Social Kick

Linnea Mack & Mark Nikolaev Premier League Swimming Episode 216

Make Swimming Fun!

Premier League Swimming is shaking things up down under, with a new type of fast-paced swimming competition in a league format that maximizes the fun and eliminates the boring.

Established in 2018, this independent swim league created a swimming product to bring swimming communities together from all around the world to enjoy a pool swimming experience like no other, which includes world-class swimmers like Linnea Mack and Mark Nikolaev, who join us for a fun, laughter filled episode sharing how the PLS works and some brainstorming ideas, including how to improve our draft stock if the Social Kick team elects to make a comeback that no one wants to see.

Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

Rylee Erisman Teenage Sprint Sensation Episode 215

That’s what we love about these high school swimmers. We keep getting older. They keep getting faster. Record smasher Rylee Erisman, at only 15, is a national record holder, Olympic Trials finalist, and has already donned the sought after black American flag finals cap to collect some gold medals for Team USA.

Shortly after the Olympic Trials, she swam a time that would have put her on the Paris Olympic team, and she’s only a couple tenths away from surpassing World Record holder Gretchen Walsh as the fastest high schooler ever.

We put on our best GenZ impression to relate to this one who absolutely slays.

Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

Ryan Murphy BackStroke Master Episode 214

They say ‘the game slows down’ for the best athletes in sport. Maybe that’s why Ryan Murphy always seems to bring out his best swims in the biggest moments, which have made him one of the best swimmers in the world over the last decade.

Team USA’s stalwart backstroke ace, Ryan Murphy became a superstar in Rio where he swept gold medals in the backstrokes and broke the 100m World Record leading off Team USA’s gold medal winning relay, helping to deliver Michael Phelps his final Olympic gold medal. Since then, the young star has become the elder statesman, a perennial captain of the US squad and always adding to his trophy case with more medals collected this summer in Paris. But as time goes by, life evolves, and so it has for Ryan Murphy.

A soon to be dad, Ryan joins us for a chat during a period where his other life pursuits are taking priority, although he is still in touch with the water a few times a week.

Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

Yusra Mardini Talks Life After The Swimmers Episode 213

There’s enough space on this planet for everyone. Syrian refugee and 2x Olympic swimmer Yusra Mardini had some of her life’s defining moments depicted in the Netflix film The Swimmers.

A member of the inaugural IOC Refugee team, Yusra has become a global figure advocating on behalf of refugees and displaced communities, and through her Yusra Mardini Foundation, helps advance access to sports and education for refugee communities around the world while also helping them excel as they rebuild their lives.

Yusra is now enrolled in film school at USC and while competitive swimming has taken a back seat to the many other priorities on her plate, she still makes time to stay fit and enjoy a conversation with some laughs talking about swimming and about life.

Kasia Wilk Wasick Is Not Slowing Down Episode 212

Five Olympics and counting! Sprint master Kasia Wilk Wasick returns for another episode to catch us up on the World Cup, where she took the crown for winning the 50m Freestyle at all 3 stops and in the process dialed in her short course race execution that she will carry in the upcoming Short Course World Championships in Budapest. Kasia also shares her experience at the Paris Olympics, where she hoped to win a medal following her bronze medal performance and first time under 24 seconds at the World Championships earlier in the year.

The disappointment of not achieving the goal is one many athletes and all humans can relate to, and Kasia provides a great example of how to use those times and benefit from them, as it forced her to reflect on why she swims and to realize the results are only one part of the joy she gets from being an elite competitive swimmer.

Kasia is yet another example of elite athletes peaking into their 30s and has no plans to slow down, telling us maybe she has 8 total Olympics to her name when all is said and done.

Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

Ilya Kharun - Double Olympic Medalist - Episode 211

Friend of the pod and now 2-time Olympic medalist Ilya Kharun returns to catch us up on his massive summer. Last time we spoke with Ilya a year ago he was making waves in his first college dual meets and training with Bob Bowman at Arizona State. A lot has happened since then.

The Sun Devils won their first NCAA team championship, Ilya became an individual NCAA champ in the 200 fly, then Bob Bowman left ASU for Texas, leaving Ilya among some of the prominent athletes that had to make a decision about their future during critical months ahead of the Paris Olympics.

Ilya decided to remain at ASU and train with now-Head Coach Herbie Behm, and he went on to realize his potential in a huge way at the Olympics, winning matching bronze medals in both the 100 and 200 fly in Paris, both in personal best times in the Olympic finals. Now Ilya is back on campus with the boys and the face of ASU swimming. With some major losses in the transfer portal (Hubert Kos, Owen McDonald, Zalan Sarkany) and the loss of Leon Marchand, many people are counting this year’s Sun Devils out, but Ilya and the squad are motivated and are out to prove the doubters wrong.

Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

Mary-Sophie Harvey - Canada's Reliable Super Star - Episode 210

Mary-Sophie Harvey is a Canadian Olympian and one of the world’s most versatile swimmers. A two-time Olympian, Mary-Sophie has accomplished a feat that few swimmers do - swimming her best time in the Olympic final. However, for Mary-Sophie it was somewhat bittersweet because she left the Paris Olympics having finished in 4th place in 4 different events.

On the positive side, being 4th in the world is amazing, but Mary-Sophie will be hungry for a taste of her first Olympic medal as she looks ahead to Los Angeles 2028. Mary-Sophie has just completed a strong World Cup season with some key wins while showcasing the rare versatility that puts her among the world’s best swimmers in every stroke.

Up next are the Short Course World Championships where Mary-Sophie is a threat in so many events, she asked for our opinion on which events she should swim.

Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

Spyros Chrysikopoulos World Record 358km in 7 straight days - Episode 209

Do you ever get bored swimming? He doesn’t. Do you ever get tired swimming? He doesn’t. Do your shoulders hurt swimming? His don’t. This man has swam 358.2km (222.6 mi) in a single week, earning him the Guinness World Record for most meters swum in a week in a 50m pool.

No stranger to ultra endurance mega efforts, Spyros Chrysikopoulos has also taken on gnarly open water marathon challenges that require him to swim for 30+ hours straight across the open ocean, and he has also once swum over 90km in a single day!!

So what have you accomplished today?

John Mason - The Face and Energy of World Aquatics - Episode 208

John Mason is a much sought after TV host and correspondent. His natural on-screen energy and versatility have established him as a regular personality in the European & international markets, particularly in Olympic aquatic sports.

John has been the face of the FINA Swimming World Cup Series for the last four years. In addition, he has covered some of the biggest events in the world for Eurosport, BBC Sport, Channel 5 and FINA TV including, the European Championships, World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Diving World Series. John was born in Australia and after graduating from Charles Sturt University, he moved to London and started his career as a model. Shortly after, he served as the host of the Elite Model Look Competition – a worldwide search for the next fashion superstar.

He is an avid competitive Crossfitter and enjoys being creative in the culinary art world. John prides himself on staying connected to the trends in pop culture, music, and travel – he has been to thirty-two countries and counting. As an out gay man, he is also an activist for LGBTQI visibility and human rights.

Tatjana Smith Schoenmaker Greatest Female Breaststroke Swimmer of All Time Episode 207

In this episode, we sit down with South African breaststroke sensation Tatjana Schoenmaker Smith, one of the most accomplished swimmers of her generation. At just 27 years old, Tatjana has already etched her name in swimming history, from breaking the world record in the 200m breaststroke at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics to becoming a two-time Olympic gold medalist, a world champion, and the most decorated South African Olympic athlete of all time. We dive into Tatjana’s incredible journey, from her roots in Johannesburg to representing South Africa on the global stage at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics.

Tatjana shares insights into her breakthrough moment in Tokyo when she shattered the 200m breaststroke world record with a 2:18.95, a feat that cemented her legacy. She talks about the highs and lows of competing at the top level, including her record-breaking gold at the 2023 World Championships—making history as the first South African woman to claim gold in swimming at the World Swimming Championships.

We also discuss how Tatjana continued to evolve through the quad—balancing her focus between Olympics, World Championships, and Commonwealth Games. From her stellar performances in 2022 to her return to form in 2024, Tatjana provides a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to stay at the top of the sport.

Plus, we talk about the unique challenges and rewards of representing South Africa on the world stage. Tatjana's journey is one of resilience, determination, and immense success.

Listen for insights from arguably the best breaststroker of all-time.