The SwimSwam Podcast

Published 2021-02-01

SSPC: Florent Manaudou Reveals the Downside of Being a Superhero

31 min

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We sat down with Olympic champion Florent Manaudou, who is coming off of his second ISL season with Energy Standard. Manaudou hits on a myriad of topics, including why he will be training in France for the Olympic lead-up, how he spends his free time outside of the water, and what he gained by taking a break after the 2016 Olympic Games. Florent is extremely personable and it's refreshing to hear his perspective on things in and outside of the pool

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Olympic champion Florent Manaudou, who is coming off of his second ISL season with Energy Standard. Manaudou hits on a myriad of topics, including why he will be training in France for the Olympic lead-up, how he spends his free time outside of the water, and what he gained by taking a break after the 2016 Olympic Games. Florent is extremely personable and it's refreshing to hear his perspective on things in and outside of the pool

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-31

SSPC: Morgan Scroggy on Making an Olympic Trials Final as the 41st Seed

35 min

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We sat down with Morgan Scroggy, the Pan Pacific and World University Games champion who is the lowest-seeded athlete (41st, 200 back) to have made a final at the US Olympic Trials in the last 20 years. This is significant as it was the line USA Swimming decided to make for the Wave II Olympic Trials meet, basing the cuts on the times of the 41st seeded athlete in each event as of the day they came out (January 26, 2021).

Scroggy competed in 3 different Olympic Trials (04, 08, 12) and candidly shares her experience from each of them, highs and lows. She details what the Olympic dream meant to her as an athlete, and what the process of chasing it did for her 10 years removed from her swimming career.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Morgan Scroggy, the Pan Pacific and World University Games champion who is the lowest-seeded athlete (41st, 200 back) to have made a final at the US Olympic Trials in the last 20 years. This is significant as it was the line USA Swimming decided to make for the Wave II Olympic Trials meet, basing the cuts on the times of the 41st seeded athlete in each event as of the day they came out (January 26, 2021).

Scroggy competed in 3 different Olympic Trials (04, 08, 12) and candidly shares her experience from each of them, highs and lows. She details what the Olympic dream meant to her as an athlete, and what the process of chasing it did for her 10 years removed from her swimming career.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-30

SSPC: Emily Escobedo Explains Pros and Cons of Unexpectedly Making the National Team

41 min

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We sat down with Emily Escobedo, the breaststroking machine that has been on fire this past year. Escobedo had a successful season in the ISL Budapest Bubble, helping a rebuilt New York Breakers team to a semi-final appearance. Less than a month after that, Escobedo suited up in practice and came within .2 of a lifetime best in the 200-yard breaststroke. But she wasn't done there. At the January Pro Swim in Richmond, she topped the field in both the 100 (1:07.11) and 200 (2:23.46) breast, going even faster than the likes of Lilly King, who competed in San Antonio.

Escobedo talks about all of these swims as well as her breakout into the pro swimming scene, making the national team in 2018 after not expecting to. Escobedo walks us through the process of trying to make things work as a pro swimmer without having a ton of resources readily available to her at that time.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Emily Escobedo, the breaststroking machine that has been on fire this past year. Escobedo had a successful season in the ISL Budapest Bubble, helping a rebuilt New York Breakers team to a semi-final appearance. Less than a month after that, Escobedo suited up in practice and came within .2 of a lifetime best in the 200-yard breaststroke. But she wasn't done there. At the January Pro Swim in Richmond, she topped the field in both the 100 (1:07.11) and 200 (2:23.46) breast, going even faster than the likes of Lilly King, who competed in San Antonio.

Escobedo talks about all of these swims as well as her breakout into the pro swimming scene, making the national team in 2018 after not expecting to. Escobedo walks us through the process of trying to make things work as a pro swimmer without having a ton of resources readily available to her at that time.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-29

SSPC: International Swimmers' Alliance Launches With World’s Top 120 Elites

44 min

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Matt Biondi, an 11-time Olympic medalist, details his progress to further athletes’ rights as the manager of the International Swimmers’ Alliance. The Alliance, an association of the world’s top 120 elite swimmers, is ready to officially get down to business after 20 months of development. For Matt, a three-time Olympian, this journey has been far, far longer. The Olympic icon has been a pioneer in this effort going back to the 1980s when Olympians were not allowed to earn endorsement dollars until after they officially retired from competition. Matt fought the system ultimately winning the right to earn endorsement revenue as an active swimmer, but not until the twilight of his career. His efforts really benefited the stars who followed him, like Janet Evans, Michael Phelps and Caeleb Dressel.

While the Alliance is not a union, it is an association of elite swimmers and a potentially powerful voice in negotiating improved economic conditions. In this SwimSwam Podcast Matt shines light on the Alliance’s first steps, the baby steps in his words, toward a new future of improved athletes’ rights.

B-roll video is courtesy of ISL (https://isl.global)

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Matt Biondi, an 11-time Olympic medalist, details his progress to further athletes’ rights as the manager of the International Swimmers’ Alliance. The Alliance, an association of the world’s top 120 elite swimmers, is ready to officially get down to business after 20 months of development. For Matt, a three-time Olympian, this journey has been far, far longer. The Olympic icon has been a pioneer in this effort going back to the 1980s when Olympians were not allowed to earn endorsement dollars until after they officially retired from competition. Matt fought the system ultimately winning the right to earn endorsement revenue as an active swimmer, but not until the twilight of his career. His efforts really benefited the stars who followed him, like Janet Evans, Michael Phelps and Caeleb Dressel.

While the Alliance is not a union, it is an association of elite swimmers and a potentially powerful voice in negotiating improved economic conditions. In this SwimSwam Podcast Matt shines light on the Alliance’s first steps, the baby steps in his words, toward a new future of improved athletes’ rights.

B-roll video is courtesy of ISL (https://isl.global)

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-29

SSPC: Breaking Down the Decision to Have 2 Olympic Trials Meets in the US

37 min

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We sat down with 2 of SwimSwam's Co-Founders, Braden Keith and Mel Stewart, to discuss the recent news that the 2021 US Olympic Trials will now be 2 meets. We discuss whether this was the right decision, what led to this choice behind the scenes, and if there may be a better solution out there. Braden and Mel also dive into what this means for Olympic Trials moving forward, with the potential for this "2-meet system" being a recurring theme for trial meets to come.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with 2 of SwimSwam's Co-Founders, Braden Keith and Mel Stewart, to discuss the recent news that the 2021 US Olympic Trials will now be 2 meets. We discuss whether this was the right decision, what led to this choice behind the scenes, and if there may be a better solution out there. Braden and Mel also dive into what this means for Olympic Trials moving forward, with the potential for this "2-meet system" being a recurring theme for trial meets to come.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-28

SSPC: David Curtiss Explains 21.8 50m Free PR on Only 2 1/2 Weeks of Training

26 min

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We sat down with David Curtiss, the 18-year-old national team member that logged a PR in the 50m free at the Richmond Pro Swim. Curtiss revealed that he had only been in the water for 2 1/2 weeks before the Pro Swim, being forced out of the pool for a month prior due to COVID restrictions. Curtiss explains that he's focused a lot on power and strength work outside of the pool, which he's been able to translate into the pool.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with David Curtiss, the 18-year-old national team member that logged a PR in the 50m free at the Richmond Pro Swim. Curtiss revealed that he had only been in the water for 2 1/2 weeks before the Pro Swim, being forced out of the pool for a month prior due to COVID restrictions. Curtiss explains that he's focused a lot on power and strength work outside of the pool, which he's been able to translate into the pool.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-27

SSPC: Grant Shoults Breaks Down 2nd Shoulder Surgery, 1000 free PR in Practice

31 min

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We sat down with Grant Shoults, the NCAA All-American who recently took to twitter to give a personal update. After recovering from shoulder surgery a year ago, Shoults was back in the pool training toward the beginning of quarantine. However, he started having shoulder pain and realized he would need a 2nd surgery on his other shoulder. We go into the details of how it went and what recovery looked like. Shoults also explains the environment that has been created within the Stanford men throughout the COVID pandemic, saying everyone is just happy to be at practice every day because it may very well be their last.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Grant Shoults, the NCAA All-American who recently took to twitter to give a personal update. After recovering from shoulder surgery a year ago, Shoults was back in the pool training toward the beginning of quarantine. However, he started having shoulder pain and realized he would need a 2nd surgery on his other shoulder. We go into the details of how it went and what recovery looked like. Shoults also explains the environment that has been created within the Stanford men throughout the COVID pandemic, saying everyone is just happy to be at practice every day because it may very well be their last.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-26

CEO Swim Series: SwimSmart Entrepreneurs Explain Their Success

36 min

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SwimSmart (https://www.swimsmarttoday.com) co-founders Karl Hamouche and Mike Peterson drop-in on the SwimSwam Podcast explaining how they've flexed their entrepreneurial muscle, building one of the fastest growing companies in our sport. Karl Hamouche is the founder of Swim Smart and co-inventor of the Squeezline. He moved to Iowa from Lebanon when he was 12 years old, joined the local swim team, and instantly was part of a family in a place 8,000 miles away from home. Years later, he ended up coaching for that same team, expanding it by starting a new satellite, and helping them win their first club state title.

Karl studied biology and exercise science at Iowa State University and received his medical degree at the University of Iowa. With his coaching and swimming background, Karl is the intersection of theory and practice, the book and the real world.

Karl still swims almost everyday and competes multiple times a year. His daily interaction with the water gives him new ideas and insights into how we can all help to improve our swimming.

Michael Peterson is currently the head coach of ACAC in Iowa, and prior to that he was the top assistant coach with the Colorado Stars. While with the Stars he helped in the development of Olympic Gold Medalist Missy Franklin and Olympian Kara Lynn Joyce. As the head age group coach Michael was a major contributor to the Colorado Stars winning 6 consecutive Colorado state titles and 2 Junior National Championship team titles.

As an athlete, Michael was a standout prep swimmer at Ames High School where he earned 9 high school All-American certificates. He continued his swimming career at the Denver University where he not only served as team captain, but also set 4 school records.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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SwimSmart (https://www.swimsmarttoday.com) co-founders Karl Hamouche and Mike Peterson drop-in on the SwimSwam Podcast explaining how they've flexed their entrepreneurial muscle, building one of the fastest growing companies in our sport. Karl Hamouche is the founder of Swim Smart and co-inventor of the Squeezline. He moved to Iowa from Lebanon when he was 12 years old, joined the local swim team, and instantly was part of a family in a place 8,000 miles away from home. Years later, he ended up coaching for that same team, expanding it by starting a new satellite, and helping them win their first club state title.

Karl studied biology and exercise science at Iowa State University and received his medical degree at the University of Iowa. With his coaching and swimming background, Karl is the intersection of theory and practice, the book and the real world.

Karl still swims almost everyday and competes multiple times a year. His daily interaction with the water gives him new ideas and insights into how we can all help to improve our swimming.

Michael Peterson is currently the head coach of ACAC in Iowa, and prior to that he was the top assistant coach with the Colorado Stars. While with the Stars he helped in the development of Olympic Gold Medalist Missy Franklin and Olympian Kara Lynn Joyce. As the head age group coach Michael was a major contributor to the Colorado Stars winning 6 consecutive Colorado state titles and 2 Junior National Championship team titles.

As an athlete, Michael was a standout prep swimmer at Ames High School where he earned 9 high school All-American certificates. He continued his swimming career at the Denver University where he not only served as team captain, but also set 4 school records.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-26

SSPC: Austin Surhoff on How 45-Minute Training Days Led to Best Times at Age 30

49 min

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We sat down with NCAA-champion Austin Surhoff, who turned some heads by racking up 2 lifetime bests at the Richmond Pro Swim. Surhoff went 22.5 in the 50 free and 49.6 in the 100 free, very solid times that put him on the list for potentially finaling at Olympic Trials. As someone who was always a grinder in practice but didn't necessarily love it, Surhoff takes us through the process that has helped him embrace and enjoy swimming again. This routine includes 45-minute workouts, just enough to make gains and keep his attention. Surhoff emphasizes that what he's doing is manageable and sustainable for anyone at any point in life to see success.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with NCAA-champion Austin Surhoff, who turned some heads by racking up 2 lifetime bests at the Richmond Pro Swim. Surhoff went 22.5 in the 50 free and 49.6 in the 100 free, very solid times that put him on the list for potentially finaling at Olympic Trials. As someone who was always a grinder in practice but didn't necessarily love it, Surhoff takes us through the process that has helped him embrace and enjoy swimming again. This routine includes 45-minute workouts, just enough to make gains and keep his attention. Surhoff emphasizes that what he's doing is manageable and sustainable for anyone at any point in life to see success.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-25

SSPC: The Black Swimmers Association talks "Blacks Can't Swim The Sequel"

24 min

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We sat down with British music producer and activist Ed Accura, who recently announced a sequel to his wave-making documentary “A Film Called Blacks Can’t Swim", scheduled for release in May 2021.

The new film, titled “Blacks Can’t Swim The Sequel,” will feature scripted scenes combined with real interview footage of 14-25 year olds from the Black community talking about why their generation doesn’t swim. This is an evolution of the original film, which included interspersed interview footage and animation about Accura’s own fear of water, which eventually led to him taking swim lessons.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with British music producer and activist Ed Accura, who recently announced a sequel to his wave-making documentary “A Film Called Blacks Can’t Swim", scheduled for release in May 2021.

The new film, titled “Blacks Can’t Swim The Sequel,” will feature scripted scenes combined with real interview footage of 14-25 year olds from the Black community talking about why their generation doesn’t swim. This is an evolution of the original film, which included interspersed interview footage and animation about Accura’s own fear of water, which eventually led to him taking swim lessons.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-25

SSPC: Cody Miller Details Reasons for Having His Best Training Since Before Rio

48 min

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We sat down with Olympic champion and swim-vlogger Cody Miller after the breaststroke had a strong showing at the Pro Swim in San Antonio. My favorite part about Cody is his vulnerability; his honesty. We get into the nitty-gritty of being a new father, training through a pandemic, and being someone people look to for hope and excitement in a time of uncertainty. Cody shares that through these ups and downs of the last year, he's gained perspective and is now training the best he has in years.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Olympic champion and swim-vlogger Cody Miller after the breaststroke had a strong showing at the Pro Swim in San Antonio. My favorite part about Cody is his vulnerability; his honesty. We get into the nitty-gritty of being a new father, training through a pandemic, and being someone people look to for hope and excitement in a time of uncertainty. Cody shares that through these ups and downs of the last year, he's gained perspective and is now training the best he has in years.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-24

SSPC: Matthew Marquardt on What He Gained From Riding Across America

26 min

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If you didn't see our first talk with Matthew Marquardt, you can revisit that conversation here, when he was in the middle of cycling across the United States. Marquardt recently finished his trek, 3 days ahead of schedule, and was kind enough to sit down with us and break down what he gained from the ride. Matthew goes into details of where the hardest struggles came, how his diet changed, and being too sore to even sleep some nights. But all in all, he was able to complete the ride. Matthew is still raising donations through the end of January for children's cancer treatment from St. Jude's, with links to donate below.

A link to his fundraiser is available here.

Matthew rode to raise money for pediatric cancer treatment through St. Jude. His goal is to raise $23,000 over the course of his ride, $1000/day.

You can follow Matthew’s progress during this ride on Facebook Here and Instagram here.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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If you didn't see our first talk with Matthew Marquardt, you can revisit that conversation here, when he was in the middle of cycling across the United States. Marquardt recently finished his trek, 3 days ahead of schedule, and was kind enough to sit down with us and break down what he gained from the ride. Matthew goes into details of where the hardest struggles came, how his diet changed, and being too sore to even sleep some nights. But all in all, he was able to complete the ride. Matthew is still raising donations through the end of January for children's cancer treatment from St. Jude's, with links to donate below.

A link to his fundraiser is available here.

Matthew rode to raise money for pediatric cancer treatment through St. Jude. His goal is to raise $23,000 over the course of his ride, $1000/day.

You can follow Matthew’s progress during this ride on Facebook Here and Instagram here.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-23

SSPC: Siobhan Haughey on Establishing a Pre-Race Routine that Works for You

42 min

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We sat down with ISL star Siobhan Haughey. Haughey, who went undefeated in the 200 free in season 2 of the ISL, is currently in Hong Kong preparing for the 2021 Olympic Games. She takes us through what has been clicking for her in training and racing this past year as well as how establishing daily routines in ISL was key for her success.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with ISL star Siobhan Haughey. Haughey, who went undefeated in the 200 free in season 2 of the ISL, is currently in Hong Kong preparing for the 2021 Olympic Games. She takes us through what has been clicking for her in training and racing this past year as well as how establishing daily routines in ISL was key for her success.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-22

Winning Life's Gold Medal: Ten Valuable Life lessons from the Olympic Games

49 min

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Gary Hall Sr. is swimming royalty, a 3-time Olympian, U.S. Olympic Team Captain, Olympic Flag Bearer, father of a 10-time Olympic medalist (Gary Hall Jr.), World Record Holder, former President of the U.S. Olympians Association and the Head Coach / Chief Executive of the famous enterprise known globally as THE RACE CLUB (hyperlink: https://theraceclub.com

Olympic icon Gary Hall Sr. makes me feel lazy—in the most positive way. He is a reminder of how to live your life daily with purpose. Case in point, during the pandemic Gary didn’t lose time. He made the most of the lockdown by penning his book - “Winning Life's Gold Medal: Ten Valuable Life lessons from the Olympic Games” - available NOW as an eBook on AMAZON (hyperlink: https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Lifes-Gold-Medal-Valuable-ebook/dp/B08S9ZYJM7)

Gary’s book is a must-have. It is a focused narrative and quick read. Each lesson is delivered with wisdom that only comes from experience and threadbare vulnerability. His book is memoir-esque, detailing intimate, behind-the-scenes stories. Most of Gary’s wisdom is from his life in and out of the pool. The stories are his own personal experiences from three Olympic Games, and they cover some of his son’s, like the first time Gary Hall Jr.’s met Alexander Popov in the READY ROOM.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Gary Hall Sr. is swimming royalty, a 3-time Olympian, U.S. Olympic Team Captain, Olympic Flag Bearer, father of a 10-time Olympic medalist (Gary Hall Jr.), World Record Holder, former President of the U.S. Olympians Association and the Head Coach / Chief Executive of the famous enterprise known globally as THE RACE CLUB (hyperlink: https://theraceclub.com

Olympic icon Gary Hall Sr. makes me feel lazy—in the most positive way. He is a reminder of how to live your life daily with purpose. Case in point, during the pandemic Gary didn’t lose time. He made the most of the lockdown by penning his book - “Winning Life's Gold Medal: Ten Valuable Life lessons from the Olympic Games” - available NOW as an eBook on AMAZON (hyperlink: https://www.amazon.com/Winning-Lifes-Gold-Medal-Valuable-ebook/dp/B08S9ZYJM7)

Gary’s book is a must-have. It is a focused narrative and quick read. Each lesson is delivered with wisdom that only comes from experience and threadbare vulnerability. His book is memoir-esque, detailing intimate, behind-the-scenes stories. Most of Gary’s wisdom is from his life in and out of the pool. The stories are his own personal experiences from three Olympic Games, and they cover some of his son’s, like the first time Gary Hall Jr.’s met Alexander Popov in the READY ROOM.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-21

SSPC: Rutgers Coach Maccoll Explains Redshirting Significant portion of Team

36 min

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We sat down with Jonathan Maccoll, head coach of the swimming and diving program at Rutgers University. SwimSwam reported last week that Rutgers would be redshirting a significant portion of its team this year, and Maccooll was kind enough to explain the reasoning behind this. In short, because things are ever-changing with the COVID-19 pandemic, Maccoll says every athlete's situation is different and the decision to redshirt this season is extremely fluid for whether it makes sense for that athlete or not.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Jonathan Maccoll, head coach of the swimming and diving program at Rutgers University. SwimSwam reported last week that Rutgers would be redshirting a significant portion of its team this year, and Maccooll was kind enough to explain the reasoning behind this. In short, because things are ever-changing with the COVID-19 pandemic, Maccoll says every athlete's situation is different and the decision to redshirt this season is extremely fluid for whether it makes sense for that athlete or not.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-19

SSPC: Leah Smith Details Solo Training with Matt Grevers, ISL, and Coffee Hobby

57 min

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We sat down with Olympic champion Leah Smith, who was one of few national teamers who didn't attend a Pro Swim this past weekend. Leah was planning on attending the meet in Irvine, but as that one was canceled she opted to stay home and train. Smith details her last 10 months through the COVID pandemic, including prepping for ISL with Matt Grevers, being on a non-US based team for the ISL, and her newfound coffee love with all this time at home.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Olympic champion Leah Smith, who was one of few national teamers who didn't attend a Pro Swim this past weekend. Leah was planning on attending the meet in Irvine, but as that one was canceled she opted to stay home and train. Smith details her last 10 months through the COVID pandemic, including prepping for ISL with Matt Grevers, being on a non-US based team for the ISL, and her newfound coffee love with all this time at home.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-19

SSPC: How Going 47's in the 100m Freestyle Became Routine for James Magnussen

38 min

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As promised, we brought back Aussie legend James Magnussen for part 3 of his swimming story. Maggie brought us through the tail end of his career, post-2013 world champs all the way to the 2016 Olympic Games. Before his shoulder injury in 2014, Magnussen describes his plan for racing as much as he could and how he came to casually drop in-season 47s every time he hit the pool.

It's worth a listen to hear this candid account of what being on top of the world can feel like... and how that feeling can bring you back down. James speaks to the fact that even though he could go 47 anytime, he was unmotivated by anything that wasn't Olympic gold. He was partying probably more than he should have to pass the time between the Comm games in 2014 and the Olympics, which as any swimmer knows is a long road. And then injury occurs.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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As promised, we brought back Aussie legend James Magnussen for part 3 of his swimming story. Maggie brought us through the tail end of his career, post-2013 world champs all the way to the 2016 Olympic Games. Before his shoulder injury in 2014, Magnussen describes his plan for racing as much as he could and how he came to casually drop in-season 47s every time he hit the pool.

It's worth a listen to hear this candid account of what being on top of the world can feel like... and how that feeling can bring you back down. James speaks to the fact that even though he could go 47 anytime, he was unmotivated by anything that wasn't Olympic gold. He was partying probably more than he should have to pass the time between the Comm games in 2014 and the Olympics, which as any swimmer knows is a long road. And then injury occurs.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-18

SSPC: John Moffet Describes Getting Injured as a Gold Medal Favorite at the Olympics

60 min

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John Moffet is a renaissance man. In the pool he was a 1980 & 1984 Olympian, World Record Holder, World Medalist & Pan Pacific Championships Triple Gold Medalist. Beyond the pool, after graduating from Stanford, he built an impressive career in entertainment winning 3 Primetime Emmy Awards and a list of credits too long to detail here. (Google John Moffet producer director and go to IMDB.) Moreover, he's delivering all of that entertainment muscle to his new podcast SPORT LIFE BALANCE (see Moffet Podcast here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1465300).

In this podcast Moffet bottom-lines "the moment" when he knew his chances for 1984 Olympic gold were over. After breaking the 100-meter breaststroke world record at U.S. Olympic Trials (1:02.13), he suffered an injury in the 1984 Olympic Games prelim heat--coming off the wall, a few strokes after his breakout. Hearing the vulnerability in his voice is heart-wrenching. Moffet's life is dramatic, a Hollywood film, and he was, in fact, among the stars of the famous award-winning doc film "16 Days Of Glory" that took you inside the lives of the most interesting 1984 Olympians.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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John Moffet is a renaissance man. In the pool he was a 1980 & 1984 Olympian, World Record Holder, World Medalist & Pan Pacific Championships Triple Gold Medalist. Beyond the pool, after graduating from Stanford, he built an impressive career in entertainment winning 3 Primetime Emmy Awards and a list of credits too long to detail here. (Google John Moffet producer director and go to IMDB.) Moreover, he's delivering all of that entertainment muscle to his new podcast SPORT LIFE BALANCE (see Moffet Podcast here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1465300).

In this podcast Moffet bottom-lines "the moment" when he knew his chances for 1984 Olympic gold were over. After breaking the 100-meter breaststroke world record at U.S. Olympic Trials (1:02.13), he suffered an injury in the 1984 Olympic Games prelim heat--coming off the wall, a few strokes after his breakout. Hearing the vulnerability in his voice is heart-wrenching. Moffet's life is dramatic, a Hollywood film, and he was, in fact, among the stars of the famous award-winning doc film "16 Days Of Glory" that took you inside the lives of the most interesting 1984 Olympians.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-17

SSPC: Jade Hannah on Maturing Through Training at HPC - Toronto

39 min

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We sat down with world junior champion Jade Hannah. She talked us through her quarantine, which included open water swims in lakes and the ocean, biking and running for hours, and doing dryland workouts at home. Jade also walked us through training at the HPC-Toronto, and what swimming consistently with the likes of Penny Oleksiak, Kylie Masse, and more has done for her maturity as an athlete.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with world junior champion Jade Hannah. She talked us through her quarantine, which included open water swims in lakes and the ocean, biking and running for hours, and doing dryland workouts at home. Jade also walked us through training at the HPC-Toronto, and what swimming consistently with the likes of Penny Oleksiak, Kylie Masse, and more has done for her maturity as an athlete.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-15

SSPC: Matt Wilson Explains The Work He's Doing to Recapture the 200 Breast World Record

42 min

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We sat down with former world-record holder and Aussie breaststroke, Matt Wilson. Wilson took us through what his quarantine has looked like and some of the work that he's been doing in the lead-up to the 2021 Olympic Games. Wilson paces 30.lows in training consistently, indicating that we could see Anton Chupkov's 2:06.1 WR from 2019 go down come Tokyo.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with former world-record holder and Aussie breaststroke, Matt Wilson. Wilson took us through what his quarantine has looked like and some of the work that he's been doing in the lead-up to the 2021 Olympic Games. Wilson paces 30.lows in training consistently, indicating that we could see Anton Chupkov's 2:06.1 WR from 2019 go down come Tokyo.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-15

SSPC: Ema Rajic Talks Cal Records, Training in Austin and Representing Croatia

38 min

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We sat down with Cal breaststroke Ema Rajic, who had a big month of racing in November. After coming right off of the US Open in San Antonio, she went back to Cal for a dual meet with Stanford, where she broke her own school record in the 100 breast and went a lifetime best in the 200 breast. Ema breaks down what her quarantine was like before coming back to Cal, mainly training in Austin, Texas with Austin Swim Club. See one of Ema's workouts with Austin Swim Club here.

Rajic also throws some wisdom in at around the 10-minute mark about how swimming can be a lonely sport. She takes the approach of looking up to and making friends with her competitors, which has led to a fruitful experience for the college junior thus far.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Cal breaststroke Ema Rajic, who had a big month of racing in November. After coming right off of the US Open in San Antonio, she went back to Cal for a dual meet with Stanford, where she broke her own school record in the 100 breast and went a lifetime best in the 200 breast. Ema breaks down what her quarantine was like before coming back to Cal, mainly training in Austin, Texas with Austin Swim Club. See one of Ema's workouts with Austin Swim Club here.

Rajic also throws some wisdom in at around the 10-minute mark about how swimming can be a lonely sport. She takes the approach of looking up to and making friends with her competitors, which has led to a fruitful experience for the college junior thus far.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-14

SSPC: Top-20 Ranked Recruit Matt Fallon Explains 1:52 200 Breast in Belton, TX

34 min

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We sat down with national Jr. team member and #8 ranked recruit in SwimSwam's Class of 2022, Matt Fallon. Fallon competed at the Tigershark Swim Team Santa Claws Classic in Belton, Texas in mid-December, where he went a 53.52 in the 100 breast and 1:52.87 in the 200 breast, the latter putting him at #7 in the 17-18 age group all-time. Fallon explained how he's been training through COVID, his emphasis on building his aerobic base, and why he likes warming up all the way until 1-2 minutes before he races at meets.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with national Jr. team member and #8 ranked recruit in SwimSwam's Class of 2022, Matt Fallon. Fallon competed at the Tigershark Swim Team Santa Claws Classic in Belton, Texas in mid-December, where he went a 53.52 in the 100 breast and 1:52.87 in the 200 breast, the latter putting him at #7 in the 17-18 age group all-time. Fallon explained how he's been training through COVID, his emphasis on building his aerobic base, and why he likes warming up all the way until 1-2 minutes before he races at meets.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-13

SSPC: Phoebe Bacon Breaks Down What Gains You Get From Training in a 15yd Pool

37 min

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We sat down with national team member Phoebe Bacon, who we saw in action in November at the US Open. At the US Open in Des Moines, racing fellow national-teamer Regan Smith, Bacon dropped a 2:09.16 200 back, 1:00.18 100 back, and 2:16.05 in the 200 IM. Bacon broke down what training at her new home at the University of Wisconsin is like and how she got through quarantine, documenting her time training in a 15-year pool.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with national team member Phoebe Bacon, who we saw in action in November at the US Open. At the US Open in Des Moines, racing fellow national-teamer Regan Smith, Bacon dropped a 2:09.16 200 back, 1:00.18 100 back, and 2:16.05 in the 200 IM. Bacon broke down what training at her new home at the University of Wisconsin is like and how she got through quarantine, documenting her time training in a 15-year pool.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-12

SSPC: How Swimming Helped Matt Mauser After Losing Wife in Crash with Kobe Bryant

46 min

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We sat down with Matt Mauser, the musician who wrote the music for Kobe Bryant's podcast, Punies. Mauser's wife, Christina, coached Bryant's girls basketball team and was in the helicopter crash that took her and Bryant's life. Mauser candidly discusses the effects of losing his wife and enduring a global pandemic while trying to move through his career as well as raise and teach 3 children (ages 12, 10, and 4). One way he has been able to heal is in the pool, where he has a long history.

Mauser picked up swimming late in high school but excelled enough to land a spot on a junior college roster and eventually a spot at Cal Poly, where he was an All-American in the 200 backstroke. After training with Mission Viejo for 2 years post-graduate and going lifetime bests, Matt pivoted away from swimming and started his career in music. In 2018, Mauser got back in the pool and started swimming with a masters team. He continues to find solace in the water today as swimming gives him a small distraction in the middle of his days and a task to complete. It also provides a friendly community that lends support through the journey of being a widowed parent.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Matt Mauser, the musician who wrote the music for Kobe Bryant's podcast, Punies. Mauser's wife, Christina, coached Bryant's girls basketball team and was in the helicopter crash that took her and Bryant's life. Mauser candidly discusses the effects of losing his wife and enduring a global pandemic while trying to move through his career as well as raise and teach 3 children (ages 12, 10, and 4). One way he has been able to heal is in the pool, where he has a long history.

Mauser picked up swimming late in high school but excelled enough to land a spot on a junior college roster and eventually a spot at Cal Poly, where he was an All-American in the 200 backstroke. After training with Mission Viejo for 2 years post-graduate and going lifetime bests, Matt pivoted away from swimming and started his career in music. In 2018, Mauser got back in the pool and started swimming with a masters team. He continues to find solace in the water today as swimming gives him a small distraction in the middle of his days and a task to complete. It also provides a friendly community that lends support through the journey of being a widowed parent.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-11

SSPC: Ray Looze Breaks Down his New Training Focus at Indiana - Proprioception

49 min

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Indiana University Head Coach Ray Looze unpacks the 2021 BIG TEN schedule, his plans for NCAAs, and proprioception (the perception of the position and movement of the body). I just call it Mind-Body Connection. Ray calls it the future of the sport and details his proprioception work at IU since 2015. Ray’s team (coaches and elite swimmers) are like an Aquatic Research & Development department innovating in eye-popping ways…

Anyone who knows Ray should not be surprised… As a USC student-athlete, he was a standout in and out of the pool. He became the first non-football playing Trojan in school history to earn GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. In 1989, he was recognized as the school's Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He was also a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winner and received recognition as a finalist for the 1989 Rhodes Scholarship and the 1990 NCAA Walter Byers Award. Ray graduated USC magna cum laude in finance and earned a master's degree from the School of Education at the University of Texas Austin.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Indiana University Head Coach Ray Looze unpacks the 2021 BIG TEN schedule, his plans for NCAAs, and proprioception (the perception of the position and movement of the body). I just call it Mind-Body Connection. Ray calls it the future of the sport and details his proprioception work at IU since 2015. Ray’s team (coaches and elite swimmers) are like an Aquatic Research & Development department innovating in eye-popping ways…

Anyone who knows Ray should not be surprised… As a USC student-athlete, he was a standout in and out of the pool. He became the first non-football playing Trojan in school history to earn GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. In 1989, he was recognized as the school's Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He was also a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winner and received recognition as a finalist for the 1989 Rhodes Scholarship and the 1990 NCAA Walter Byers Award. Ray graduated USC magna cum laude in finance and earned a master's degree from the School of Education at the University of Texas Austin.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-10

SSPC: Marathon Swimmer Catherine Breed Details Racing 20+ Mile Ocean Swims

38 min

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We sat down with Catherine Breed, an NCAA All-American swimmer from Cal who was always a distance swimmer but now is seriously a distance swimmer. Catherine trains for marathon swims, which typically means swims that are over 20 miles in the ocean. In her most recent swim, the Monterey Bay swim, Breed broke the record for the fastest swim across the bay in a time of 2 hours and 53 minutes.

Listen to Breed as she describes her training for events like this as well as some of her stories about swimming through jellyfish, in the dark, and in the same waters as sharks.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Catherine Breed, an NCAA All-American swimmer from Cal who was always a distance swimmer but now is seriously a distance swimmer. Catherine trains for marathon swims, which typically means swims that are over 20 miles in the ocean. In her most recent swim, the Monterey Bay swim, Breed broke the record for the fastest swim across the bay in a time of 2 hours and 53 minutes.

Listen to Breed as she describes her training for events like this as well as some of her stories about swimming through jellyfish, in the dark, and in the same waters as sharks.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-09

SSPC: Elijah Winnington Explains Moving Programs to Train More Distance

40 min

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We sat down with Aussie mid-distance ace Elijah Winnington. Winnington made headlines just last month at the Queensland State Championships where he dropped PB's of 3:43 in the 400m free and 1:45 in the 200m free. Winnington was recently in a bit of a funk with his swimming, including during the period when competed at the 2019 US national championships in Palo Alto, California, and changed his entire lifestyle in the lead-up to that meet. He explains how moving to a new program has helped him reignite his swimming as well as why he needed more distance in his training overall.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Aussie mid-distance ace Elijah Winnington. Winnington made headlines just last month at the Queensland State Championships where he dropped PB's of 3:43 in the 400m free and 1:45 in the 200m free. Winnington was recently in a bit of a funk with his swimming, including during the period when competed at the 2019 US national championships in Palo Alto, California, and changed his entire lifestyle in the lead-up to that meet. He explains how moving to a new program has helped him reignite his swimming as well as why he needed more distance in his training overall.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-08

SSPC: Swimmer Matthew Marquardt Cycling Across the US to Raise Money for Cancer

30 min

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Matthew Marquardt is a senior on the Princeton swim team. Since the Ivy League canceled winter sports and he lost his season, Matthew decided he needed a new challenge. In fulfillment of a lifetime dream, Matthew is riding his bike across the country. By himself. He is on Day 10 now, and it’s expected to take 23 days total. To meet this time limit, he needs to cover over 100 miles a day. He started in San Diego and will end in Florida. His dad is driving the route crewing for him and staying with him in hotels each night.

Matthew is riding to raise money for pediatric cancer treatment through St. Jude. His goal is to raise $23,000 over the course of his ride, $1000/day.

You can follow Matthew's progress during this ride on Facebook Here and Instagram here.

Click here to Donate and help Matthew achieve his goal of raising $23,000 for pediatric Cancer treatment.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Matthew Marquardt is a senior on the Princeton swim team. Since the Ivy League canceled winter sports and he lost his season, Matthew decided he needed a new challenge. In fulfillment of a lifetime dream, Matthew is riding his bike across the country. By himself. He is on Day 10 now, and it’s expected to take 23 days total. To meet this time limit, he needs to cover over 100 miles a day. He started in San Diego and will end in Florida. His dad is driving the route crewing for him and staying with him in hotels each night.

Matthew is riding to raise money for pediatric cancer treatment through St. Jude. His goal is to raise $23,000 over the course of his ride, $1000/day.

You can follow Matthew's progress during this ride on Facebook Here and Instagram here.

Click here to Donate and help Matthew achieve his goal of raising $23,000 for pediatric Cancer treatment.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-07

SSPC: Claire Adams on Processing the Loss of her Olympic Dream

46 min

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We sat down with Claire Adams, the University of Texas NCAA All-American who announced her retirement from swimming this past summer. Adams discusses her time at Texas and hits on the big learning curve she went through to make her senior season in particular so special. She also delves into her high school days at Carmel Swim Club in Indiana.

Specifically, we discuss her 2016 Olympic Trials, a meet that heading into, she was a top contender to make the US Olympic team. However, she broke her hand days before the competition and wasn't able to match her top form. Adams sifts through the huge loss this was in her life and what it took to bounce back from that.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Claire Adams, the University of Texas NCAA All-American who announced her retirement from swimming this past summer. Adams discusses her time at Texas and hits on the big learning curve she went through to make her senior season in particular so special. She also delves into her high school days at Carmel Swim Club in Indiana.

Specifically, we discuss her 2016 Olympic Trials, a meet that heading into, she was a top contender to make the US Olympic team. However, she broke her hand days before the competition and wasn't able to match her top form. Adams sifts through the huge loss this was in her life and what it took to bounce back from that.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-05

SSPC: Kaylee Mckeown Describes 21-Day Training Blocks with 17-on, 4-Off

45 min

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We sat down with SwimSwam's 2020 Female Swimmer of the Year, Kaylee McKeown. McKeown re-wrote half of the Australian backstroke record book last year, setting new national records in the 100 and 200 backstrokes long course and the 200 backstroke short course. That short course record of 1:58.94 was also the world’s fastest-ever swim in the event, breaking Katinka Hosszu’s 2014 world record of 1:59.23. At the 2020 Queensland Championships (LCM), McKeown threw down a 57.93 to become just the second person to ever dip under the 58-second mark after Regan Smith‘s 57.57 world record from last year. Being the second-fastest ever to an American means that the swim was good enough to set a new Australian, Oceanian, and Commonwealth record.

McKeown takes us through her 2020, as well as her training style since the end of 2018, which doesn't go by weeks, but rather by 3-week periods. Within each 21-day cycle, Mckeown says she trains for 17 of those days in a row and then gets 4 days off.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with SwimSwam's 2020 Female Swimmer of the Year, Kaylee McKeown. McKeown re-wrote half of the Australian backstroke record book last year, setting new national records in the 100 and 200 backstrokes long course and the 200 backstroke short course. That short course record of 1:58.94 was also the world’s fastest-ever swim in the event, breaking Katinka Hosszu’s 2014 world record of 1:59.23. At the 2020 Queensland Championships (LCM), McKeown threw down a 57.93 to become just the second person to ever dip under the 58-second mark after Regan Smith‘s 57.57 world record from last year. Being the second-fastest ever to an American means that the swim was good enough to set a new Australian, Oceanian, and Commonwealth record.

McKeown takes us through her 2020, as well as her training style since the end of 2018, which doesn't go by weeks, but rather by 3-week periods. Within each 21-day cycle, Mckeown says she trains for 17 of those days in a row and then gets 4 days off.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-05

SSPC: Baylor Nelson Breaks Down Super-Competitive North Carolina Swim Scene

38 min

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We sat down with Baylor Nelson, the #2 recruit in the high school class of 2022. Nelson tells us about his training during quarantine and his love for swimming that has been fostered since a young age. Nelson has had some phenomenal swims recently, most notably his epic battles with fellow North Carolina-native Sam Hoover in the 400 IM and 200 IM.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Baylor Nelson, the #2 recruit in the high school class of 2022. Nelson tells us about his training during quarantine and his love for swimming that has been fostered since a young age. Nelson has had some phenomenal swims recently, most notably his epic battles with fellow North Carolina-native Sam Hoover in the 400 IM and 200 IM.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-04

SSPC: Maxime Rooney on Competing at a High Level Under Pressure

50 min

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We sat down with Maxime Rooney, the ISL newbie who made a big impact this season for the LA Current. Maxime breaks down the season in Budapest, detailing the ups and downs of competing in a 6-week bubble. He also shares about his personal day-to-day, including the importance of cooking, which he also documents on his Instagram as "Maxime's Meals". Rooney finishes by talking about racing under pressure, a topic in which he references an interview with James Guy about the dominance of his British teammate, Adam peaty.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Maxime Rooney, the ISL newbie who made a big impact this season for the LA Current. Maxime breaks down the season in Budapest, detailing the ups and downs of competing in a 6-week bubble. He also shares about his personal day-to-day, including the importance of cooking, which he also documents on his Instagram as "Maxime's Meals". Rooney finishes by talking about racing under pressure, a topic in which he references an interview with James Guy about the dominance of his British teammate, Adam peaty.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-03

SSPC: Claudio Battaglini on the Benefits of Staying with One Coach for a Long Time

39 min

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We sat down with Claudio Battaglini, the coach and father of age-group breakout swimmer Luca Battaglini. Claudio has been a coach of elite athletes for decades, originally training the world's top triathletes in his home of Brazil. He eventually got his Ph.D. and became a teacher and researcher, letting coaching go to the wayside a bit. However, as his son started to become a better and better swimmer, he started to get involved on deck and is now training a small group in North Carolina.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Claudio Battaglini, the coach and father of age-group breakout swimmer Luca Battaglini. Claudio has been a coach of elite athletes for decades, originally training the world's top triathletes in his home of Brazil. He eventually got his Ph.D. and became a teacher and researcher, letting coaching go to the wayside a bit. However, as his son started to become a better and better swimmer, he started to get involved on deck and is now training a small group in North Carolina.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2021-01-01

SSPC: James Magnussen Explains What Went Wrong at the 2012 London Olympics

37 min

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We sat down with World champion James Magnussen... again. We had already spoken with James before but only got through the first year of his career on the international stage. So this time we covered another couple of years, including the lead-up to the 2012 Olympic Games. After his big breakout at the 2011 World Champs, Maggie says he had no major racing until the 2012 Aussie Olympic trials, where he dropped a legendary 47.10, the fastest time swam in a textile suit at that point by a longshot.

Maggie admits that this swim hid some of the doubts he had at the time about his Olympic prep and therefore he just continued on in the same fashion. Maggie also says that even though it wasn't his best race, he's extremely proud of his silver medal performance in the 100m free final in London.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with World champion James Magnussen... again. We had already spoken with James before but only got through the first year of his career on the international stage. So this time we covered another couple of years, including the lead-up to the 2012 Olympic Games. After his big breakout at the 2011 World Champs, Maggie says he had no major racing until the 2012 Aussie Olympic trials, where he dropped a legendary 47.10, the fastest time swam in a textile suit at that point by a longshot.

Maggie admits that this swim hid some of the doubts he had at the time about his Olympic prep and therefore he just continued on in the same fashion. Maggie also says that even though it wasn't his best race, he's extremely proud of his silver medal performance in the 100m free final in London.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-31

SSPC: Lani Pallister Breaks Down What It's Like Having Your Mom as Your Coach

59 min

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We sat down with Jr World and Pan Pac champion, Lani Pallister. Lani is just coming off a very successful short course championships where she broke the Australian record in the 1500. Pallister talks about how her recent move to train with Michael Bohl, along with her mom, has gone thus far and leading into those championships. Pallister has been coached by her mom from a young age and explains the ups and downs that can come with your mom being your coach.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Jr World and Pan Pac champion, Lani Pallister. Lani is just coming off a very successful short course championships where she broke the Australian record in the 1500. Pallister talks about how her recent move to train with Michael Bohl, along with her mom, has gone thus far and leading into those championships. Pallister has been coached by her mom from a young age and explains the ups and downs that can come with your mom being your coach.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-30

SSPC: How Kate Douglass' Club Coach Wanted to Change How Club Swimmers Train

42 min

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We sat down with Carle Fierro, the head coach of Westchester Aquatic Club. She explained her philosophy on training club swimmers, which might differ from a typical, high-yardage program. Carle has had successful age swimmers at young ages, including current Virginia super-star Kate Douglass and breakout 13-year-old Claire Weinstein.

You can check out what a week of Carle's training looks like here.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Carle Fierro, the head coach of Westchester Aquatic Club. She explained her philosophy on training club swimmers, which might differ from a typical, high-yardage program. Carle has had successful age swimmers at young ages, including current Virginia super-star Kate Douglass and breakout 13-year-old Claire Weinstein.

You can check out what a week of Carle's training looks like here.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-30

SSPC: Zane Waddell Discusses Retiring From Lack of Funding

41 min

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We sat down with World, NCAA and SEC Champion Zane Waddell. Waddell recently announced his retirement, to the surprise of many, as the Olympic year is around the corner and he seems to be in his prime. Waddell discussed not being able to financially support himself with only swimming and why he wasn't able to make the trip to Budapest to compete in the ISL as he had planned.

Waddell has stayed exceedingly optimistic throughout this process however and is embracing his new journey into the corporate realm of finance as his new challenge in life. He expresses extreme gratitude for everything swimming gave him, especially the relationships. Waddell is excited to give back to swimming in the future while wearing a different kind of suit.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with World, NCAA and SEC Champion Zane Waddell. Waddell recently announced his retirement, to the surprise of many, as the Olympic year is around the corner and he seems to be in his prime. Waddell discussed not being able to financially support himself with only swimming and why he wasn't able to make the trip to Budapest to compete in the ISL as he had planned.

Waddell has stayed exceedingly optimistic throughout this process however and is embracing his new journey into the corporate realm of finance as his new challenge in life. He expresses extreme gratitude for everything swimming gave him, especially the relationships. Waddell is excited to give back to swimming in the future while wearing a different kind of suit.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-29

SSPC: Dean Farris, Harvard Coaches Break Down Ivy League Training, Tradition

36 min

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We sat down with Swimming's favorite Harvard swimmer, Dean Farris, along with the head and associate head coaches of the Harvard Men's swim team, Kevin Tyrrell and Sam Pitter. We started the conversation by getting a good look into what training has been like for the Harvard men this semester, which is very different than a lot of other college programs we've talked to.

I think one of the most exciting parts about the Harvard swimming tradition is the HYP (Harvard-Yale-Princeton) tri-meet at the end of January, effectively the start of the 6-week taper for Ivy League Championships and NCAAs. Dean, Kevin, and Sam all give their take on what makes HYP such a fun and exhilarating event.

Music: Otis McDonald
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We sat down with Swimming's favorite Harvard swimmer, Dean Farris, along with the head and associate head coaches of the Harvard Men's swim team, Kevin Tyrrell and Sam Pitter. We started the conversation by getting a good look into what training has been like for the Harvard men this semester, which is very different than a lot of other college programs we've talked to.

I think one of the most exciting parts about the Harvard swimming tradition is the HYP (Harvard-Yale-Princeton) tri-meet at the end of January, effectively the start of the 6-week taper for Ivy League Championships and NCAAs. Dean, Kevin, and Sam all give their take on what makes HYP such a fun and exhilarating event.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-28

SSPC: What Ally McHugh Learned From Watching Race Video of Ariarne Titmus

54 min

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We sat down with National champion and Olympic hopeful, Ally McHugh. Ally documents what her training has been like in and out of the water since quarantine began when she was actually on a training trip at the Olympic Training Center. McHugh has become a student of the sport, trying to pick up tricks and tips in any way she can. This includes watching race video of her competitors, like Ariarne Titmus. McHugh describes what her takeaways were from Titmus and how she has implemented them into her training.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with National champion and Olympic hopeful, Ally McHugh. Ally documents what her training has been like in and out of the water since quarantine began when she was actually on a training trip at the Olympic Training Center. McHugh has become a student of the sport, trying to pick up tricks and tips in any way she can. This includes watching race video of her competitors, like Ariarne Titmus. McHugh describes what her takeaways were from Titmus and how she has implemented them into her training.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-27

SSPC: Becca Wyant Details Carving her Own Path to Become a Swim Photographer

55 min

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We sat down with swim-photographer extraordinaire, Becca Wyant. Becca has documented World Championships, US Nationals, and Pro Swim meets all over the country and photographed swimmers all over the globe. Becca's origin story is similar to many who now work in the swim industry: it started with swimming. But the rest is very unique in that Becca worked to follow her passions and carve her own path for herself, seeking fulfillment through creativity in whatever she was doing. This led her to a position at FINIS, one that evolved over the years and allowed her to get behind not only a computer screen but a camera as well.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with swim-photographer extraordinaire, Becca Wyant. Becca has documented World Championships, US Nationals, and Pro Swim meets all over the country and photographed swimmers all over the globe. Becca's origin story is similar to many who now work in the swim industry: it started with swimming. But the rest is very unique in that Becca worked to follow her passions and carve her own path for herself, seeking fulfillment through creativity in whatever she was doing. This led her to a position at FINIS, one that evolved over the years and allowed her to get behind not only a computer screen but a camera as well.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-26

SSPC: Pavel Sankovich on What Makes Swimming Sustainable for Young Swimmers

57 min

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We sat down with Pavel Sankovich, the Belarusian swimmer who just had his 2nd child. Pavel takes us through how fatherhood changed his perspective on swimming as well as how he's tried to get back into the water the last several months. He's carried this new perspective into the pool as well as his teaching as he coaches young swimmers full-time. Sankovich also recalls highlights and stories of his career, detailing the intense training he put in while living in Europe and the US.

Music: Otis McDonald
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We sat down with Pavel Sankovich, the Belarusian swimmer who just had his 2nd child. Pavel takes us through how fatherhood changed his perspective on swimming as well as how he's tried to get back into the water the last several months. He's carried this new perspective into the pool as well as his teaching as he coaches young swimmers full-time. Sankovich also recalls highlights and stories of his career, detailing the intense training he put in while living in Europe and the US.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-25

SSPC: Claire Curzan Wrote Down '56 100 Fly in Greensboro' Before it Happened

35 min

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We sat down with Olympic hopeful and NAG record slayer, Claire Curzan. Curzan has been ON one this quarantine, dropping best times seemingly every time she hits the racing blocks. Most notably, she registered a 56.6 100m fly at the US Open site in Greensboro, becoming the 3rd fastest woman in the event in American history. Curzan breaks that swim down, revealing that she actually wrote down '56 100 fly in Greensboro' in her goal journal before the meet even happened.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Olympic hopeful and NAG record slayer, Claire Curzan. Curzan has been ON one this quarantine, dropping best times seemingly every time she hits the racing blocks. Most notably, she registered a 56.6 100m fly at the US Open site in Greensboro, becoming the 3rd fastest woman in the event in American history. Curzan breaks that swim down, revealing that she actually wrote down '56 100 fly in Greensboro' in her goal journal before the meet even happened.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-24

SSPC: Emily Seebohm Shares Hilarious Story of Nearly Losing Olympic Relay Spot

61 min

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We sat down with Olympic, World, Pan Pacific, Commonwealth, and basically any other major competition you can think of champion, Emily Seebohm. Emily has obviously had an illustrious career, one that started when she was only a young teenager, being a member of the Aussie national team at 14. Seebohm takes us through many paths of her career, including competing with Energy Standard in the last 2 ISL seasons, major ups and downs she has had throughout her career, and how trying to buy a bicycle almost lost her spot on the 4x100 medley relay at the Beijing Olympics.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Olympic, World, Pan Pacific, Commonwealth, and basically any other major competition you can think of champion, Emily Seebohm. Emily has obviously had an illustrious career, one that started when she was only a young teenager, being a member of the Aussie national team at 14. Seebohm takes us through many paths of her career, including competing with Energy Standard in the last 2 ISL seasons, major ups and downs she has had throughout her career, and how trying to buy a bicycle almost lost her spot on the 4x100 medley relay at the Beijing Olympics.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-23

SSPC: How Can You Maximize Your Holiday Training Dryland?

51 min

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Chris Ritter, the founder and CEO of Ritter Sports Performance and SURGE Strength, is my go-to for dryland training. With holiday training coming up fast (aka Hell Week), Chris shares his insights and provides some FREE education assets for swimming coaches. Holiday training is always crucial, perhaps more so after the 2020 pandemic year. The work done, the base built, will determine whether or not swimmers hit their personal best times next spring and summer. Get ahead of the curve and arm yourself with the right dryland information here:

SURGE Strength – https://www.surge-strength.com/
SURGE Strength Dryland Certification – https://www.surge-strength.com/certification/
SwimSwam Articles by Chris – https://swimswam.com/training/surge-strength-dryland-training/
SURGE Strength Podcast – https://wavve.link/rittersp?__s=x0dcybu65xrgfh0qi1st

Swimmers and Coaches can get FREE access to the newest Dryland 101 Course in the SURGE Strength Academy: Dryland At Home. Chris Ritter is the CEO of Ritter Sports Performance, a SwimSwam partner.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Chris Ritter, the founder and CEO of Ritter Sports Performance and SURGE Strength, is my go-to for dryland training. With holiday training coming up fast (aka Hell Week), Chris shares his insights and provides some FREE education assets for swimming coaches. Holiday training is always crucial, perhaps more so after the 2020 pandemic year. The work done, the base built, will determine whether or not swimmers hit their personal best times next spring and summer. Get ahead of the curve and arm yourself with the right dryland information here:

SURGE Strength – https://www.surge-strength.com/
SURGE Strength Dryland Certification – https://www.surge-strength.com/certification/
SwimSwam Articles by Chris – https://swimswam.com/training/surge-strength-dryland-training/
SURGE Strength Podcast – https://wavve.link/rittersp?__s=x0dcybu65xrgfh0qi1st

Swimmers and Coaches can get FREE access to the newest Dryland 101 Course in the SURGE Strength Academy: Dryland At Home. Chris Ritter is the CEO of Ritter Sports Performance, a SwimSwam partner.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-23

SSPC: Danny Kovac Details Running a Marathon, Doing a Century (100 Mile) Ride

48 min

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We sat down with SEC champion Danny Kovac, who was back at Mizzou this semester throwing down some impressive times at their invite. We talked about Kovac's swimming, particularly how he balances it with his outside of swim life with activities like farming and socializing. What I didn't think I'd hear was about one day how last year, after NCAAs, Kovac decided to casually run a marathon. And did so that day. Or how, during his time at home in Colorado during the COVID-19 shutdown, he planned out and completed a century bike ride (100 miles).

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with SEC champion Danny Kovac, who was back at Mizzou this semester throwing down some impressive times at their invite. We talked about Kovac's swimming, particularly how he balances it with his outside of swim life with activities like farming and socializing. What I didn't think I'd hear was about one day how last year, after NCAAs, Kovac decided to casually run a marathon. And did so that day. Or how, during his time at home in Colorado during the COVID-19 shutdown, he planned out and completed a century bike ride (100 miles).

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-22

SSPC: Katie Meili on Building an Identity Outside of Swimming

71 min

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We sat down with Olympic champion and now Lawyer Katie Meili. Meili took us through much of her swim journey, from summer league and high school swimming through college swimming at Columbia and into her pro career, where she really started to have a presence on the international stage.

Meili also addresses something we in the swimming community don't always consider: life after swimming. She emphasized the importance of knowing yourself outside of just swimming and starting to formulate a plan of what life after swimming might look like well before you reach the end of your path. In this way, you're well prepared to transition from one passion to the next.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Olympic champion and now Lawyer Katie Meili. Meili took us through much of her swim journey, from summer league and high school swimming through college swimming at Columbia and into her pro career, where she really started to have a presence on the international stage.

Meili also addresses something we in the swimming community don't always consider: life after swimming. She emphasized the importance of knowing yourself outside of just swimming and starting to formulate a plan of what life after swimming might look like well before you reach the end of your path. In this way, you're well prepared to transition from one passion to the next.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-21

Shaine Casas on Having COVID, Rolling Ankle & Still Logging Historical Swims

35 min

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We sat down with NCAA All-American and USA national champion Shaine Casas. Casas has made headlines a lot since returning to racing in October, mostly for his historical swims. He started off by dropping a 1:36.54 200 Back in October (#4 all-time performer) and followed that up with a 1:39 200 fly (in a dual meet), 1:38.95 200 IM (#3 performer all-time), 43.87 100 back (#3 all-time performer at the time, now #4), and 46.33 100 IM (#1 all-time). He also posted a 1:36.6 200 back from a B-final in November after rolling his ankle the night before.

Casas lends context to all of these sensational swims, describes what having COVID was like back in June, and more.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with NCAA All-American and USA national champion Shaine Casas. Casas has made headlines a lot since returning to racing in October, mostly for his historical swims. He started off by dropping a 1:36.54 200 Back in October (#4 all-time performer) and followed that up with a 1:39 200 fly (in a dual meet), 1:38.95 200 IM (#3 performer all-time), 43.87 100 back (#3 all-time performer at the time, now #4), and 46.33 100 IM (#1 all-time). He also posted a 1:36.6 200 back from a B-final in November after rolling his ankle the night before.

Casas lends context to all of these sensational swims, describes what having COVID was like back in June, and more.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-20

SSPC: Camille Cheng on Reevaluating How You Approach Time Goals When Racing

37 min

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We sat down with NCAA All-American from Cal and 5-time Asian Games medalist Camille Cheng. Cheng is currently back in Hong Kong training for the 2021 Olympic Games, but didn't necessarily always think that would be the case. She takes us through the journey of swimming at Cal, having a great experience in her 4 years there (2011-2015) culminating in an NCAA team title. She stuck around for another year and went to the 2016 Olympic Games, where she didn't perform how she wanted to.

Cheng thought that might be it for her swimming but eventually came back to it with a fresh perspective. Cheng explains that now, it's about having fun in training and racing, enjoying the process instead of focusing on the times as the end-all, be-all goal.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with NCAA All-American from Cal and 5-time Asian Games medalist Camille Cheng. Cheng is currently back in Hong Kong training for the 2021 Olympic Games, but didn't necessarily always think that would be the case. She takes us through the journey of swimming at Cal, having a great experience in her 4 years there (2011-2015) culminating in an NCAA team title. She stuck around for another year and went to the 2016 Olympic Games, where she didn't perform how she wanted to.

Cheng thought that might be it for her swimming but eventually came back to it with a fresh perspective. Cheng explains that now, it's about having fun in training and racing, enjoying the process instead of focusing on the times as the end-all, be-all goal.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-19

SSPC: Veronica Burchill Breaks Down Decision to Train with Tennessee Postgrads

54 min

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We sat down with Veronica Burchill, a 20-time All-American for the University of Georgia and recent ISL champion with the Cali Condors. Burchill talks us through her decision to move from Athens, GA to Knoxville, TN to train with the University of Tennessee's postgrad group. She also tells us stories from her days at Carmel swim club & high school, the University of Georgia, and the ISL bubble with the Cali Condors.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Veronica Burchill, a 20-time All-American for the University of Georgia and recent ISL champion with the Cali Condors. Burchill talks us through her decision to move from Athens, GA to Knoxville, TN to train with the University of Tennessee's postgrad group. She also tells us stories from her days at Carmel swim club & high school, the University of Georgia, and the ISL bubble with the Cali Condors.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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Published 2020-12-18

SSPC: Penny Oleksiak Opens Up about Friendship with Michael Phelps, Olympic Pressure

46 min

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We sat down with Penny Oleksiak, the Canadian Olympic champion who is gearing up for another run at the Games in 2021. Oleksiak was put in a unique position few find themselves in: being a full-on celebrity at age 16. Penny opens up about dealing with this pressure in and out of the pool over the last quad and explains how relating to Michael Phelps about this position has been helpful.

Penny also acknowledges why she chose not to participate in ISL this season after having been a member of Energy Standard in season 1 (one contributing factor: she hates short course).

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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We sat down with Penny Oleksiak, the Canadian Olympic champion who is gearing up for another run at the Games in 2021. Oleksiak was put in a unique position few find themselves in: being a full-on celebrity at age 16. Penny opens up about dealing with this pressure in and out of the pool over the last quad and explains how relating to Michael Phelps about this position has been helpful.

Penny also acknowledges why she chose not to participate in ISL this season after having been a member of Energy Standard in season 1 (one contributing factor: she hates short course).

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

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