The SwimSwam Podcast

Stefanie Moreno, the Associate Head Coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, joins the us in the middle of the Bulldog's championship season to dive deep into double taper. We talk about the staff dynamic during this crucial time of year and how they decide what work is left to be done. Host Garrett McCaffrey has a unique connection with Coach Moreno. His final year as a swimmer was her first year as a coach at the University of Missouri. They discuss how she's evolved since then into the Associate Head of her alma mater alongside her once coach, Jack Bauerle. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

We sat down with Regan Smith after her first Pac-12 Championships with Stanford, where she won the 100 back and 200 fly. Smith talks about her Olympic experience in Tokyo, how her first quarters of college have been, and what her event lineup will be at the upcoming NCAA championships. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

We sat down with Olympic champion and world-record holder Kyle Chalmers after his recent signing with arena. we discuss Chalmers' motivation heading into the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Losing to longtime rival Caeleb Dressel by such a slim margin has lit a fire in his belly, one that will only be quenched by an Olympic gold-medal sandwich (stacking his 2 100 free Olympic gold medals on either side of his 100 free Olympic silver). Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss how Russia's invasion of Ukraine has had ripple effects in the swimming community, all of last weekends college conference action, and the upcoming Pro Swim Series in Westmont (Chicago). SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

Coming off her third successful Olympic Games Katie Ledecky explains the process of how and why she moved to Gainesville. She didn't say it outright, but it sounds like she wanted to train with the talented Gator men's distance group. What do you think? Of course coach Anthony Nesty has proven his success training distance swimmers. Has Katie considered ISL? Apparently not according to this interview. She said World Championships is the priority and focusing on her long course meters training on the run-up to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. She'd like to race short course meters, but she has nothing planned right now. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

World record holder and Ukranian Olympian Andrii Govorov is calling for all swimming federations to skip competitions in Russia for the next year as well as ban Russian athletes from all competitions. In light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Govorov's stance is simple: sport is for peace, and he believes Russia should face consequences for their actions. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we cover all of the Power-5 Conference Championships that occurred last weekend plus international news including an ongoing ISL/FINA lawsuit and what Aussie Olympic stars are doing this spring. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

SwimSwam caught up with 7-time Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel at the University of Florida, and Dressel described pain. Under Coach Anthony Nesty, Dressel returned to hard work three and a half days after the ISL Season 3 Final. The turnaround was fast, jarring and it hurt. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

In this podcast, Houston head coach Tanica Jamison discussed how she is establishing herself with a new program after almost 10 years with one of the most stable programs at Texas A&M, led by one of the most consistent coaches in the sport's history, Steve Bultman. Tanica also discussed growing up in the 90s as a young, fast, swimmer, who was also black. She spoke about how her sport led her to her path and her coach, Jill Sterkel at the University of Texas was the representation that opened the door to her own coaching career. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss Claire Curzan's American Record in the 100 fly, Townley Haas's retirement, and the upcoming NCAA DI conference championships. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

Katie Grimes made the 2020 Olympic swimming team at age 15 in the 800 free after getting 2nd to Katie Ledecky at the US trials. She discusses her entire Olympic experience, including getting 4th in Tokyo and how she was able to bounce back from that. Grimes also shares her favorite training sets, including one that she did at Olympic training camp and the Sandpipers’ “Janet Evans” set. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss FINA's announcement of the new 2022 World Champs in Budapest and how that will affect the upcoming ISL Season 4, which made some announcements of their own recently, and the USA Swimming schedule, which also just came out with their revised season schedule. We also play everyone's favorite game, SINK or SWIM. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

Bryce Mefford is a 2020 US Olympian and NCAA champion for Cal in his 5th year as a bear. He sat out of competition at Cal this past fall to take a break from the water after the Olympic Games but is now back in competition. Mefford discusses why his break was necessary and how his return to racing has gone so far. He also tells his favorite stories from Olympic training camp and the Games themself in Tokyo. Mefford is weighing his options in and out of the pool, and after his final collegiate season is unsure of what the future holds. He has newfound confidence in the pool after making his first Olympic team this past summer but also wants to explore the workforce and life away from the pool. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

Michael Brinegar is a 2020 Olympian in the 800/1500 free and an NCAA All-American for Indiana. He sat down with us to speak about his experience at the SC World Champs (where he ended up leaving early due to potential close contact with COVID), training with Mark Schubert in high school and college, and making his first Olympic team last summer. Brinegar also looks ahead to the Big 10 and NCAA championships, where he looks to be in the hunt for a title (and American record) in the 1,650. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

Alia Atkinson is a 5x Olympian, 4x world champion, and current world record-holder. She was a dominant breaststroke throughout the entire 2010s decade and made her mark in the world cup circuit, ISL, and on the world stage. Alia recently announced her retirement after the 2021 Short Course World Championships and sat down with SwimSwam to discuss her career, including ups, downs, and inbetweens. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

3-time World Champion, 2-time Olympic Champion and Team Speedo Athlete, Zach Apple, gets raw and real about his 2020 Olympic performance. Zach let’s us inside his head, inside the highs and lows of his Olympic roller coaster experience. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss the ISL announcing a massive Season 4 schedule, post grads having success with other programs, and Adam Peaty taking on the 200 breast. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

We sat down with Ryan Held, who is hot off of a 6-medal performance at the 2021 World SC Championships, including 2 relay golds and 2 individual silvers in the 50/100 free. Held takes us through his last 6 months, starting at the lead-up to the 2021 Olympic Trials, when he was training with just Coley Stickels and Ali Khalafalla out of a pool in Birmingham and lifting in Stickels' basement. Held goes through the disappointment of placing 6th at Trials but then finding out he wouldn't be taken to Tokyo and processing that for the months to follow. Held then gets into his move to Phoenix and new training home at Arizona State with Herbie Behm. Held likes the new training environment with the hungry college students as well as the small pro group made up of himself, Olivia Smoliga, and Hali Flickinger. Held also gives his thoughts on the "All-Ryan Relay" and how he thinks USA Swimming should handle the postponement of the 2022 World Championships. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

Shaine Casas is a 6x world championship medalist and 3x NCAA champion. His decision to leave his alma mater of Texas A&M to train with their rival Longhorns in Austin has turned quite a few heads, but today Casas sets the record straight. He takes us into his head through the whole process of trying to transfer and ultimately going pro. Few swimmers choose to put their degree on hold to focus on their athletic career, but we see it frequently in other sports. Casas says he wants to prioritize his swimming now and describes his new training environment at the University of Texas with Eddie Reese. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

Rhyan White is a world champion, Olympic medalist, and NCAA All-American. She was the only woman from America to qualify for the 2021 Olympic Games in both the 100 and 200 backstroke. In Tokyo, she finished 4th in both events, just missing individual medals but still helping the USA to a silver in the 400 medley relay. White discusses managing her emotions through Trials, the Games, and afterword when she came back to Alabama to kick off her senior season. She talks about the new coaching staff in Tuscaloosa, led by first-time head coach Margo Geer, and the training habits she's developed since her first Games. White bounced back in a big way after Tokyo, winning gold in the 200 back at the Short Course World Championships in Abu Dhabi this past December. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

In this podcast, we learn more about Mondy, the Jolyn brand, and Jolyn’s on-going support of the sport. This year they launch the Jolyn Swim Collegiate Series. This series is not for the top 5-10% of swimmers that are recruited on “national times” alone. This series focuses on the 90-95% of youth swimmers that don’t have those top national event times. The Swim Collegiate Series serves as a “recruiting pipeline” for the coaches allowing them to spot talent 2-3 years down the road. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss the 2022 World Champs getting postponed, Katie Ledecky beating Zane Grothe in an exhibition 500 free, and Gretchen Walsh setting a new American record in the 50 yard backstroke. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

Josh Liendo was an Olympian at 18 and now at 19 is a world champion. He not only won gold as a part of the mixed 4x50 free relay in Abu Dhabi, but also earned double individual bronze in the 50 & 100 free. Liendo discusses growing up in Trinidad, moving to Canada as a teen, and becoming invested in swimming by chasing age group records. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

USA Swimming has had a challenge to overcome for generations. Our sport’s registration does not reflect the current makeup of the United States. Only 1% identify as black, and only 6% identify as mixed-race. For USA Swimming to continue to grow and be successful as an National Governing Body, they must invest in big ideas, moonshot ideas, to chart a successful course into the future. Since 2004 the USA Swimming Foundation has supported their partners with free and reduced cost swimming lessons nationwide. December 14th 2021 they announced their grant program focused on creating a 10-year, $1 million initiative to develop learn-to-swim and competitive opportunities in communities served by Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

Ron Kontura, Director of Total Performance Swim Camps, is many things. In another life he'd probably be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. He's the current Aquatics Director at Kenyon College and the Head Coach of Men's and Women's Diving. His resume is long. Ron loves to organize events, and he's passionate about the camp experience and value it provides to swimmers for years and years into their careers. At Total Performance Swim Camps, Ron manages heavyweights in the sport, providing them a perfect location and platform to provide expert instruction. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

As reported today, FINA could be postponing the Fukuoka World Championships set for May of 2022 to July of 2023. If that is the case, what happens? SwimSwam Editor-in-Cheif, Braden Keith, and I sat down to discuss what this would mean for the US and the rest of the world. While most other countries have another opportunity at a major LCM championship later in the summer, the US only has our summer nationals in Irvine in August. We talk through possible scenarios for the 2023-2024 international swimming calendar and how the athletes may react to them. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

We sat down with 2x Olympic champ Tom Shields to discuss the ISL's no walkout clause, late payments from FINA and ISL, racing for 6 months straight, and being on government assistance leading up to the 2021 Olympic Trials. We also play a new game, "Go with the Current". SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

oach Brian Schrader heads Florida Aquatics Swimming & Training (FAST) at an elite facility opening March 2022 in Ocala, Florida. As head coach Schrader is responsible for all operations while coaching swimmers. Brian drops in on the SwimSwam Podcast to unpack the details behind this brand-new facility. He, of course, has a long resume, having coached along side our sport’s greats, include Eddie Reese, Jack Bauerle, and Gregg Troy to name a few. Brian’s the current Lead Assistance Coach for ISL’s powerhouse franchise, the Cali Condors. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

Today on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we go over Michael Phelps playing celebrity pickleball matches, Sun Yang netting over $500k from selling makeup, and the 2023 World Champs getting pushed to November. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

Fink talks us through managing school during the full ISL season, taking finals a week before flying to Abu Dhabi for the world championships, and going best times and winning world titles through all of it. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

We sat down with Olympic champion James Guy, who is currently stuck at home from a positive COVID test, although he is A-symptomatic. Guy walks us through his last 6 months, from the Olympic Games to his "reset" time to ISL. Guy breaks down in fine detail what it meant for himself and Britain to win the men's 4x200 free relay in Tokyo and the hopes they have for the men's 4x100 medley relay after winning silver. Guy has always shown up on relays, but when asked about them he didn't say he feels differently when swimming on a relay. Contrastly, he admitted that over the past few years, he has struggled mentally in his individual events with having a plan and executing it, or rather he's tried too hard when it comes to race by himself. However, Guy has gone back to the basics of setting in-race goals and has found success, registering a 50.9 in the 100 fly twice and a 1:46.3 200 free at the 2021 European Championships before ultimately scratching all his individuals in Tokoy to focus on relays. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

We sat down with NAG record-holder and surprise breakout star of the Speedo Winter Jr Champs, Ilya Kharun of the Sandpipers of Nevada. Ilya takes us through his evolution in the pool and with the sandpipers, shedding light on his monumental drop from 1:56 to 1:42 in the 200 fly in the 2021 calendar year. He also discusses his commitment to Arizona State and training with the Sandpipers' top group, including a set they did recently, 60x100 on your choice of interval, Ilya choosing 1:02. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

British Paralympic swimmer Will Perry has gained attention after posting on Instagram last week about an interaction that for him is all too common. After having a frustrating day, he went to the grocery store, hoping for a quiet trip to buy household food. Instead, he was ridiculed because of his size by 3 teenage girls. This prompted a rage-fueled post to his Instagram page, calling for the bullying and abuse to stop and for people with dwarfism, such as himself, to be treated as equals to those without it. Perry joins us on the podcast to speak on his journey through dwarfism, swimming, and what he hopes to accomplish in and out of the pool moving forward. Follow Will Perry on Instagram here. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss Emre Sakci challenging FINA for transparency, swimmers 1-uping each other on a 75 swim with fins, and Swimnex predicting 10 world records at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

2020 Olympic medalist and Team Speedo athlete, Katie McLaughlin, epitomizes perseverance. She’s been an elite swimmer since she was 16 years old, a fast rising age group star who earned four medals at the 2013 World Junior Championships. She followed up with strong performances at the 2014 Pan Pacs and 2015 World Championships. Landing at Cal her freshman year, swim-fans expected a clear path onto the 2016 U.S. Olympic Swimming Team, but a tragic accident during Cal’s winter training camp halted that Olympic dream. Katie unpacks the injury, her recovery, and her long road back to being a force on Team USA. Katie’s got a swimming-range. She could be a threat on the world-stage in several events, but the 4x200 free relay is where she’s currently the most dangerous. She has delivered 1:55 splits, the second fastest legs on the 4x200 relays, at the 2018 Pan Pacifiic Championships, 2019 World Championships and 2020 Olympic Games. Katie McLaughlin is Team Speedo. Follow Katie McLaughlin on Instagram here: Follow Speedo USA on Instagram here. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

We sat down with Schuyler Bailar, the first openly trans NCAA DI male athlete, to discuss what being a trans athlete, and trans human, means. This has come to the forefront of news lately in the case of Lia Thomas, the trans woman that is currently competing for the University of Penn women's swim team. Bailar describes the importance of biodiversity in sport and how we see a discrepancy in how biodiversity is accepted. Bailar explains that while males with biological advantages are often praised for them, women, especially women in marginalized groups such as black or trans women, are received in the opposite way and see harsh criticism for these biological differences. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

Solomon D’Amico, co-head coach of Seward TSUNAMI SWIM CLUB, is the mind behind the success of Lydia Jacoby. Lydia has racked up endless awards since her star-turn at the 2020 Olympic Games, including the 2021 Swammy Award for Female Breakout Swimmer of the Year. Lydia, only 17 years old, won Olympic gold in the 100m breaststroke (1:04.95) and silver in the 4x100 medley relay. In addition to his position at TSUNAMI Swim Club, Solomon’s also the head coach of swimming and track and field at the Seward High School. This unique man with an experienced past has served in the U.S. Marine Corps and he’s earned a BS in Kinesiology from Indiana University. In the podcast, Coach Solomon D’Amico talks us through Lydia’s training season, individual practices, and the challenges they overcame during the pandemic. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

Thomas Heilman — the 14 year old swimming phenom out of Virginia’s Cavalier Aquatics under coach Gary Taylor — broke 13 national age group records in 11 days. Thomas accomplished this feat competing at three different meets in 11 days, USA Swimming’s U.S. Open, YOTA Arena Capital Classic, and then Speedo’s Junior Nationals. In this podcast Thomas unpacks a few of his record swims, his training, and his life throughout the pandemic leading up to this history-making accomplishment. See all of the SwimSwam reports on his NAG records here. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss USA Swimming canceling the Pro Swim in Knoxville, Emre Sakci's 50 Breast world record, and Adam Peaty's 'Project Immortal'. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

We sat down with Neil Harper (head coach), Vanessa Hermann (senior), and Anna Hopkin (alumni) of Arkansas women's swimming. We discussed where everyone is at in their season and what things look like in the immediate future. We also go back a bit and talk through the last 18 months and how each athlete got through being in lockdown. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

We sat down Femke Heemskerk, one of the most decorated swimmers in Dutch history, who recently called it a career after winning the ISL season 3 championship with Energy Standard. Femke shares why she felt that this was the right time for her to step away from the pool, citing a lack of motivation when she was training and realizing she'd never felt that way before. Heemskerk reflects on her achievements in the pool, noting that she felt her absolute best at the 2014 SCM World Championships in Doha (where she took 5 medals in including 100 free gold) and the 2020 LCM European Championships (which took place in 2021) where she also took 100 free gold. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

We sat down with Arizona State head coach Bob Bowman and associate head coach Rachel Stratton-Mills to discuss how the sundevils performed at the NC State Invite and what training has looked like this fall. Bowman goes into detail on the men's team, from the kind of work they've been doing to the exact amount of rest they got for Invite. Stratton-Mills speaks to the women's team, noting what their goals are moving forward into the rest of the season and what the addition of post-grad Olivia Smoliga has brought to her specific 200-below training group. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

We sat down with Zoe Bartel, the NCAA champion from Stanford who recently announced a mid-season retirement in what was her senior season on the team. Bartel goes into detail about her relationship with swimming, starting when she was young and actually tried to quit swimming when she was 16. She reveals that skiing was always her true love, but she did eventually come to love aspects of swimming, like the hard work that came with training and her teammates. Bartel explains why this was finally the right time for her to step away from the pool completely and what her future looks like moving forward. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

We sat down with Tennessee's associate head coach, Ashley Jahn. Jahn has been with the Vols for a decade now and it shows as she discusses her methodical approach to training. One big thing Jahn hits on that is unique about this season is the energy that the "COVID 5th year" swimmers bring to the pool deck. Jahn explains that getting that extra chance to improve has brought a lot of joy to those athletes, which in turn trickles down to the rest of the team. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discussed the 2021 Speedo Winter Junior Championships, the upcoming Short Course World Championships, and the prospect of Sarah Sjostrom being an NCAA swimmer. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora

Brent Nowicki’s been the new FINA Executive Director about six months. He’s young, only 42 years old, with an impressive resume. As expected he’s bringing a lot of energy and changes to FINA. Brent’s managing an extremely jam-packed calendar, and it appears he’s striving to package tentpole aquatic events as spectacles. The upcoming World Championships in Abu Dhabi will provided much needed data to determine if spectacle events can work—be a cost-benefit and be bigger driver of TV rights. Brent’s transparent on this topic. SwimSwam will touchback with him to learn more about these results. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

We sat down with Kelsi Dahlia, the Cali Condor's star who broke the world record in the 100 fly in the ISL final. Dahlia explains the pain of missing the Olympic team, how she processed that sense of loss, and came back to pool with a sense of purpose to get ready for the 2021 ISL season. Dahlia also talks about her current training plan, which has included 6 practices a week (1 per day 6 days/week, no doubles) in the Louisville sprint group. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

University of Pennsylvania senior Lia Thomas has been making headlines so far in this NCAA season, producing several record-breaking performances in what is her first year competing as a woman. Thomas, a trans woman, sat down on the SwimSwam Podcast to discuss everything from when she realized she was trans, what the transition period was like, and how she's been able to adjust to life both in and out of the pool. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

In this podcast Mark unpacks what he's doing at SET Aquatics, and he dips back into his history discussing his coaching philosophy. I traveled the world with Mark for ten years on the USA Swimming National Team back in the 1980s and 90s, but I've never talked to him about his Mission Viego dynasty years. I was dumbfounded to learned he took over the program at the tender age of 23 back in 1973. Mark discusses his genesis story, nearly going into the legal profession, and how his father told him he'd never make a living as a swim coach. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora Music: Otis McDonald www.otismacmusic.com

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss the ISL Final and the controversy that surrounded it, Thomas Heilman's NAG record siege in Greensboro, and Daiya Seto training in Scottsdale. SWIMSWAM PODCAST LINKS Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean Click here to listen and subscribe on Google Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon Click here to listen and subscribe on Pandora