Social Kick

Tom Dean is intent on defending his Olympic 200 Free crown

No one has ever repeated as Olympic champion in the 200 free. Will Tom Dean be the first? Even if Ariarne Titmus defends her title, the men’s 200 final happens before the women’s.

To accomplish a feat not even the likes of greats like Ian Thorpe, Katie Ledecky, nor Michael Phelps has done, Tom Dean will need to fend off some serious challengers like super phenom David Popovici, the current 100 meter freestyle world record holder, and British countryman Duncan Scott, among many others.

But swimming fast in an Olympic final is something few people know how to do, and Tom Dean has proven he is one of those people, so you better believe that come 200 freestyle day in Paris, we’ll order up some Bangers & Mash and have a few pints to cheer on this jolly good fellow. Until then, we’ll keep up with him on his podcast, The Weekly Freestyle. Cheerio.

(They do say that, right?)

Enjoy!

Ben Proud is the reigning World, European and Commonwealth Champion in the LCM 50m Freestyle.

On the heels of the best season of his career, World and Commonwealth 50m Freestyle swim champ Ben Proud is getting his mind and body right for the next 18 months before the push to Paris.

What better place to do that than immersed in the ohana of Hawaii, with Aloha Aquatica sprint guru Elliot Ptasnik? Ben, Elliot, and 2x Olympic Champ Anthony Ervin spend their days on Oahu sprinting 8-15 meters at a time, nothing more, and building feel for the water and reducing load on their bodies by swimming in the ocean.

Now, that’s the ultimate sprinter life, and we are SO here for it. Enjoy!

 

Never Count Out Olympic Champion Roland Schoeman

In the mid 2000s, Olympic Swimming Champion Roland Schoeman was on top of his game, winning several world titles, breaking world records, and being the first person to legitimately scare the iconic 50m freestyle world record of the great Alexander Popov.

Roland Schoeman made a lengthy career as an elite sprinter, and changed the game for many others with his legendary start, a skill we go into in depth in this conversation. Roland Schoeman also tells the story of what led to the South Africans dominating win in the 4x100 freestyle relay at the Athens Olympic Games, one of the greatest moments in Olympic history.

He may not be finished yet, as he recently swam 19.2 in a 50 yard freestyle at the age of 42!

Enjoy!

World Championship Silver Medalist Phoebe Bacon Is Hungrier Than Ever

Olympian and World Championship Silver Medalist Backstoker Phoebe Bacon is after those marginal gains to win medals as one of the world’s best backstrokers.

Phoebe Bacon represented the USA at the Tokyo Olympics, finishing 5th in the 200 backstroke, then turned around the next year and nearly won a World Championship title in the same event but was barely touched out for gold, still 1.5 seconds faster than her Olympic swim. J

ust a junior in college, Phoebe Bacon is shining under the tutelage of legendary coach Yuri Suguiyama, known for developing Katie Ledecky into an Olympic champion.

No surprise to see Phoebe’s success and we expect more is on the way.

Oh, by the way… too many national teamers said we should talk to Phoebe because she’s just awesome, and they were right!

Enjoy!

Olympic Champion Lilly King Thrives Under Pressure

Not many swimmers, or athletes for that matter, are willing to speak their mind publicly. Olympic Champion Lilly King, however, has generated headlines for years, and not just based on her insane resume of swimming accomplishments as one of the best breaststrokers of all time.

Lilly has spoken openly against performance-enhancing drugs and competitors who have tested positive, unafraid of the spotlight her comments would bring upon her, and the subsequent pressure to perform well.

See, Lilly King is a straight shooter, and she thrives in the highest-pressure situations. What might faze others seems to bring out the best in Lilly King.

This is one of our favorite conversations ever on the podcast.

Enjoy!

Auburn Swimming Is Coming with Aidan and Nate Stoffle

In the late 90s and 2000s, the road to an NCAA title went through Auburn. From 2003-2007, Auburn men and women won 9 out of 10 possible team championships. While that dominant era seems like the distant past, this year’s team, led by Aidan and Nate Stoffle, is out to prove Auburn is headed back to the promised land - ahead of schedule.

Enter Ryan Wochomurka. In year two at the helm of his alma mater, Ryan’s Auburn Tiger men jumped from a 6th place finish at the Southeastern Conference Championships in 2022 to a solid 2nd place finish this year behind perennial winner Florida.

Aidan and Nate Stoffle are prime examples of just how Auburn is rebuilding - developing solid, but not superstar-level, prospects into consistent finalists in multiple events and contributing to top-3 relays.

The Stoffle brothers say Auburn is coming.

Get your popcorn ready. Enjoy!

Best college swimming & diving program ever?

The Texas men never seem to have down years - they just reload. Their legendary coach Eddie Reese continues to develop NCAA point scorers.

Jake Foster and Luke Hobson, both high school standouts that were destined to rack up points for the Longhorns, have certainly delivered on that promise. Jake Foster is a stalwart in IM finals, and in the past year has seen his breaststroke develop into a legitimate weapon, no longer just a “fun” event.

Luke Hobson is an NCAA relay champion and 2022 500 free 3rd place finisher who seems to be on a similar improvement path to so many of the great Texas freestylers - he recently swam a 1:31.8 200 yard freestyle in a dual meet!

Fast swimming is already here, and with Jake Foster and Luke Hobson, it's about to get even faster at the championship meets.

Hook ‘em!

Georgia and USA Swimming SuperStars Luca Urlando and Jake Magahey take us inside their team dynamic

Heading into the 2023 championship season, the Georgia men’s team looks very different at the top than in 2022. Gone is NCAA and Short Course World Champion Matthew Sates, and following a shoulder injury suffered mid race at the Indianapolis World Cup last fall, the Dawgs are without NCAA & American record holder Luca Urlando.

That’s a lot of points to replace, but 2021 NCAA 500 free Champion Jake Magahey will lead this UGA men’s team and both Jake and Luca Urlando are confident in the ability of the rest of the squad to step up, as evidenced by the level of training they showcase in Athens on a daily basis. Jake Magahey will look to take advantage of the absence of both Sates and Florida star Olympian Kieran Smith in the distance events.

Luca Urlando is at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado doing rehab and preparing his body for a push toward the 2024 Olympic Trials. While many miles apart, these roommates stay connected and speak of the great impact Luca Urlando still has on his UGA teammates while he’s away.

Enjoy!

At One Swim Meet, Australian Lani Pallister Won Four World Championships

A child of athletes and with close ties to the greatest Australian Olympian ever, Lani Pallister was destined to become a World Champion, a title she earned 4x in 2022 at the World Short Course Swimming Championships in front of a home crowd in Melbourne.

Lani Pallister has dealt with a steady stream of setbacks in the past few years: heart surgery, eating disorder, and missing selection to the famed Australian Dolphins senior team by one spot for 4 years in a row.

Lani Pallister could have easily fallen back on her roots as a world-class athlete in competitive Lifesaving (yes, it’s a sport, and she still holds a youth world record in it), but instead she has emerged as a legitimate medal threat in the swimming distance events in Paris.

Enjoy!

Olympic & NCAA Superstars Kate Douglass & Alex Walsh on Virginia’s NCAA Dominance.

Last year Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh won every event they swam at NCAAs. Alex went on to win the World Title in the 200IM last summer, and Kate raked gold medals at the World Short Course championships in December (Alex won her share there too).

Superstars of swimming, Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh head into the college championship season ready to carry the momentum into perhaps a 3rd straight championship for the Virginia Cavaliers.

Kate Douglass and Alex Walsh share about their versatility in swimming seemingly any event and how differently they train from one another even though they are teammates. Kate and Alex also recount their epic 200 IM battles from the 2020 Olympic Trials and the Tokyo Olympic final, tell us about their NIL experiences, and lament being teased about middle names.

Enjoy!