “It is part of life and understandably frustrating when months or years of preparation don’t deliver the intended result. However, in competitive sport, as in life, how we manage expectations and the factors under our control, including our reaction to events, determines our short- and long-term satisfaction and success. The coach-athlete duo who learns to navigate disappointment— acknowledging it, learning from it and moving past it—possesses an incredible advantage,” says Keast. “Lasting disappointment is something different and dangerous, and emerges from an aggregate of previous unaddressed or mismanaged passing disappointment untethered to goals. It can be expectations not matching preparation, or coaches, parents and athletes not clear or honest or realistic. Personal tragedies and mental health may play a role. However, how athletes move on from disappointment—or not—depends in large part on how they’ve been coached. ROLE OF THE COACH “A poor performance need not define a swimmer. The key is transforming that result into fuel for future improvement. Younger athletes are still developing their voices and carrying secret expectations. This is where a coach can educate their charges in setting and monitoring appropriate goals. Doing so keeps everyone—athletes, parents and coaches—on the same page. Done early in swimmer development can lessen future disappointment by keeping the swimmer committed to the process, but not attached to the outcome. “There are several ways an age group coach can create controlled situations to teach getting past disappointment,” he says, “by: 28
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[ Photo Courtesy: Bill Collins ]
ver the last two Olympic cycles, Ben Keast has reworked his coaching philosophy from dealing with failure to an emphasis on growth and perpetual improvement. “Disappointment is a ‘when,’ not an ‘if’ phenomenon,” he says, “a failure to meet expectations, one that ideally coach and athlete can embrace together. Combating lasting disappointment can help mitigate any spiral into depression or departure from the sport, which often occurs from misaligned expectation, breakdown of communication and long-neglected mental skill development.”
• Presenting unrealistic practice sets and debriefing the athletes on their reactions afterward (what was ideal versus suboptimal); • Demanding conformity to a new and randomized schedule; • Entering them into competitions above their level, events for which they aren’t prepared—or creating additional taper opportunities to test big-meet strategies and low-consequence times of the season. “These aren’t accidental blunders, but calculated moves, communicated to parents, and coached strategically with long-term swimmer development in mind. “For college athletes, early developed skills may be insufficient and require a restructuring to address new struggles. College students and national team athletes have greater obligations and more pressures than age groupers—i.e., the need to retain funding or scholarships. Willpower and discipline can be more fragile and falter quickly in the face of stress, fatigue and low energy—the permanent state of most college-age athletes. Emotions, tied closely to sleep, nutrition and social interactions, can fluctuate wildly. Coaches would do well to build routines and habits that keep their athletes on track when disappointment strikes. “At the international level, in major competition and professional racing, it is uncanny how the best of the best are separated by their capacity to manage disappointment. The best swimmers in the world experience tough swims, too. At the ISL (as a team coach with Energy Standard), I witnessed an Olympic champion lose a marquee race only to go straight to the warm-down pool for recovery
GETTING BETTER AS A COACH Recognize your limitations and blind spots. Cultivate a trusted group of peer coaches, professional sports, medical and psychological resources. [ Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu/ISL ]
There are a myriad available. Some recent Keast favorites include Wade Gilbert, Doug Lemov and James Kerr.
“The truth is that in coaching, every interaction with an athlete is a teachable moment. Coaching to a group is part of the job, but equally important are those one-on-one moments when a coach guides his athlete through disappointment.” — Ben Keast protocol and proceed to dominate the remaining races. Coaches Tom Rushton and James Gibson knew the athlete, the specific protocols and prepared accordingly. The early development of skills for managing disappointment and consistency in rehearsing those skills and practices clearly pays dividends. “Ben Titley, newly appointed head coach at the Sant Cugat National Training Centre in Spain, espouses ‘success by design.’ Titley takes controllables to a new level—understanding and anticipating how an athlete will react to any given situation. He has developed permutations for potential scenarios for each athlete. Regardless of competitor age, the strategies for supporting disappointed athletes are similar and build upon one another,” notes Keast. WHEN IT GOES AWRY “When things go south, it becomes the coaches’ job to help the athlete out of a jam—a process that is part art and part skill. For some, time away can be helpful to reset expectations, especially for older athletes. However, this tactic has a downside. In most cases, the disappointing result was because of poor preparation, so getting the athlete back to training—not breaking it up—is a surer way forward. “Following competitions, the 24-hour rule is a standard used by master coaches to absorb, process and move on. A week may be suitable if the athlete is college-level and inexperienced in disappointment at that stage. “Regardless, establishing a definitive timeline for returning is critical because absence does not really address the issue. Rather, it often heralds a long, slow athletic decline unless properly supervised and carefully planned out. Suffice it to say, empathy and flexibility in return to training is a given. More or less training than the group is up to the coach. Showing compassion for the athlete’s situation demonstrates interest in their well being and future success. “Is a realignment of expectations in order? It’s one thing when performances come up short based upon preparation and goals. But
who was more disappointed: swimmer or coach? It may be the coach’s expectation requires recalibration, not the athlete’s. Failure is not fatal—but getting on the same page and frequent checks with one another can help assuage future disappointments.
THE WAY FORWARD “Like it or not, athletes gauge a coach’s reaction to their performance and take it personally. How coaches make their athletes feel is critical. Canada’s legendary high performance coach, Tom Johnson, once said athletes might not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel. “Coach reaction helps shape athlete perception of a given moment forever. In times of dismay, a coach would do well to value athletes as people beyond the performance and make them feel important, regardless of the result. “And always—honesty is the best policy. Ill-prepared athletes bolstered by false encouragement sent off to race are headed for an unhappy ending. Blind praise is empty of reassurance—and the athlete knows that at some level. Better to lay out the situation and provide firm guidance for the path forward. To do otherwise risks the integrity of their athlete-coach relationship. “The truth is that in coaching, every interaction with an athlete is a teachable moment. Coaching to a group is part of the job, but equally important are those one-on-one moments when a coach guides his athlete through disappointment. “When done correctly—and with compassion—the coach makes a powerful investment in helping the athlete to manage himself while strengthening the coach-athlete relationship,” says Keast. Next month: Swimming World takes a micro view of how some of the country’s most respected age group and college coaches handle swimmer disappointment. v
Michael J. Stott is an ASCA Level 5 coach, golf and swimming writer. His critically acclaimed coming-of-age golf novel, “Too Much Loft,” is in its second printing, and is available from store. Bookbaby.com, Amazon, B&N and book distributors worldwide. JUNE 2022
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MENTAL PREP
BEFORE THE
BEEP WITH LILLY KING
[ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ]
BY SHOSHANNA RUTEMILLER
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illy King, world record holder in the women’s 100 meter breaststroke, is not one for subtleties. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, her first Olympic appearance as a 19-year-old, King was projected into the mainstream media when a “finger wag” directed at rival and suspected doper Yuliya Efimova was filmed and went viral. King’s “wag”—after watching Efimova’s winning prelims swim in the 100 breaststroke—wasn’t merely for show. King went on to secure gold for Team USA in the 100 breaststroke in Olympic record time (1:04.93). That brazen confidence may rub some competitors the wrong way, but it hasn’t let King down. Over the course of her collegiate career representing the Indiana Hoosiers, King went 8-for-8 at NCAAs in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke. Only one other person in history has accomplished that historic feat—six-time Olympic medalist and former world record holder/University of Texas alum Brendan Hansen. King’s incredible performances in the pool were also a key factor in the Hoosiers winning the B1G Team Title in 2019, one of King’s proudest accomplishments. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, King admits to having both the best—and possibly worst—swims of her life over the course of the meet. King was favored to win gold in the 100 breaststroke, but, instead, brought home bronze with a 1:05.54. The gold medal went to fellow USA teammate Lydia Jacoby (1:04.95). Despite swimming slower than her personal best in the 100 breaststroke, King approached the 200 breaststroke with her trademark confidence, and it paid off with a silver medal and personal best swim of 2:19.92. “(My philosophy on mental preparation) hasn’t really evolved much, which in some sense is very cool. For example, after preparing for my best event and swimming—quite possibly— my worst in the 100 breaststroke in Tokyo, my philosophy didn’t change,” reflects King. “I continued to mentally prepare for my best in the 200 breaststroke, and it paid off in one of the best swims of my career.” After graduating from college in 2019, King went on to represent the Cali Condors and compete in the International 30
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Swimming League (ISL). She continues to be one of the strongest competitors in the pool in the breaststroke event. Outside of her busy schedule, King took the time to share some wisdom with Swimming World about preparing mentally and physically for the “big race.”
HOTEL
While some swimmers have rituals that include the same dinner, bedtime, stretching routine and visualization time the night before a big race, King finds that the only “ritual” she has is making sure she is around friends. “I need to be around friends if it is before a really serious race,” she says. “Friends are the best distractors!” Additionally, King doesn’t set aside a specific time to prepare mentally for a race, instead finding that the best use of her time is to continually think positively about the outcome of her big race. “It’s a little weird because I am always preparing for the race. I am constantly thinking about the outcome I want to achieve. I also only think about the best-case scenario, which I find not a lot of others do. I really try to only think about the positives.”
WARM-UP
The morning of the race, expect to find King shaking things out at the pool. “I am a wake-up swim person. I don’t do wake-up swims before prelims, but if I only have a finals session or an ISL session at night, catch me at the pool in the morning.” King’s morning swim routine consists of approximately 1,000 to 1,500 of easy stretch-out swimming followed by something explosive, but not tiring. A typical wake-up swim could be 5 x 300s swim-kick-pull-swim followed by a dive or two with a long glide. Then it’s back to the hotel for a nap. King returns to the pool for her big race hours before she’s set to swim. A self-proclaimed early bird, King takes advantage of the time to socialize with everyone on deck. “I will stall until the very last minute talking to people on deck,” says King. “There are times when I will get to the pool two-
“Don’t doubt yourself, and be open to the possibilities a strong mindset can bring. It might sound crazy, but I have talked myself into winning several races where I knew I was not the best swimmer. Your mind is a powerful tool that should be utilized to its fullest!”
and-a-half to three hours before I race and not touch the water until an hour before I go off. I just like to have time to be social, but also stretch and get into the ‘feel’ of the meet.” As time edges closer to her actual race, King hops into the warm-up pool, still full of positive energy. “My favorite feeling in warm-up is the classic, ‘Lilly, there’s no way I’m going to lose this race.’ It’s only happened a few times in my career, but there is no better feeling!”
READY ROOM
King’s ready room ritual is as fluid as her breaststroke. Not having a ritual makes it easy for King to feel out the energy of the room and use it to her advantage. “At a Pro Swim meet, I’m probably going to be chatting and messing around with my friends until the race. At Olympic Trials, I might be pretty serious and try to intimidate people before we hit the water,” says King. “I am game for either of the extremes. I am very comfortable in a light, chatty ready room or a very tense, quiet ready room where I feel like I am in complete control of the room. I just don’t love the in-betweens.”
BEHIND THE BLOCKS
King practices hard day-in and day-out so that when she’s stepping up to the blocks, her mind is clear. Looking around at her competitors, King slaps her body and jumps around. King also adopted a ritual just before she steps up for her race from the one and only Michael Phelps. “I will always get on the blocks last, and I will wait for people to get up before me. Then, I slap my leg a couple times just so everyone knows I’m there. I always loved how Michael Phelps would do the arm slap before his races, and I wanted to adopt something similar for myself.” Once King is in the pool, the last thing she does is stick to her race. Instead, King studies her competitors to know how they will swim their races. She then adjusts her race plan to fit whatever will win the race that day. “I have found that swimmers are creatures of habit, which greatly inhibits their racing skills,” says King. “Switching up the race plan is fun to do because it keeps me entertained, and my competitors never know how I’m going to swim my race.”
King has had a wildly successful career, and isn’t planning on slowing down anytime soon. This fits with her personal philosophy of always preparing for the best and never thinking about bad things that could happen. When asked what advice she would give to young swimmers, the world record holder doesn’t hesitate to offer the following: “Don’t doubt yourself, and be open to the possibilities a strong mindset can bring. It might sound crazy, but I have talked myself into winning several races where I knew I was not the best swimmer. Your mind is a powerful tool that should be utilized to its fullest!” v
[ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ]
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TRAINING
DRYSIDE TRAINING
MY “TOP FIVE” BY J.R. ROSANIA
DEMONSTRATED BY NORIKO INADA • PHOTOS BY EMMI BRYTOWSKI
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et’s say you have 20 to 30 minutes for a dryland session. Your first question might be, “What exercises should I do?” In this article, I have chosen five of my favorite and most effective dryland exercises. Each exercise has a specific purpose for your strokes, turns and starts. Perform this program three days a week every other day. Complete each exercise for three sets of 12 repetitions. Use a resistance that is difficult, but still allows you to perform 12 repetitions. Take 30 seconds rest between each set and 60 seconds rest between each exercise. Discontinue the program one to two weeks away from any major competition. Have fun doing my “top five” exercises.v
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1) STABILITY BALL TUBE-STROKE Lying face down on an exercise stability ball with a tube attached to a fixed anchor, perform freestyle strokes. 2) DUMBBELL BENT-OVER ROW Standing with your upper body facing downward and parallel to the floor, perform an alternating row. 3) SEATED MEDICINE BALL TWISTING Seated, perform a twisting motion with a medicine ball or dumbbell.
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4) DUMBBELL SQUAT WITH SHOULDER PRESS With dumbbells at your shoulders, perform a squat and then an overhead press. 5) MEDICINE BALL THROW-DOWN From the floor or an elevated position, raise a medicine ball overhead, then slam it to the floor. Catch the ball on the way up, and repeat throw. 6) BONUS EXERCISE: STABILITY BALL LEG CURL Lying flat on your back, place a stability ball under your heels. With your legs straight, lift your hips off the ground and roll the ball toward your lower back. Return the ball back to the starting position and repeat. v
5
1
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MEET THE TRAINER J.R. Rosania, B.S., exercise science, is one of the nation’s top performance enhancement coaches. He is the owner and CEO of Healthplex, LLC, in Phoenix. Check out Rosania’s website at www.jrhealthplex.net. MEET THE ATHLETE Noriko Inada, 43, swam for Japan at the 1992, 2000 and 2004 Olympics. She now swims Masters for Phoenix Swim Club, and owns Masters world records in the women’s 25-29, 3034, 35-39 and 40-44 age groups.
NOTICE All swimming and dryland training and instruction should be performed under the supervision of a qualified coach or instructor, and in circumstances that ensure the safety of participants. JUNE 2022
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COACHING
SWIMMING TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS BY ROD HAVRILUK , Ph.D.
THE DRAG COEFFICIENT: THE BEST MEASURE OF SWIMMING TECHNIQUE
S
wimming technique is usually evaluated by observing from the pool deck. Most of the time, coaches are limited to an abovesurface view or a partial below-surface view. While this type of qualitative evaluation can identify many technique elements in need of adjustment, a quantitative measure is necessary for an accurate and thorough evaluation. Fortunately, there is a wellestablished quantitative measure that provides precise data to evaluate technique and determine needed changes.
values were found to be very consistent across methods—i.e., an average value for one method is comparable to an average value for another method. The active drag coefficient values were found to vary considerably across methods—i.e., an average value for one method is not necessarily comparable to an average value for another method. For this reason, all the active drag data in the following sections of this article were measured with the same method (hand sensors).
MEASURING THE DRAG COEFFICIENT The drag coefficient (Cd) is generally considered to be the best quantitative measure of the effectiveness of technique. The passive drag coefficient measures the effectiveness of a streamline position, while the active drag coefficient measures the effectiveness of swimming motions. The more effective a swimmer’s shape in a streamline position (passive drag) or during swimming motions (active drag), the lower the swimmer’s Cd. An example of the dramatic effect of shape on the Cd is shown by a cylinder with one end facing the flow of the water. If both ends of the cylinder are flat, the Cd = 1.7. If the end of the cylinder facing the flow of water is round, the Cd = .7. If both ends of the cylinder are round, the Cd = .2. Many methods have been used to measure both the active and the passive drag coefficient. A study was conducted to compare the methods (Havriluk, 2007). The passive drag coefficient
MEASURING PERFORMANCE LEVEL DIFFERENCES WITH THE PASSIVE DRAG COEFFICIENT The main benefit of measuring the passive drag coefficient for competitive swimmers is to quantify the effectiveness of the streamline position. A meta-analysis was conducted on six studies that reported passive drag coefficient data (Havriluk, 2005). As expected, the faster swimmers had a significantly lower passive Cd than the slower swimmers for both males and females (as shown in Fig. 1). The Cd values show that the faster swimmers had an advantage over slower swimmers in the streamline, the most basic position in competitive swimming. MEASURING PERFORMANCE LEVEL DIFFERENCES WITH THE ACTIVE DRAG COEFFICIENT The main benefit of measuring the active drag coefficient for competitive swimmers is to quantify the effectiveness of swimming motions. The active drag coefficient was measured for all four strokes on 40 males and 40 females, divided into faster and slower groups (Havriluk, 2010). As expected, the faster swimmers had a lower Cd than the slower swimmers for both males and females for all four strokes (Fig. 2). Only the female/ backstroke difference was not statistically different. The results support the use of the Cd as a valid measure of technique.
FIG. 1 >> Faster swimmers had a lower passive drag coefficient than the slower swimmers for both males and females, supporting the fact that faster swimmers have a more effective streamline technique. The asterisks indicate statistically significant differences.
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MEASURING PERFORMANCE LEVEL AND AGE DIFFERENCES WITH THE ACTIVE DRAG COEFFICIENT In another study, the active drag coefficient was measured for freestyle on 20 males and 20 females, divided into faster and slower groups in four age groups (Havriluk, 2003). The faster swimmers had a significantly lower Cd than the slower swimmers for every age group (as shown in Fig. 3). As expected, the faster swimmers had a more effective technique than the slower swimmers. The
results support the use of the active Cd to evaluate swimming technique. The study also reported Cd values by age group. The 11-12 age group had a significantly lower Cd than the 9-10 age group. The 13-14 age group had a significantly lower Cd than the 11-12 age group. However, there was no significant difference in the Cd between the 13-14 and the 15-16 age groups. These results suggest that preteenagers improve their technique, but teenagers do not, probably due to an inadequate emphasis on technique.
FIG. 2 >> Faster swimmers had a lower active drag coefficient than slower swimmers for both males and females for all four strokes. The asterisks indicate statistically significant differences.
MEASURING TECHNIQUE IMPROVEMENT WITH THE ACTIVE DRAG COEFFICIENT The active drag coefficient was measured before and after a short-term instructional treatment with two groups of swimmers. A group of 18 younger teenagers (13 years old) participated in a one-week instructional intervention (Havriluk, 2006). A group of 19 older teenagers (17 years old) participated in a one-month instructional intervention (Havriluk, 2014). The younger teens significantly decreased their Cd in butterfly and backstroke. The older teens significantly decreased their Cd in butterfly and breaststroke (as shown in Fig. 4). v
SUMMARY
FIG. 3 >> The active drag coefficient was lower for the faster swimmers than for the slower swimmers in every age group. The active drag coefficient improved for preteenagers, but not for teenagers.
Research shows that faster swimmers have lower active and passive drag coefficients than slower swimmers, and are, therefore, more technically proficient. The active drag coefficient also shows technique improvements by age and from instructional intervention. Dr. Rod Havriluk is a sport scientist and consultant who specializes in swimming technique instruction and analysis. His newest ebooks in the “Approaching Perfect Swimming” series are “Optimal Stroke Technique” and “Swimming Without Pain,” and are available at swimmingtechnology.com. Contact Rod through info@swimmingtechnology.com. All scientific documentation relating to this article, including scientific principles, studies and research papers, can be provided upon demand.
FIG. 4 >> After a short-term instructional intervention, younger teenagers significantly decreased their active drag coefficient in butterfly and backstroke, and older teenagers significantly decreased their active drag coefficient in butterfly and breaststroke. The asterisks indicate statistically significant differences.
TOTAL ACCESS MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REFERENCES FOR THIS ARTICLE. NOT A TOTAL ACCESS MEMBER? YOU’RE JUST A CLICK AWAY: SWIMMINGWORLD.COM/VAULT
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GOLDMINDS
YOU ARE MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU ARE Who you are is not based on your swimming accomplishments. The qualities and capabilities you learn in training to be a swimmer help contribute to the person you are and who you will become.
O
ne of the inevitabilities of swimming competitively is coming to terms with winning and losing. It’s common for people to evaluate their swimming success— and even make judgments of themselves as human beings—by the number of medals they’ve won or the PRs they’ve swum or the representative teams in which they’ve been selected. Swimmers can get lost in the terminology of time and the rhetoric of records and feel like they’re defined by the level of swimming performance they’ve achieved: that they’re “ranked”—not just as athletes, but as people—by how far up the swimming ladder they’ve climbed. How many times, for example, have you heard a statement like, “They’re a national-level swimmer,” and immediately assumed that the athlete in question must possess some sort of talent or ability or mysterious quality that other swimmers don’t have? Believe it or not, being a national-level swimmer or a successful SWIM MART
REACH LONG
KICK STRONG
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swimmer at any level doesn’t make you a good person. Medals, PRs and podium glory do not make you a wonderful human being. In fact, just the opposite is true: Being a good person and a wonderful human being is what will make you a successful swimmer. Your level of swimming success does not define you as a person. You are not a “national” swimmer in isolation! You’re an amazing human being, capable of doing some many remarkable things in your life. You’re a student, a friend, a family member and a hundred other things...who ALSO may happen to swim fast enough to compete at various levels, including the national championships. But remember: You are so much more than your swimming performances! Whether you believe your swimming career is a success or a failure, if you win or you lose, if you’ve experienced the highest levels of achievement or suffered the lowest moments of disappointment...you are more than you think you are—so much, much more. 1. You’re a hard worker. Let’s face it: Swimming is a tough sport. Early mornings, late afternoon sessions, long, challenging meets—it’s not easy. But you do it, you choose to do it, and you do it over and over again. Most people run away from hard work and tough situations, yet you willingly and courageously challenge yourself day after day after day. At 5 a.m. when 99% of the world is looking for ways to get more rest, you jump out of bed and look forward to working hard in the pursuit of the realization of
[ Photo Courtesy: Matt Rubel Photography ]
BY WAYNE GOLDSMITH
your swimming dreams. 2. You’re a tough, resilient human being. Swimming is also a sport where you have to learn to deal with setbacks and disappointments. You know you will lose many more races than you win. Yet, in spite of this, you’ve learned to overcome those setbacks and defy those disappointments and keep working relentlessly toward your goals. You get knocked down, but you get back up... and fight and fight and fight again. 3. You’re great at working on a team. Every day you demonstrate that you can work as part of a team. You know that nothing brings out your best more than inspiring, encouraging and motivating other people—who, in turn, inspire, encourage and motivate you! You’ve learned that “a rising tide lifts all boats,” and that there’s nothing as enjoyable or as satisfying as working together with other motivated people as part of a committed, passionate team.
able to focus and concentrate on learning new skills, on pacing accurately, on mastering race strategies.... In a world of “noise,” you have the ability to remain focused on the things that matter. You can block out the things that could limit your ability to realize your potential, and you’re able to remain centered on the important opportunities to learn, to grow and to improve. 7. You’re a brilliant time manager. The world is built around deadlines—getting things done when they need to get done. Flights have to leave on time. Buses and trains depend on schedules. And you thrive in an environment where the clock CONTINUED ON 38 >>
4. You’re OK with showing people—in public—what you’re made of: When so many people prefer not to be measured or assessed or evaluated, you actively seek opportunities to say to the world: “Here I am—this is what I am made of.” You stand on the blocks in front of hundreds—sometimes thousands—of strangers, and proudly declare: “I am here, I’ll do my best, and you can see my achievements for yourself.” While the majority of people avoid public scrutiny, you are happy to pursue moments in which your best is on display for all to see. 5. You’re a goal setter and goal achiever. Every business sets goals and strives to achieve them. Every government, every organization, every successful person realizes their potential by setting difficult, challenging and demanding goals, and then working hard to see those goals become reality. Every day, in the pool, in the gym and even away from training and competition, you live in a world of setting and achieving goals that puts you on the same page as some of the world’s most successful people. You establish a target—something you know is just beyond your reach—then you give all you’ve got to stretch that reach a little farther. 6. You’re able to concentrate and focus. The world is full of distractions. From the moment you wake up each morning, there’s social media, TV, gaming, friends, schoolwork, family—and, of course, there’s swimming training and competition. In this distraction-filled world, you’re JUNE 2022
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GOLDMINDS / Continued from 37
is king! From the moment your alarm sounds in the morning for workout...to getting to training on time...to hitting the water right at 5:30 a.m., you’re a master of time management. You’ve learned that the belief of “near-enough is good-enough” IS NOT OK when it comes to being on time. And you routinely juggle school, training, meals, rest, recovery, competition and down time just to be all you can be...with a precision that would make an Army general jealous. 8. You’re a disciplined person. Discipline has a bad rap. Most people think it’s got something to do with doing something wrong. But discipline is the very cornerstone of success in every field of endeavour. It means living a lifestyle that keeps you directly connected with the achievement of your goals. As a competitive swimmer, you live a disciplined life in which it’s your commitment and dedication to the achievement of your goals that keeps you focused on doing what needs to be done at the right time in the right way. You’ve learned, “If it is to be, it is up to me!” v Wayne Goldsmith has worked with swimmers, coaches, swimming clubs, swimming parents, sports scientists and swimming organizations all over the world for more than 30 years. He has contributed to Swimming World Magazine for more than two decades. He is one of the world’s leading experts in elite-level swimming and high-performance sport. Be sure to check out Goldsmith’s websites at www.wgaquatics.com and www.wgcoaching.com.
SUMMARY 1.
Swimming fast doesn’t make you a remarkable person: Being a remarkable person is what will help you to swim fast.
2. A national-level swimmer is not “better”— i.e., a better person than a state-level swimmer or a club-level swimmer. They’re just faster or more experienced...or they’ve trained more! 3. Try to think beyond times and PRs and representative teams and qualifying standards. If you swim regularly and you consistently give your best in everything you do, you’ve developed many qualities and capabilities that are more valuable than you realize...and more precious than the gold in any medal! YOU ARE MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU ARE.
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SPECIAL SETS
ANNIE CHANDLER: MATT GREVERS’ BETTER HALF
Annie Chandler, wife of Olympic gold medalist Matt Grevers and mom of two girls, Skylar (5) and Grace (2), was quite the swimmer when she was in high school, college and as a national team member. Here are some of her memorable sets from assistant coach Greg Rhodenbaugh while she was swimming for the University of Arizona. BY MICHAEL J. STOTT
e patient when trolling the internet for Annie Chandler’s swimming accomplishments. That’s because countless clips of Matt Grevers’ podium proposal of marriage at the Missouri Grand Prix precedes all else. When you do find her achievements, you will discover this: She was a team captain and three-time Texas high school breaststroke champion for Churchill High School in San Antonio. As a University of Arizona Wildcat, she was again a team captain, seven-time NCAA champion, 18-time CSCAA All-American, Pac10 Woman of the Year and finalist for the NCAA Woman of the Year award (2011). On the larger stage, she was a USA Swimming national team member, two-time Pan American gold medalist and a two-time World University Games podium finisher. A talented basketball and volleyball player when young, Chandler committed to club swimming at age 12. Athletic genes (pro football players in the family), a 6-1 frame and natural speed provided an athletic foundation for the Tucson-bound freshman. As a high school junior in 2005, Chandler set the Texas high school state record in the 100 breast with a 1:00.72—a record that wasn’t broken until 2018—then turned in the nation’s fastest prep time as a senior (1:00.94). When Chandler arrived at the Hillenbrand Aquatic Center in the fall of 2006, she joined forces with assistant coach Greg Rhodenbaugh (himself a breaststroker and five-time CSCAA AllAmerican) who introduced her to advanced breaststroke training. As a result, she finished second, third and fourth at NCAAs in the 100 breast before winning the top prize as a senior in an NCAA meet record 58.06. That performance—swum the year after tech suits were declared illegal—was the only time to break an individual record at that year’s NCAAs. In the 200 breast, she garnered 14th, eighth, seventh and third. She also became a breaststroke fixture on the Wildcat medley relays as the women claimed six firsts and one second in the 200 and 400 events from 2007-10. MEMORABLE SETS “My all-time favorite Wednesday afternoon set,” says Chandler, was simple: • 20 x 50 easy/fast on 1:00 with credit “We’d also do 10 x 100 EZ/fast. I didn’t like that as much, but it felt the most productive for the same reasons—you could focus on one thing and really etch it into your stroke. These sets empowered
[ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ]
B
>> In 2010 as a University of Arizona senior, Annie Chandler won the 100 breast in 58.06 and placed third in the 200 breast (2:07.68). Both of those times remain school records today.
me because my best times always came during the final two efforts. I could see tangible improvements. I also remember having some epic duels with freshman Ellyn Baumgartner (ultimately an eighttime CSCAA A-A) my senior year. She was a really talented breaststroker. “The other secret weapons in Rhody’s training arsenal were his breaststroke pull sets every M-W-F morning. We’d get rocked by a really tough IM set and always knew there was a breaststroke pull set coming to bookend the workout. “It was 8 to 16 x 75—depending on time left in practice—on descending intervals by sets of four. We’d do 4 x 75 buoy and paddles on 1:10, then 4 on 1:05, then 4 on 1:00—which was basically a 300 pull for me. This pull work was great to simulate the lactate buildup you had in your forearms at the end of any breaststroke race,” says Chandler. v Michael J. Stott is an ASCA Level 5 coach, golf and swimming writer. His critically acclaimed coming-of-age golf novel, “Too Much Loft,” is in its second printing, and is available from store. Bookbaby.com, Amazon, B&N and book distributors worldwide. TOTAL ACCESS MEMBERS CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE ANNIE CHANDLER SETS FROM ARIZONA ASSISTANT COACH GREG RHODENBAUGH. NOT A TOTAL ACCESS MEMBER? YOU’RE JUST A CLICK AWAY: SWIMMINGWORLD.COM/VAULT
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Individual Membership..............................................................$100 Family Membership....................................................................$150 Legacy Membership................................................................... $300 Corporate Membership..............................................................$1000 T-Shirt / Polo / Jacket Sizes - o S o M oL oXL o XXL I also want to make a tax-deductible donor contribution in the amount of $_______________________Donate Now o Donation In Honor of My Coach
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COACHING
ABI
LIU
Q&A
Abi Liu, an international swimming silver medalist and now the head coach of Bellevue Swim Club in Washington, endured and benefited from the state-run Chinese training system. Today, she is also an entrepreneur and champion of professional female and LBGT causes. BY MICHAEL J. STOTT
Q. SWIMMING WORLD: How did you get your start in swimming? A. COACH ABI LIU: I started swimming at age 8 in the small southern Chinese town of Wenzhou. At 9, I was recruited to the local sports school where I went to school in the morning and trained in the afternoon. At age 14, I was recruited and left home to swim for the Chinese national team in Beijing. SW: As a youngster and an accomplished international 200 meter backstroker, you didn’t participate in many meets. When did you realize you could compete with the world’s best? AL: Chinese swimming typically doesn’t have the same competition model as the U.S. We trained 13 workouts a week yearround and raced three big meets a year. When I broke the Chinese national short course meters record at the age of 16, I realized I could go far. SW: And then morph into a life as a coach? AL: In my first college year, I took some computer science courses and realized I really had no interest in being an engineer even though I excelled in mathematics. When I kept coming back to my first true passion—swimming—I gave up my full swimming scholarship at the University Nevada-Reno and moved to the (San Francisco) Bay Area and began coaching at a local swim club. SW: Who were some influences along the way? AL: My very first coach, Jian Yue Chen, taught me that technique is the key to success no matter what the age and level. My parents have been extremely supportive even though they didn’t swim. My mom still doesn’t know how. I’ve had great mentors like Gregg Troy. Another has been my best friend of 35 years, Olympic gold medalist and former Chinese national team-
mate Le Jingyi. SW: As a coach, how do you learn and evolve? AL: I’ve always had a passion for learning. I constantly research and think of new ways to approach training and well-being. I am also a strong relationship builder. Over the years of attending meets and meeting coaches, I have built a vast network of people with whom to share ideas and opportunities to grow. I investigate principles and ideas from other sports—everything from basketball, golf, track and field and even hip-hop dancing...at which my former swimmer, Ethan Hu of Stanford, is great. SW: After nine years at Peak Swimming in San Jose, Calif., you moved to Bellevue, Wash. Has the opportunity there lived up to your expectations and allowed more time for coaching? AL: 100%. We have an amazing staff and incredible leadership team at Bellevue. We share a common goal of making our team really fast and building future leaders. The respect and trust we have has created an environment where, as a team, we take care of our athletes together. The support structure—from both the Bellevue Club and the boosters board—allows me to do many things I have wanted to do for years, but have been unable to do because of funding or resource shortfall. For example, we recently purchased some underwater videotaping and analysis equipment, and we offer enhanced stroke analysis to our team. We also hosted a forum featuring the parents of Olympians. SW: You say you don’t coach “what,” but “how.” Any examples? AL: Let’s say a swimmer overreaches upon entry in freestyle. Some might suggest keeping the arms extended forward and not crossing the midline. I’d look at the stroke as a whole first and investigate how the other arm functions and how the kick as-
Abi Liu Head Coach Bellevue Club Swim Team Bellevue, Washington •
San Jose State University, B.S., kinesiology, 2005
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Head coach, Bellevue Club Swim Team, 2021-present
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Founder/head coach, Peak Swimming (San Jose, Calif.), 2010-21
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COO/head coach, Saratoga and Milpitas Star Aquatics (San Jose, Calif.), 2010-21
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Aquatics director, Stanford University, 2006-10
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USA Swimming junior national team coach, 2019, 2020
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Head coach, National Select Camp, 2021
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Pacific Swimming coach of the year, 2019
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Pacific Swimming age group coach of the year, 2009, 2016
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Head coach, USA Swimming Diversity Camp, 2017
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Silicon Valley Business Journal Women of Influence honoree, 2017
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Member, USA Swimming LGBT Cultural Inclusion Group
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ASCA Level 5 coach
Abi Liu was a member of the Chinese national team from 1989-96. A two-time national champion in the 200 meter backstroke, Abi won a gold medal in the event at the 1993 FINA World Cup as well as a silver medal at the 1994 Asian Games. CONTINUED ON 43 >> JUNE 2022
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PROGRESSION OF TIMES SCY
2018-19
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
100 Breast
1:10.35
1:07.75
1:03.29
59.83
200 Breast
2:31.47
2:25.89
2:15.33
2:09.09
—
—
1:11.50
1:08.12
LC 100 Breast
day off. She’s a true leader and team player,” says Liu. “Piper’s success and that of our program is a reflection of the amazing talent of our team. Out of the pool, Coach Ash Milad has created a swimming-specific dryland program tailored with each swimmer’s growth and progress, which has contributed greatly to the upward progression we’ve seen. “Following is a sample test set we did a few weeks ago in our home short course meters pool.”
PIPER ENGE
BY MICHAEL J. STOTT
M
ercer Island (Wash.) High School has an impressive aquatic heritage, boasting 23 boys’ and girls’ state titles, two Olympic medalists (Nancy Ramey, Mary Wayte) and NCAA swimming and water polo All-American Megan Oesting. Wayte and Oesting won eight Washington state high school titles between them. The latest in this lineage is rising junior Piper Enge, who is ranked by collegeswimming.com (Swimcloud) as Washington’s No. 1 female recruit (eighth nationally) in the Class of 2024. Last fall, Enge won championships in state record and NISCA A-A times in the 100 yard breast (1:00.44) and 200 IM (1:59.92). She also recorded the second fastest breaststroke split in the 200 medley relay (28.92) and the fastest split (49.50) of all 64 competitors for her team’s second-place 400 free relay. But wait, there’s more. At the Winter Juniors-West in December, she posted a 59.83 and 2:09.09 in the 100 and 200 yard breaststrokes. In March’s TYR Pro Series-Westmont meet, she clocked a 1:08.12 in the 100 LC version, making her the fifth fastest 15-year-old ever (and 10th in 15-16) in that event. At the Phillips 66 International Team Trials in April, Enge’s 1:08.12 stood fourth among American women. At the meet, she qualified 10th (1:09.27), then finished 11th overall with a 1:08.95. In the 200 breast, her 2:32.90 placed 17th. Enge’s accomplishments aren’t terribly surprising to her coach, Abi Liu: “I admire many things about Piper as a swimmer and as a person. But the things that stand out the most are her work ethic, how genuine and how supportive she is of others. She loves to race and is a fierce competitor. “She will often come up after a tough race and say how much fun she is having. Her love for the sport and her true passion to compete have made her a pleasure to coach. “She’s always looking for ways to improve and puts in the hard work. She’s so dedicated that at times I have to force her to take a 42
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2 x 50 swim @ :50
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50 active recovery @ :50
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2 x 50 @ :55 (add 4 x 50 times, beat the previous 200 total time)
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200 active recovery
3x through: Piper went breaststroke for the first (2:34, 2:32) and third (2:28, 2:25) rounds, and IM (2:21, 2:16) for the second round. v
[ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ]
HOW THEY TRAIN
SAMPLE TEST SET • 75 swim w/dive @ 1:05 + 75 swim @ 1:10 + 50 swim w/ dive @ 3:30 Total time: 200 LCM BT - 8:00
Q&A / Continued from 41
sists the body line. If the other arm is swinging sideways, does it create a momentum that causes the entry arm to overcompensate by crossing over? Or is the kicking not consistently supporting the body with the resulting instability causing the overreaching? When it comes to motor learning, coaches need to examine the whole-versuspart concept—observing the outcome as a whole and then approaching with solutions in separate parts.
est with them about what they need to do to reach their goals. I’m not a sugar coater. I believe in honest feedback because I want my swimmers to succeed in both the pool and in life. SW: In workouts, you have your swimmers swim above and below each other. AL: This is a fun one! We introduce the concept around age 14. By this time, each swimmer will have had consistent underwater partner kicking training. It takes the “work” out of the workout. In fact, we do a lot of partner activities to encourage teamwork.
SW: Talk about vertical stroke work on land? AL: This exercise allows swimmers to see what they are doing and actually increases the accuracy of the stroke and builds muscle memory. The main sensory system that swimmers rely on while in the pool is their proprioception. The common confusion is what they feel does not necessarily match what is actually happening.
SW: Favorite test sets are 1 x 1000 free and 5 x 400 IM. How often do you do those? AL: Once a month. The resulting data reveals information on the athletes’ total aerobic capacity, technical ability, efficiency and mental toughness. SW: Core, power and mobility work daily—any other elements to your dynamic warm-up? AL: Breathing and meditation. With the lungs being a part of the muscular system, it’s very beneficial to do daily workouts
SW: If coaching is an art, doesn’t that require you to teach and coach from within—and approach each swimmer differently? AL: Yes. The best part of coaching is continuing to learn and evolve by challenging oneself to better understand that every swimmer is different. And not just in training, but in providing a safe place to support the emotional challenges that come with being an athlete.
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SW: Honesty—the best gift a coach can give. Explain. AL: As a coach, I try to help my swimmers understand the importance of honesty and transparency. That applies to both swimmer and coach. If they are honest and transparent with me, I will always be direct and hon-
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SW: From an early age, your coaches ingrained the importance of technique. Isn’t that a staple of your coaching philosophy? AL: As a young swimmer, I was taught that technique was key to swimming faster. And practice made perfect. I ALWAYS did my practice sets and believed that following through and doing the work would help me achieve my goals.
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that warm up the lungs and practice ways to calm the mind. SW: You are pretty big on flexibility and range of motion, too. AL: Joint and muscle flexibility are key to a full range of motion, which allows the muscle fibers to contract fully and results in increased power output and stroke efficiency. Swimmers with better flexibility and more pliable muscles have lower injury rates. Unfortunately, as athletes mature, their flexibility declines. It is crucial to apply appropriate daily flexibility training at all ages and levels. SW: Where are you on the quality-versus-quantity spectrum? AL: The right process brings great results. It’s never about how much you do. It’s always about what you do...and the quality of the effort. SW: The National Select Camp in Chula Vista, Calif. was high-energy. What is the value of the camps in general and to the coaches and athletes in particular? AL: It was an honor to be the head coach of the 2021 National Select Camp. It really gave me a comprehensive view of the next generation of Team USA Women’s Swimming and the amazing leadership among these women. SW: You have upwards of 250 pairs of shoes. Have you actually worn all of them? AL: Ha! No, I have not. Actually, 40% of my shoes have never been worn or have been out of the box. These sneakers are more like collectibles and a great investment! I’ve been known to “double up” on some favorite pairs, so I have “one to stock and one to rock”! v
Michael J. Stott is an ASCA Level 5 coach, golf and swimming writer. His critically acclaimed coming-of-age golf novel, “Too Much Loft,” is in its second printing, and is available from store.Bookbaby. com, Amazon, B&N and book distributors worldwide. JUNE 2022
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JUNIOR SWIMMER
UP & COMERS AGE GROUP SWIMMER OF THE MONTH BY SHOSHANNA RUTEMILLER
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welve-year-old Ellie Stanley has been tearing up the pool this season! The Prime Aquatics (Alcoa, Tenn.) swimmer holds seven team records in the 11-12 100 yard freestyle (55.42), 50 backstroke (28.70), 50-100-200 butterfly (26.23, 57.40, 2:13.31) and 100 IM (1:01.53). In addition to her individual accomplishments, Stanley is a dynamite relay performer, playing a big part in her team’s 200 medley relay wins at Age Group Sectionals in March and Southeasterns in February. Stanley, along with teammates Anna Curtis, Efrosini Kerny and Harper Dickson, turned in a top time of 1:53.81 at Sectionals. “Ellie has an incredible ability to make quick adjustments in the water,” says Coach Kayla Griffin. “From adjusting race plans to major or minor technique changes, she is quick to adapt and is always willing to learn.” Outside of the pool, Stanley is a self-motivated and highly focused student. In her free time, she enjoys playing the cello, doing Cricut projects and spending time with her younger sister, Sadie. WHAT IS THE BEST THING YOU DO IN SWIMMING? I always try to work on all of my strokes to improve my technique and listen to the advice from my coaches so I can get better in everything. On my team, we talk a lot about building up and supporting our teammates, so I try to do that. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TOUGHEST WORKOUTS/ SETS YOU’VE DONE? One of the toughest sets I have ever done is 4 x 25, 3 x 50, 2 x 75, 1x 100 (all max effort) three times. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT SWIMMING? One of the things I love about the culture of swimming is that everyone is always super-supportive and cheering for their teammates. Another is that we get to know swimmers who we compete against from other teams and follow their swims.
WHO IS SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO IN SWIMMING...AND WHY? Someone I look up to is Claire Curzan because she is always very, very positive and nice to everyone. She is also really good at butterfly, and I love watching her because she inspires me. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES? I love to go camping, travel to the beach, ride my unicycle, bake and play with my two Boston Terriers. 44
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[ Photo Courtesy: Randy Stanley ]
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS YEAR? This year I am looking forward to LC Southeasterns because I get to see and race against a bunch of girls I have been racing against for a very long time. And I also, hopefully, will go my best times.
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GUTTERTALK
BY DAVID RIEDER | PHOTOS BY PETER H. BICK
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO QUALIFY FOR THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM? The following responses are from swimmers who were returning to major competition after missing 2021: RYAN HELD 4x100 FR It feels super good. Just going into this race tonight, I was just so nervous, and it feels so good just to get that mental monkey off my back of this fluke 12-person rule that kept me home from last year. It wasn’t even close to a best time, but it was still a time to make the team. It was, ‘Finally, OK. I can reset now.’ Mentally, it’s behind me. I’ve proven to myself that I can do the race and move on.... Honestly, behind the blocks, I was thinking to myself, obviously I want to get that individual spot, but I just wanted to get on the team—just get on the team, just get over this hump. I was shooting for just getting on the team to get over that hurdle.
MALLORY COMERFORD 400 Freestyle Relay It was the happiest I have been after a race for a long time. I walked out crying after they told me I was going to Budapest. It was amazing.... I am so excited. I am super pumped to be on the team again and be in that environment. I am really excited to be on the relay with these girls, some of whom I have never been on a relay with before. I want to help them and be there for them, but also learn from them because they are crushing it. LEAH SMITH 400 and 800 Freestyle, 4x200 FR It definitely means a lot to me. I was pretty emotional after my 800, and I’m not really an emotional person unless I do bad. That was really cool, and it felt like
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GUTTERTALK / Continued from 45
such a journey. It’s hard to believe it was just 10 months ago, but I think this year, I’ve just had an added level of gratitude of what I’ve been doing. The following responses are from swimmers who are new to major international competition: CARSON FOSTER 200 and 400 IM, 4x200 FR (After the 200 freestyle): I can’t even put it into words how much of a relief it is. I feel like I’ve been there for so long, coming close and coming up a little bit short. I knew I had it in me.... I just tried to stick with Drew (Kibler) and Kieran (Smith). Legs started hurting a little bit earlier than they did this morning, but the final is all about racing, so I’m happy with it (finishing third and making the relay). CHARLIE SWANSON 200 Breaststroke It’s super exciting. I came in here with the 400 IM at the front of my mind. It was nice being third seed (in the 200 breast). It was exciting. I knew I had to go out really fast at the start of the race (second at the 50 and first at the 100 and 150) because a lot of the guys are back-halfers. I thought if I got really far ahead, I could hold on, and that’s what happened
(finishing second), so it worked out really well. CLAIRE WEINSTEIN 200 Freestyle, 4x200 FR
(Pictured, right, with Las Vegas Sandpipers teammate, Bella Sims, 4x200 FR)
It meant a lot. It was nice. It was a fun race, and it was great to drop time.... I kind of came into the meet thinking it would be a possibility that I would make the relay. In prelims, I was just trying to make the final. In finals, I was just trying to get top-six, so it was cool to get top-two. LEAH HAYES 200 IM Honestly, I don’t like to put expectations on myself. I just wanted to swim and have fun. To make the team, it’s definitely quite a surprise to me. I’m honored, and I’m looking forward to everything that’s going to happen.... It’s still quite a shock. As we were getting our pictures taken and I was standing with all these incredible athletes, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh!’ I had a conversation with Katie Ledecky and with Lilly King—What in the world? So many incredible athletes, and it’s just humbling to be around them.
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Mallory Comerford gives a wave following the 50 freestyle at the 2022 Phillips 66 U.S. International Team Trials. Comerford qualified for World Championships as a member of the women’s 400 freestyle relay. [ Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick ] JUNE 2022
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