![Annie Lazor is a Sprinter!]()
June 21, 2022
For the past two summers, Annie Lazor has delivered dramatic finishes during qualifying at US trials, first by coming 3rd in the 100 breast at Olympic trials, only to turn around and win the 200 breast and go on to earn bronze in Tokyo, then in 2022, finishing 3rd in her signature 200 at World Champs trials and coming back days later to finish 2nd and earn an individual swim in the 100. Talk about resilience. Annie’s story is one progress, but with many stops along the way (Ohio State, Auburn, retirement / Cal, then Indiana).
That’s right! She once retired, and after some time off and inspiration from a friend, decided to jump back in the pool. Now she’s an Olympic medalist, and one of the best breaststrokers in the world.
Annie is a great time, and is full of energy.
We had so much fun with this one.
Enjoy!
@socialkickswim www.socialkickswim.com
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![Six years at Stanford and Grant Shoults wants more!]()
June 9, 2022
All athletic careers must come to an end, and frankly, it’s quite an achievement to become so good at swimming that your accomplishments can be summed up as a “career” from which you “retire.”
A high school phenom turned Stanford standout and USA National Team member, Grant Shoults’ career had many highlights along with obstacles to overcome.
A PAC-12 champion, Stanford record holder, and extra super senior (thanks to a medical redshirt + COVID year, he swam 6 years on The Farm), Grant recently made the difficult decision to walk away from competitive swimming as he enters medical school, but he walks away with his head held high, proud (as he should be), and he still makes time to get in and social kick.
Although shoulder problems that often plague distance swimmers derailed his career at times, his retirement plan includes 3x chest days a week in the gym, so we may just see Grant back as a sprinter soon enough.
Enjoy!
@socialkickswim
www.socialkickswim.com
SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLbmxjdMDo4UHcB9bEUWsQg
LISTEN: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-social-kick-podcast/id1478682639
FOLLOW: https://www.instagram.com/thesocialkickpodcast/
![Fink you know his story?]()
May 28, 2022
“You just gotta learn how to relax, dude.”
Nic Fink may be the coolest cucumber on Team USA, but it wasn’t always that way. Success early in his career set a high bar, leading Nic to put expectations and pressure on himself to perform.
After living through the 2016 Trials where he was a favorite to make the Olympic team only to finish 7th, Nic has had a career resurgence of late. He punched his ticket to the Tokyo Olympics where he made the final, then went to Short Course Worlds and won the 50 and the 200 (he now has the American record in all 3 short course meter breaststroke events), and recently earned a slot on the Worlds team in all 3 breaststroke distances with personal best times in the 50 and 100.
Life outside the pool is clicking too. Nic relocated from his UGA base to Atlanta to attend grad school at Georgia Tech (he stills wears his red underwear though) and he’s navigating the life of a professional swimmer, juggling commitments, adapting training to his needs, and trying to fit it all in while performing at a high level.
Seems to be working.
Enjoy!
@socialkickswim www.socialkickswim.com
SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLbmxjdMDo4UHcB9bEUWsQg
LISTEN: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-social-kick-podcast/id1478682639
FOLLOW: https://www.instagram.com/thesocialkickpodcast/
![Ilya Shymanovich on breaststroke “dolphin” kick, World Champs ban.]()
May 18, 2022
In this episode, we talk to Ilya Shymanovich, the breaststroke superstar who’s dominated in the short course pool, breaking the World Record multiple times, has close to 40 wins in his ISL career, is the 2021 Short Course World Champion, while also making the Olympic final. Ilya is from Belarus and athletes from Belarus and Russia have been banned from competing at this year’s World Championships and the European Championships, which would have been the “A” meets for Ilya, so his season plans are now in flux.
We talked with Ilya about his stroke technique, which is somewhat controversial in that he’s among a group of breaststrokers who use an undulating hip motion paired with a very narrow and quick kick, which can look like a dolphin kick.
We asked Ilya about the origins of this technique, the controversy around it, and also how he practices it to keep it within the rules.
Enjoy!
@socialkickswim
www.socialkickswim.com
SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLbmxjdMDo4UHcB9bEUWsQg
LISTEN: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-social-kick-podcast/id1478682639
FOLLOW: https://www.instagram.com/thesocialkickpodcast/
![Regan Smith vacations at the World Championships]()
May 9, 2022
She’s only 20, and Regan Smith is a Team USA veteran. A 3x Olympic medalist, 2019 World Champion (200 backstroke), and still holds the World Record in that event.
Our chat with Regan comes on the heels of her great meet at the US World Championship Trials, where for the 2nd summer in a row she qualified for the US team in the 200 butterfly and 100 backstroke (also the 50 back) and, perhaps surprisingly, did not earn an individual swim in what many considered her signature event, the 200 backstroke. So which event was Regan most satisfied with at Trials? Her 200 back! Duh.
Regan’s story is one of maturity and growth, as she had the brightest of spotlights shone on her in the lead up to the Tokyo Games, and has navigated the difficult transition from high school phenom to college swimmer (quite well given she won an NCAA title as a freshman!)
Regan is such a delight. We hope you enjoy this chat as much as we did.
Enjoy!
@socialkickswim
www.socialkickswim.com
SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLbmxjdMDo4UHcB9bEUWsQg
LISTEN: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-social-kick-podcast/id1478682639
FOLLOW: https://www.instagram.com/thesocialkickpodcast/
![Nick Albiero on shedding expectations and swimming free]()
April 25, 2022
Fresh off his 5th year at Louisville and a recent round of MBA exams, butterfly star Nick Albiero joins us to chat about taper leading into USA World Championship Trials (his 3rd taper meet in as many months!).
Despite Luke’s best efforts to convince Nick to compete for Brazil (where he has dual citizenship but “can’t speak Portuguese”), Nick is starting his pro swim career and looking to improve upon his 4th place finish in the 200 fly at the Olympic Trials and make the US team for Budapest.
Nick is the 2021 NCAA 200 fly champion, and we talk about translating short course success to long course, race strategy, and ISL prospects. Of course, family has had a huge influence on Nick’s career, with a family full of swimmers and his father Arthur Albiero the longtime head coach of Louisville, he shares how lack of pressure from his parents gave he and his siblings the freedom to choose their own passion, which just so happen to lead him to swimming on his own terms.
Enjoy!
@socialkickswim
www.socialkickswim.com
SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLbmxjdMDo4UHcB9bEUWsQg
LISTEN: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-social-kick-podcast/id1478682639
FOLLOW: https://www.instagram.com/thesocialkickpodcast/
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