SW Biweekly January 21, 2022 Issue

IGNORANCE IS A CHOICE

SWIM SMART

MEG HARRIS | AUSTRALIA 2020 TOKYO OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST WORLD RECORD HOLDER

Discover more at FINISswim.com

CONTENTS 008 MISSION VIEJO HIRES JEFF JULIAN TO LEAD POSTGRADUATE TRAINING CENTER Mission Viejo has announced plans to create a new postgraduate training group under the leadership of former Rose Bowl Aquatics coach Jeff Julian, who also helmed the Cali Condors during the 2021 ISL season.

010 MICHAEL ANDREW ON MICHAEL PHELPS’ 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY CRITICISM: “HE’S RIGHT”

by David Rieder After watching Michael Andrew swim the 200 IM at last summer’s U.S. Olympic Trials, Michael Phelps commented then that he thought Andrew was tiring at the end of his race and was no longer catching enough water at the front of his freestyle stroke—something that could be fixed with his training. Andrew agreed: “It makes sense.”

11 OLIVIA SMOLIGA MOVES TO TRAIN WITH BOB BOWMAN AT ARIZONA STATE

by Dan D’Addona After training in Georgia for the better part of a decade, two-time Olympian Olivia Smoliga has decided to train at Arizona State with Coach Bob Bowman. She’ll be joining other post-grad Olympians at ASU, including Allison Schmitt and Hali Flickinger.

012 BECCA MEYERS, THREE-TIME PARALYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST, ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

by Matthew De George Becca Meyers, one of America’s highest-profile Paralympic swimmers, announced her retirement from the sport. The 27-year-old made her Paralympic debut in 2012 with a silver medal and a bronze, but her signature moments came in 2016 at Rio, where she won gold in the S13 400 free and 100 fly plus the SM13 200 IM. 014 UNCONVENTIONAL TRAINING MOVE LEADS TO HISTORIC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AND ISL PERFORMANCES FOR DYLAN CARTER

by Jesse Marsh Sometimes, a change in training environment is all an athlete needs to get back on track. That’s what worked for Dylan Carter after he returned to his home country of Trinidad and Tobago during the middle of the ISL season to train with local coach Dexter Browne. The twotime World Short Course Championships medalist was one of the breakout performers in ISL Season 2, setting numerous national records and proving to be a valuable point scorer for the L.A. Current.

016 THE GREATEST WORLD RECORDS IN HISTORY

by John Lohn As the 2022 campaign gets underway, Swimming World Biweekly decided to look at the greatest world records in history. No, this is not a perfect science, but the eight records featured are—plain and simple—spectacular in nature and deserve all-time recognition.

018 ICE SWIMMING: AN EXTREME CHALLENGE IN TEMPERATURES DIFFICULT TO FATHOM

by Ned Denison Ice swimming is one of the fastest-growing extreme aquatic sports. Tens of thousands of swimmers now hit the cold water daily, and before the COVID restrictions, thousands traveled to events from Siberia to Argentina to Antarctica to the mountains of California and the loughs of Ireland.

020 COMMENTARY: ARIARNE TITMUS AND OTHER AUSTRALIANS SKIPPING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WOULD HURT SWIMMING

by David Rieder If the powers-that-be in swimming want the sport to extend the sports’ reach in the non-Olympic years, it needs to be less Olympic-centric, and that means having at least one major international meet in long course each year, where the results truly matter.

SWIMMING WORLD BIWEEKLY JANUARY 2022 | ISSUE 02 022 FINA TO STAGE INTERNATIONAL EVENTS AT THE ANCIENT PYRAMIDS OF EGYPT FROM 2023-26

by Liz Byrnes The ancient Pyramids of Giza, Egypt, will provide the most historic and breathtaking of backdrops to international FINA high diving, artistic swimming and diving events between 2023 and 2026, including the FINA High Diving World Cup (2023-24), the Diving Grand Prix (2023-26) and the 2023 Artistic Swimming World Series.

024 COMMENTARY: IN LATEST ERROR, NCAA RUNS AWAY FROM TRANSGENDER DECISION; TURNS BACK ON WOMEN’S SPORTS

by John Lohn Soon, we should see how the transgender-participation policy is worked through by USA Swimming and FINA. We’ll find out if Lia Thomas will race at the NCAA Championships, and how the policy will affect the sport in the future. Then, and only then, we’ll also learn how the transgender issue is handled by the NCAA. 026 INDIANA JUNIOR EMILY WEISS ANNOUNCES MEDICAL RETIREMENT

by David Rieder Emily Weiss, a former U.S. National Junior Team standout and a junior at Indiana, announced her retirement from swimming for undisclosed medical reasons.

027 NATALIE HINDS TEASES RETURN TO COLLEGE ROOTS IN GAINESVILLE

by Matthew De George Natalie Hinds teased a return to Gainesville to train with Florida’s postgrad group, returning the 28-year-old to her college roots, where she was a 20-time All-American from 2012-16. After a two-year break following the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, Hinds shifted her training base to Georgia, and last summer, she earned a relay spot in the women’s 100 freestyle, which turned into a bronze medal, swimming the third leg of the Olympic final in Tokyo.

028 USC SEEKING NCAA TITLE REPEAT AS WOMEN’S WATER POLO SEASON OPENS

by Lauren Mattice The University of Southern California, the reigning national women’s water polo champ, claimed the top spot in the initial CWPA preseason rankings poll, holding a single-point lead over Stanford.

030 BEFORE THE BEEP: HOW NCAA CHAMPION MAX McHUGH PREPARES FOR A BIG RACE

by Shoshanna Rutemiller Max McHugh, a senior team captain at the Universsity of Minnesota, shares his typical pre-race routines and evolving view of mental preparation while on the national stage.

032 DAVID MARSH TO FILL IN AS CAL MEN’S ASSISTANT COACH WITH CHASE KREITLER EXPECTING FIRST CHILD

by David Rieder David Marsh, who led his teams to a dozen NCAA titles (seven men’s, five women’s) during his 17-year career as head coach at Auburn from 1990-2017, will be working as a men’s assistant coach at Cal for the final two months of the college season. He will be filling in for fourth-year Cal assistant coach, Chase Kreitler, as Kreitler and his wife prepare to welcome their first child.

033 CLAIRE WEINSTEIN TIES 13-14 NAG SET

BY SIPPY WOODHEAD IN 1978

by Dan D’Addona Claire Weinstein, 14, of the Sandpipers of Nevada clocked 1:58.53 in the 200 meter freestyle to tie the 13-14 USA national age group record set by Sippy Woodhead in 1978.

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Mission Viejo Hires Jeff Julian to Lead Postgraduate Training Center

M

onths after legendary coach Mark Schubert departed the Mission Viejo Nadadores, the team has announced plans to create a new postgraduate training group under the leadership of former Rose Bowl Aquatics coach Jeff Julian.

Julian battled a cancer called adenocarcinoma in 2020, but he announced in early 2021 that he was cancer-free. More recently, Julian helmed the Cali Condors during the 2021 ISL season as the team came up just short of winning a national championship.

Additionally, 1996 Olympic champion Kristine Quance Julian (wife of Jeff) will join the Nadadores staff to work with the senior group of high-school-aged swimmers. Mission Viejo has one of the top legacies of any club swim program in the United States, and the program has produced a handful of strong young performers in recent years.

Read the full press release from the team below: With a focus toward the Paris and Los Angeles Olympics, the Mission Viejo Nadadores have taken a bold step to create a true, athlete-centered Professional/Post Grad Performance Training Center in Mission Viejo. To lead this dynamic level at the Nadadores’ Swim Club, they’ve hired Jeff Julian, head coach of the International Swim League’s (ISL) Cali Condors, USA National Team coach while at the helm of Rose Bowl Aquatics and former USA National Team member.

“The Nadadores are thrilled to bring the Julian family to Mission Viejo. Jeff will help us create, manage, and coach a new pro/post grad level of the program. His TEAM centered and process focused vision fit seamlessly with the updated “whole athlete” mantra of the Nadadores. Jeff will focus on this top tier of the program, which is designed to meet most 8

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every need of the elite athlete: nutrition, strength training, cryotherapy, sports psychology, professional internships, and dedicated water time. We believe Jeff will lead the Nadadores to Olympic success in the next two quads and we intend to both support and integrate these athletes into our total programming,” said Executive Director (and former Nadador Olympic Silver Medalist) Michele Mitchell.

As an added punch, 1996 Olympic gold medalist Kristine (Quance) Julian will also work as a senior coach along with senior head coach Logan Redondo to build swimmers organically through the program. Kristine has years of experience and is a multi-year ASCA Age Group Coach of the Year. She will help build the senior program focused on all athletes and all events.

No strangers to success, both are highly decorated coaches with experience leading athletes to championships on numerous different levels, ranging from Junior Nationals to Olympic Trials and most recently to the ISL. Jeff will bring his combined experience of working with elite level athletes on the college and pro side, with the knowledge of building a program like he has over the past 18 years to help establish all sides of the new performance training center.

“I’m honored to be selected by the Mission Viejo Nadadores to help build this visionary center aimed at giving a full focus on post-graduate athletes. We’ve already had some incredible discussions on the possibilities of how we can better serve these athletes in their preparation for elite performances, and I am very excited to get started. Mission Viejo has long been a leader in the swimming world, and this is another exciting step forward,” Jeff Julian said.◄

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JUNIOR ELITE CAMP June 6-10 & June 13-17 (Ages 9-12 Day Camp)

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

Michael Andrew on Michael Phelps’ 200 Individual Medley Criticism: ‘‘He’s Right’’

BY DAVID RIEDER

A

t the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials, Michael Andrew swam what was then the fastest time in the world in the men’s 200 IM with a 1:55.26 in the semifinals and then a 1:55.44 in the final. On both occasions, Andrew was well under worldrecord pace after 150 meters, only to fade badly and finish more than a second off the mark on both occasions, although he did hold on to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team. In the Olympic final of the event, Andrew again was in first place and well under world-record pace with one length to go, but fell apart and faded all the way to fifth place, more than two seconds off the gold.

What was going wrong? Michael Phelps, who was a fourtime Olympic gold medalist in the 200 IM (the only swimmer in history to win four straight gold medals in one event), chimed in at U.S. Olympic Trials after watching Andrew swim. Phelps observed that as Andrew got tired, he was no longer catching enough water at the front of his freestyle stroke.

“I just think to swim a good 200, you have to train for the 400. To swim a good 100, you have to train for a 200,” Phelps said. “When you’re slipping water like that, I feel like that’s a training error. You’re not giving yourself that chance to have repetitions in training that you’re going to feel the last 25 meters. If he finishes in 28-anything, he’s going to break the world record.”

Almost six months after his Olympic debut, Andrew responded. Appearing on an episode of the Inside with Brett Hawke Podcast, which will debut Monday, Andrew said that he agreed with Phelps’ assessment. “He’s right. It makes sense.”

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Andrew said that after the Olympic Trials, he believed he had put in sufficient training to be able to finish his 200 IM, so he was crushed when he faded even more at the Tokyo Games.

He said that to avoid such results in the future, he has begun adding longer swims to his signature style of ultra-short racepace training under father and coach Peter Andrew.

“You never want to lose a race like that,” Andrew told Hawke.

“I ended the year with the second-fastest time in the world, but it was not good, and I think that was the hardest race for me. I think I’ve watched it back, like, twice. It was an emotional race to watch. But (Phelps is) right.

“With that being said, we are training longer now. We’re not relying just on repetitions of 50s at 200 pace, but we’re going to start doing broken 200s, broken 150s, 100s at pace. We realize that in order for me to learn how to close that race, I’m going to have to, like Phelps said, train for the 400 in order for my 200 to be good. And I hate admitting that because it would be nice to know that I could train for the 200 like a 100 guy of stroke, but it only works up until the 150. I don’t want to go my whole career thinking, ‘I could have broken the world record.'”

Andrew added that even if he repeated a 1:55 in Tokyo and won an Olympic medal but still finished poorly on the freestyle leg, he would have been disappointed. He plans to continue focusing on the 200 IM “for now,” although he admitted that he does enjoy training for sprint 50s and 100s more.

“I realize with my talent, there’s too much potential in the 200 IM to not give it everything for a few seasons,” he said. ◄

[ Photo by Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto ]

Olivia Smoliga Moves to Train with Bob Bowman at Arizona State

BY DAN D'ADDONA

T

wo-time Olympian Olivia Smoliga has decided to head West. After training in Georgia for the better part of a decade, Smoliga will train at Arizona State with Bob Bowman.

Smoliga had trained with Jack Bauerle at Bulldog Aquatics after swimming collegiately at Georgia and leading the Bulldogs to the NCAA championship.

She made the announcement on social media on Saturday.

“Yeeeaauh Christmas training we out! Thank you to this crew for welcoming me. I’m so excited to be here,” Olivia Smoliga posted. “I really wanna thank @ugaswimdive for an indescribable 8 years as a collegiate athlete and post graduate. Thank you @jack.bauerle, Brian, Stef, Jerry, Harvey, Neil, Sean (and Dan for the diving well!!), for what I will remember as one of the most fulfilling and exciting rides of my life! I’m so grateful. Thank you to my whole Dawg

family, you all have made me the person I am today. It’s forks up from here! Thank you @sundevilswimdive and @coach_ bowman for taking me in. The vibe is high.”

Smoliga will join other post-grad Olympians at Arizona State, including Allison Schmitt and Hali Flickinger.

Olivia Smoliga won Olympic gold in Rio in 2016 on the medley relay. She also qualified in the 100 backstroke and finished sixth. Five years later, she qualified for Tokyo on the 400 freestyle relay.

Smoliga won her first first long-course world championship in 2019. She won the 50 backstroke in 27.33, also winning the bronze medal in the 100 back. She also had a spectacular performance at short-course worlds in 2018, hauling in eight medals. It returned Smoliga to the world’s elite. ◄ BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo by U.S. Paralympics ]

Becca Meyers, Three-Time Paralympic Gold Medalist, Announces Retirement

B

ecca Meyers, a two-time Paralympian and three-time gold medalist, announced her retirement from the sport.

The 27-year-old made the announcement via Instagram Saturday in the form of a letter to her six-year-old self.

BY MATTHEW De GEORGE

“I would like to take this moment to say thank you to all of my coaches, family, friends, my sponsor @speedousa and everyone else who has helped me achieve all my dreams and goals throughout my swimming journey,” Meyers wrote in part. “The black line will always have a special place in my heart.”

Meyers is one of America’s highest-profile Paralympic swimmers. She made her Paralympic debut in 2012 with a silver medal and a bronze, but her signature moments came in Rio. She won gold in the S13 400 freestyle, S13 100 butterfly and SM13 200 individual medley.

Meyers has an illustrious training background for any swimmer. She starred at Franklin & Marshall College at the Division III level. She has trained at such elite clubs as North Baltimore Aquatic Club and Nation’s Capital Swim Club, continuing her talent in the sport even as she lost her vision.

Meyers also won a pair of ESPY Awards as the Best Female Athlete with a Disability.

Meyers was due to compete at the Tokyo Paralympics last summer but withdrew, citing a lack of support in her request for a personal care assistant at the Games. ◄ 12

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Unconventional Training Move Leads To Historic World Championships and ISL Performances for Dylan Carter

BY JESSE MARSH

S

ometimes, a change in training environment is all an athlete needs to get back on track.

Two-time World Short Course Championships medalist Dylan Carter was one of the breakout performers in ISL Season Two. The Trinidad and Tobago native set numerous national records throughout the season and proved to be a valuable point scorer for the L.A. Current.

Considering his massive drops in short course, most, including himself, thought he had a great chance of securing multiple second swims in Tokyo and possibly becoming the first Trinidadian since Olympic bronze medalist George Bovell to make an individual Olympic final. Ultimately, he did not have the performances he hoped for last summer. The Commonwealth Games silver medalist just missed out on an Olympic semifinal berth, with his highest finish coming in the 100 free, where he finished 22nd.

After a relatively disappointing second Olympic Games, Carter went into ISL Season Three hoping to bounce back and rediscover his form from the 2020 bubble in Naples. With the L.A. Current deciding against retaining the Caribbean superstar, the Steven Tigg-led London Roar drafted him in the fifth round of the inaugural ISL Draft. Primarily used in the 50 fly for London in the regular season, Carter had three top-three finishes in the event, highlighted by a victory in 14

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Match 8.

Having about seven weeks between the regular season and the playoffs, the former USC Trojan made an unconventional move in many ways and went back to his home country to train with local coach Dexter Browne. It is almost unheard of to change training bases in the middle of a season. Also, it would baffle some people that an elite swimmer would trade a world-class training environment with top-level coaching and endless resources for a place that may not seem as adequately equipped for elite-level training and competing.

Though the decision initially surprised him a little, Browne, coach of a number of the Caribbean region’s top young swimmers, many who have gone on to compete at the NCAA level, did not think twice about agreeing to guide him. He long aspired to work with an athlete of Carter’s caliber.

“Dylan’s dad reached out to me shortly after Dylan returned from the first round of the ISL and asked if I would be up to coaching Dylan for the World Short Course Championships,” Browne said. “I did not hesitate to say yes as I had long dreamed of having such an opportunity.”

With some collaboration with Carter’s childhood coach, Franz Huggins, who is now the Head Age Group Coach at Ransom Everglades Aquatic Club in Miami, Florida, Browne

[ Photo by Mike Lewis / ISL ]

was able to develop a program with the aim of getting the 17time All-American back to his 2020 best.

The move immediately paid dividends. In Carter’s first ISL appearance since the coaching switch, he broke his own national record in the 50 fly, taking more than a tenth off the time he swam to win bronze at the World Short Course Championships in 2018. The four-time NCAA champion also took two tenths off his 50 free personal best, which was set during ISL Season Two. He continued his impressive performances throughout the postseason, lowering another national record in the 100 free and producing top-three swims in the 50 fly and 100 free to help London Roar finish third in the ISL final. His swims in Eindhoven were just the beginning of a productive and historic winter for the Trinidadian superstar.

With a few more weeks of fine-tuning under Browne, Carter produced a phenomenal showing at last month’s World Short Course Championships in Dubai.

Opening the meet with the 100 fly, Carter took almost half a second off his little over a year-old national record to rank eighth going into the semifinals. He took full advantage of the second swim and obliterated the mark he set just a few hours earlier to dip under 50 seconds for the first time in the semis. He finished ninth with a time of 49.87, less than a tenth away from becoming the first Trinidadian swimmer to make a global final in the event.

After almost dropping a second in the 100, Carter was in a great position to repeat his podium finish in 2018 in the 50 fly, even in a loaded field that featured word-record holders

Nicolas Santos and Szebasztian Szabo and 100 fly champ Matteo Rivolta. Carter put his name among the favorites from the get-go. The defending bronze medalist won his heat in 22.36 to lead the pack going into the semifinals. While he could not defend his top spot from the preliminaries, he produced his third national record of the championships to grab the third seed heading into finals with a 22.18.

Capping off a phenomenal championships, Carter produced another electrifying performance in the final. The “Soca Sprinter,” a nickname given to him by Browne, referencing the popular Caribbean musical genre developed in his home country, dipped under 22 seconds for the first time to grab silver, finishing just .05 behind Santos. His 21.98 took twotenths off the national standard he set the previous day and ranks him sixth all-time in the event. Carter’s silver medal additionally makes him the highest ever Trinidadian finisher at a senior World Championships.

The two-time Olympian’s swims at the back end of last year are significant in multiple ways. First and foremost, it cements Carter among the world’s best in the sprint butterfly event. Looking ahead to the World Championships in May, although it is long course, the former World Junior silver medalist should be in the conversation when discussing potential podium finishers in Fukuoka, Japan.

As for the bigger picture, it also shows one does not need world-class facilities and a big-name coaching staff behind them to achieve success on the international stage. Yes, having those things help, but once an athlete has the right mindset and a humble, dedicated, and committed coach supporting them, they can succeed in any environment. ◄ BIWEEKLY

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The Greatest

WORLD RECORDS IN HISTORY

BY JOHN LOHN

• Historical significance and context • Was it a barrier-breaking mark?

• Gap to the opposition Ultimately, the women’s records covered a greater range of eras, while the men’s marks consisted of one ancient standard and three marks from modern times. Feel free to argue and suggest other options, but know this: The following records are all special.

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[ Photo by: Chris Georges ]

• Duration of the world record

[ Photo Courtesy: ISHOF ]

T

he fastest of all-time. It’s a special title to hold, and only a tiny percentage of athletes can make the claim. To own the label of world record holder elevates an individual to a status that cannot be argued.

Whether for an hour, days, months or years, world record setters know no peer. They are—for a period—the best their event has seen.

As the 2022 campaign gets underway, Swimming World decided to look at the greatest world records in history. No, this is not a perfect science, and there will be objections from the dedicated readership.

But the eight records featured are—plain and simple—spectacular in nature...and one longtime scribe’s picks for all-time recognition.

When selecting these records for inclusion, several factors were considered:

DAWN FRASER, AUSTRALIA 100 Freestyle (59.9, 1962) By the time Dawn Fraser established this world record, the Australian already held legendary status. She was a multi-time Olympic champion from the 1956 and 1960 Games and held the global standard in the 100 meter freestyle uninterrupted since 1956. But there was one more bar to clear on the road to another Olympic crown: breaking the minute barrier.

Racing at the Aussie Trials for the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, Fraser produced a time of 59.9 for the 100 freestyle to become the first woman to dip under a minute. Her achievement arrived 40 years after Johnny Weissmuller became the first man to accomplish the feat. More, the effort further separated Fraser from the competition, as it took nearly two years for American Sharon Stouder to become the second member of the sub-minute club.

MARY T. MEAGHER, USA 200 Butterfly (2:05.96, 1981) When a performance still ranks as elite four decades after it was delivered, it is easy to recognize the swim as an all-time mark. And that is exactly what the legendary Mary T. Meagher brings to the conversation. This world record was produced at the 1981 United States National Championships and was a statement performance, as it arrived a year after Meagher was denied the chance to race at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow by President Jimmy Carter’s boycott.

So, how powerful was this mark? For starters, it was more than four seconds faster than the 2:10.44 that East Germany’s Ines Geissler clocked for gold at the 1980 Games. More, Meagher’s swim would have been good for fourth place (and just off the podium) at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

JANET EVANS, USA 400 Freestyle (4:03.85, 1988) Before Katie Ledecky emerged, Janet Evans was undisputedly recognized as the greatest distance swimmer in history. While her peak marks in the 800 freestyle and 1500 freestyle were considered, Evans earned inclusion on this list for the show she delivered in the 400 freestyle at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. There, the

JOHNNY WEISSMULLER, USA 100 Freestyle (58.6, 1922) Not yet a household name in the pool or on the silver screen, Johnny Weissmuller became the first swimmer to break the minute barrier in the 100 meter freestyle in 1922.

And he didn’t just dip under 60 seconds, he emphatically moved into a new realm. Racing in Alameda, Calif., Weissmuller turned in a time of 58.6. It was an indicator of the

greatness to come.

Following his breakthrough and barrier-breaking performance, Weissmuller became a decorated Olympic champion, winning the 100 freestyle at the 1924 and 1928 Games. He took the world record in the event down to 57.4 in 1924, and it wasn’t until a decade later that the standard was lowered, an indication of Weissmuller’s prodigious talent. Of course, his days as a swimming star were followed by years as an icon in movies as Tarzan.

IAN THORPE, AUSTRALIA 400 Freestyle (3:40.08, 2002) From an early age, Ian Thorpe was pegged for stardom, and the

[ Photo by: David Gray / Reuters ] [ Photo by: Alessandro Bianchi /Reuters]

KATIE LEDECKY, USA 800 Freestyle (8:04.79, 2016) Like Janet Evans, there were multiple options with Katie Ledecky, but what the American star accomplished in the 800 freestyle at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro received the nod.

As part of her 200-400-800 freestyle sweep, Ledecky blasted the opposition over 16 laps, her margin of victory over Great Britain’s Jazz Carlin an almost unfathomable 11-plus seconds.

To put the swim into further perspective, Ledecky produced the equivalent of back-to-back 4:02s in the 400 freestyle. More, the next fastest performer in history, Australia’s Ariarne Titmus, owns a career best of 8:13.83, more than nine seconds shy of what Ledecky registered in South America. Through early December, Ledecky owns the 24 fastest times in history in the 800 freestyle, the rest of the world an ocean away.

[ Photo by: Becca Wyant]

[ Photo Courtesy: ISHOF]

[ Photo by: Peter H. Bick ]

American teenager stood up to the East German machine, which was powered by a systematic doping program, and turned in a performance that would stand for nearly two decades.

Ahead of the race, Evans was expected to be in a battle with East Germany’s Heike Friedrich, and the race was tight through its midway point. After going out in 2:02.14 for the opening 200 meters, Evans was faster on the back half, clocking 2:01.71 for the closing four laps and a negative split. The product was a world record that would stand for 17-plus years. It wasn’t until Frenchwoman Laure Manaudou went 4:03.03 in 2006 that the record was taken from Evans.

Australian absolutely lived up to the vast expectations placed on his shoulders. At the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, Thorpe uncorked a time in the 400 freestyle that could easily remain the world record. Thorpe’s swim of 3:40.08 is just 1-hundredth off the world record in the event, and that global standard of 3:40.07 by Germany’s Paul Biedermann in 2009 was fueled by a now-banned supersuit.

With that effort, Thorpe would have won gold at the 2020 Olympics by more than three seconds, proof of the swim’s ahead-of-its-time status. In interviews, Thorpe has admitted regret about the performance, stating that he conserved some energy during the race to ensure he remained fresh for the duration of the Commonwealth Games.

MICHAEL PHELPS, USA 400 Individual Medley (4:03.84, 2008) With 28 Olympic medals to his name, Michael Phelps is the easy choice as the greatest swimmer in history, and his lone remaining world record was a lock for inclusion. At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where Phelps collected a record eight gold medals, he started his march toward history in style with a victory and world mark in the 400 individual medley. When Phelps touched the wall in 4:03.84, it was clear a special week awaited.

Nearly 13 years later, Phelps’ record has not been sniffed, the closest challenge the 4:05.18 from Ryan Lochte at the 2012 Olympics in London. Because Phelps excelled at all strokes, it is appropriate for this record to be featured, and there is no indication that it will disappear at any point in the near future. At the 2020 Olympics, gold was won by Chase Kalisz in 4:09.42, more than five seconds slower than Phelps’ opening shot at the Water Cube.

ADAM PEATY, GREAT BRITAIN 100 Breaststroke (56.88, 2019) There have been 21 sub-58 performances in the history of the 100 breaststroke. Great Britain’s Adam Peaty has accounted for 19. There has been one sub-57 mark, and it was the 56.88 that Peaty popped to win gold at the 2019 World Championships. The closest anyone has come to Peaty’s world record, other than Peaty himself, was the 57.80 of Dutchman Arno Kamminga at the 2020 Olympics.

Peaty has raced in his own pool for the majority of his career, the clock serving as his biggest foe. When the British star dipped under 57 seconds at the World Champs, he took the event to a place that—at one time—was considered impossible to visit. But Peaty and longtime coach Mel Marshall had established Project 57, and all it took to achieve history was an athlete-coach partnership based on belief. ◄ BIWEEKLY

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Ice Swimming: An Extreme Challenge in Temperatures Difficult to Fathom

BY NED DENISON

I

ce swimming is one of the fastest-growing extreme aquatic sports. Tens of thousands of swimmers now hit the cold water daily, and before the COVID restrictions, thousands traveled to events from Siberia to Argentina to Antarctica to the mountains of California and the loughs of Ireland.

History Dipping in ice water has historic roots across the northern countries from Iceland to Japan. It was part of a sauna routine – but not really “swimming.” There were several key milestones that contributed to the sport’s emergence.

Lynne Cox** executed a well-publicized swim 2.2 miles/3.5 km across the Bering Sea between Russia and the USA in 1987 in 4°C/40°F water at the height of the Cold War and 1.4 miles/2.25 km documented in her New York Times bestseller book “Swimming to Antarctica” in 2002 in 0°C/32°F water.

Winter swimming in the northern countries held its first world championship in Finland in 2000. Later, Lewis Pugh* completed a 0.62 mile/1 km swim across the North Pole to highlight global warming in 2007 in -1.6°C/29°F waters. Yes, sea water has a lower freezing temperature!

The sport grew quickly as two organizations formed to coordinate events and drive safety standards: International Winter Swimming Association (2006) and International Ice Swimming Association (2009). They have contributed to an open water swimming season extending through the winters in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres.

What is it?

Ice Swimming is an extreme sport and, therefore, the swimmer tackles the cold waters in just a small swimsuit and cap (both non-neoprene) and goggles. Water temperatures vary depending on the challenge, ranging from below 0°C/32°F

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to whatever swimmers might find at a world championship in a majestic location like Lake Bled in Slovenia. And yes, wind chill can magnify the challenge. The swims take place in open-air pools, lakes, seas, rivers and often in a course cut into the surface ice (pictured Tyumen, Siberia in Russia – frozen river).

Marathon swimmers face longer swims (in excess of 20 miles/32 km) across the English Channel. The waters are cold, ranging from 8-19°C/46-66°F, but far from ice swimming.

Why? Individuals are pushing physical and psychological limits in all sports and this draws swimmers to the cold water. For traditional pool swimmers, a serious cold-water challenge starts at 15°C/59°F water temperature. Then it all changes.

Every degree drop from that level presents a very different challenge. 7.5°C is not twice as difficult as 15°C. It is a different world and 0°C is not of this world!

Training sessions are shorter and the key is to acclimatize to the cold water – getting your body and brain to accept it.

Some will sit in a giant ice bath to prepare and visualize. All swimmers then set goals: Faster times, longer in the water, representing their country on a trip to Siberia for a world championship with friends, earning and walking about in the red “ice miler” jacket and even “enjoying” the esprit de corps that comes out of “common suffering” and achievement.

Range of Events The sport presents a range of events and challenges. There

are age-group competitions with 50/100 meter races with all the strokes (see pictured) and annual point competitions.

These events may also allow a step up to a 450-meter “endurance” swim. Other events push the distance out to 1 km with recorded age group and overall world records. Stars from the pool and marathon world, including three time Olympian Petar Stoychev***, have driven down these record times. Many prefer team challenges like the Bering Strait Relay****: 66 swimmers from 16 countries completed the swim in a chilly six-day adventure.

Individual challenges kick in below 5°C/41°F with an ice mile – about 620 recorded to date. Complete one on every continent and join Jaimie Monahan* with the Ice7 badge.

Drop down below 1°C/33.8°F and that mile earns the badge of “ice zero” – only 21 recorded to date. Then vary the location: Arctic (highest latitude), Antarctica (lowest latitude), Mount Everest (highest altitude), etc. And don’t forget swimming under the ice!

Safety In all extreme sports, safety protocols develop steadily as knowledge increases.

Needless to say, the main danger is hypothermia – when a swimmer’s core body temperature falls below a certain level and organ failure can result.

One of the unique elements of the sport and hypothermia is called “the drop.”

The swimmer’s core body temperature continues to drop even after they exit the water and start the warming process.

Research enables safety teams to look for signals that a swimmer is approaching

trouble and to end their swims early and safely. The sport dives safe practices: Complete medical checks in advance, never swim alone, build up gradually, breathe slowly/don’t hyperventilate, get out before hitting trouble, dry off – get warm layers on as fast as possible, rewarm slowly, push starts, open turns and NEVER jump into a hot shower or hot tub afterward.

As for the future, more swimmers, more events, more challenges and perhaps the Winter Olympics are being targeted.

For the pool swimmers reading this article, who already own the required equipment, see you in the ice soon. ◄ *Honoree of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame **Honoree of the International Swimming Hall of Fame and IMSHOF ***Honoree of all three Hall of Fames ****Honoree of the Ice Swimming Hall of Fame

SWIM MART

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

>> Ariarne Titmus

Ariarne Titmus and Other Australians Skipping World Championships Would Hurt Swimming

BY DAVID RIEDER

I

n July, Ariarne Titmus came out on top of perhaps the most anticipated swimming races of the Tokyo Olympics when she out-dueled Katie Ledecky for gold in the women’s 400 freestyle, swimming the second-fastest time in history in the process. She doubled down on golds two days later when she topped the podium in the 200 free.

But when the world’s best gather again at this spring’s World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, Titmus may not be in attendance. And plenty of other top Australian swimmers, including double backstroke gold medalist Kaylee McKeown and sprint stars Kyle Chalmers and Cate Campbell, may also skip Worlds. The purpose would be to focus on the Commonwealth Games, scheduled for two months later in Birmingham, England.

Say what? Most of the best swimmers from the world’s second-best swimming nation would sit out the biggest meet of the year, one of precious few opportunities for the best swimmers in the world to face off, to prioritize a regional competition?

To draw a comparison to the ongoing NFL playoffs in the United States, imagine if one division (four of the 32 teams in the league) decided to pass on this year’s playoffs and a chance at the Super Bowl title because they wanted to focus

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on a smaller, regional tournament. That would mean the absence of the division-champion Kansas City Chiefs, who have played in the last two Super Bowls (with one win), and also the surprising wild-card Las Vegas Raiders.

In international sport, this is akin to a top tennis player voluntarily skipping Wimbledon for any reason other than injury. Occasionally a top player might skip one of the other Grand Slam tournaments but never Wimbledon, the most prestigious of all tennis tournaments in the world.

However, there is an asterisk. The World Championships are taking place in late May, not the usual late July/early August slot that FINA’s signature meet has occupied on six straight occasions and all but one time in the 21st century. This is Wimbledon played in April instead of July or the Super Bowl being bumped up to the weekend after Thanksgiving — neither of which would ever happen.

OK, so why are the World Championships happening two months early? Because the postponement of the Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic threw off the entire international calendar. The middle year of the Olympic cycle, which would normally be 2022, typically features a summer off from a full global championship, and FINA could have chosen to hold the Fukuoka Worlds either in late 2021 after the Olympics or

[ Photo by Delly Carr / Swimming Australia ]

>> Kylee McKeown simply canceled the event and waited until 2023 for the next global showcase.

But the sport’s governing body picked May 2022, in advance of a busy summer consisting of the European Championships, Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. The Pan Pacific Championships, a four-day meet featuring the U.S., Australia, Canada and Japan, were the only meet to be called off completely. All other organizers stuck to their plans to hold their meets under the new, condensed timeframe.

Given the glut of competitions, it wouldn’t be surprising if swimmers from other countries besides Australia chose to prioritize a regional meet over Worlds. Basically all top swimmers except those in the United States and Latin America have a post-Worlds summer competition.

So the World Championships — again, supposedly the most prestigious meet on the calendar — could be a watered-down affair. With many of the world’s best missing, world titles will be less prestigious and less earned, just like the titles won at the sparsely-attended Short Course World Championships last month in Abu Dhabi.

What’s the solution? Have an every-year major championship, the one meet that every athlete in the world puts all their focus on. This could be the World Championships most years or the Olympics in applicable years. Of course, for swimming to really move beyond its status as an every-four-years sport, world titles need to carry significant weight. They should not be simply a stepping-stone to the next Olympics.

If the 2022 Worlds are diminished, the only chance before the

Paris Olympics for the world’s best to meet will be at the 2023 World Championships in Doha, Qatar, and that meet has been scheduled for late November. Yes, November — just eight months before Paris. When most athletes would normally be in heavy training for their final Olympic preparations. What?

As it is, many view the year-before-Olympics version of Worlds as just a tune-up for the Games. That has been the logic for USA Swimming in selecting its team one year in advance during each of the last five Olympic cycles, and when the Americans had disappointing performances at both the 2015 Worlds in Kazan and the 2019 Worlds in Gwangju, the common refrain was that the swimmers were preparing to be better the following year.

The implication? That world titles didn’t really mean all that much in the grand scheme of the sport. If top Australians are skipping a World Championships, ditto.

Guess what? If the powers-that-be in swimming want the sport to extend the sport’s reach in the non-Olympic years, it needs to be less Olympic-centric, and that means having at least one major international meet in long course each year, where the results truly matter. Instead, you’re looking at one half-attended World Championships and another where all swimmers have one eye on Paris as the only signature events over a three-year span.

Yes, we could go three years without seeing all of the world’s best swimmers together at one meet that they are all prioritizing. Quite simply, that would be an awful outcome for the sport. ◄ BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo Courtesy FINA ]

FINA to Stage International Events at the Ancient Pyramids of Egypt From 2023-26

BY LIZ BYRNES

T

he ancient Pyramids of Giza, Egypt, will provide the most historic and breathtaking of backdrops to international FINA high diving, artistic swimming and diving events between 2023 and 2026.

The world federation on Monday announced an agreement with the Egyptian Swimming Federation that will see the UNESCO World Heritage Site stage the FINA High Diving World Cup (2023-2024), the Diving Grand Prix (2023-2026) and the 2023 Artistic Swimming World Series.

to be manoeuvred into the site which is roughly 18km from the River Nile.

The High Diving World Cup will see the world’s best high divers compete in two events on the programme; the men’s 27m and the women’s 20m.

Meanwhile, the Diving Grand Prix will see the world’s best divers compete in the 3m springboard and 10m platform, in both individual and synchronised events.

The agreement was signed by FINA President Captain Husain Al-Musallam, Egyptian Minister of Youth and Sports Dr Ashraf Sobhy, and President of the Egyptian Swimming Federation, Yasser Idris.

Moreover, the Artistic Swimming World Series will see artistic swimmers compete in solos, duets, mixed duets, teams, free combination and the highlight routine.

Al-Musallam said through a FINA press release:

Idris added:

“Today is another incredibly exciting milestone for FINA. We are delighted to have signed this agreement that will see world-class athletes compete at the incredible site of the ancient Pyramids of Giza.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to share the best of Egypt’s heritage with world-class aquatics athletes from 2023.

“This historic location will see breathtaking images and video footage shared on social media sites and beamed to TV screens around the world.”

“We hope that Egypt’s wonders of the ancient world will inspire athletes to some of their greatest ever performances and encourage more young people to become the aquatics stars of their generation.”

Quite how the event will take place has yet to be revealed with temporary pools, diving platforms/boards and a tower 22

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Exact dates and further details will be announced soon. ◄

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Commentary: In Latest Error, NCAA Runs Away from Transgender Decision; Turns Back on Women’s Sports

BY JOHN LOHN

W

hy should we have expected anything more? Not with its track record. Not as an organization that, on a regular basis, seemingly steps in a pile of … well, you know.

And on Wednesday, the stink from the NCAA’s shoe was permeating once again, as the governing body for collegiate sports in the United States took a cowardly approach to the hot topic of transgender sports participation – especially the involvement of transgender women.

For a little more than a month, one of the main storylines in the sport has been Lia Thomas, a transgender woman competing for the University of Pennsylvania. After producing a pair of nation-leading times at an early-season invitational, questions arose concerning the fairness of Thomas, a three-year member of the Penn men’s squad, racing against biological females.

While Thomas had met the NCAA’s standard of one year of hormone-suppressant therapy, it was clear her male-puberty advantage had not been mitigated. The NCAA’s policy was based on scientific data more than a decade old and it was clear an unfair field of competition had emerged. It was up to the NCAA to step forward and implement a system that ensured fairness.

How did the NCAA handle the situation? Basically, the

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organization sprinted away from the debate and yelled, as it looked over its shoulder: “You deal with it.”

During a Board of Governors meeting on Wednesday, the NCAA punted responsibility on the issue. Going forward, it has decided to defer to National Governing Bodies (NGBs) in all sports it oversees when it comes to determining transgender eligibility. Oh, yes, the NCAA was verbose in its statement. In part, it said: “Like the Olympics, the updated NCAA policy calls for transgender participation for each sport to be determined by the policy for the national governing body of that sport, subject to ongoing review and recommendation by the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports to the Board of Governors. If there is no NGB policy for a sport, that sport’s international federation policy would be followed. If there is no international federation policy, previously established IOC policy criteria would be followed.”

Why not just say the following? “We’re not making a call on this!”

The NCAA Championships are a little less than two months

away and, based on the statement released by the NCAA, Thomas might be allowed to compete. Or, she might not.

The situation is that up in the air. Whether or not she will race in Atlanta, though, is not the issue here. The focus is that the NCAA had the opportunity to deliver a clear-cut ruling on Wednesday. It could have relied on scientific research and levied a decision on transgender inclusion, and what requirements needed to be met. And if it wasn’t ready to produce a final call, it could have slightly delayed that decision.

In the coming days and weeks, we’ll see how the transgenderparticipation policy is worked through by USA Swimming and FINA. We’ll find out if Lia Thomas will race at the NCAA Championships, and how the policy will affect the sport in the future. Then, and only then, we’ll also learn how the transgender issue is handled by the NCAA.

Instead, the NCAA went the gutless route. It basically – for our sport – handed the baton to USA Swimming and FINA and declared this problem not of its jurisdiction. Throughout this debate, there has been no doubt that – eventually – USA Swimming and FINA would need to make a ruling on the transgender-participation issue. And one would have to think that behind closed doors, officials within those governing bodies have discussed how to proceed. But the NCAA needed to stand up, too, and prove itself capable of addressing a controversial issue. It couldn’t.

Then again, that would have meant a flip turn from the norm.◄

Really, the NCAA answers only to itself, so did it truly have a reason to make a definitive decision and implement specific, science-based guidelines? Probably not.

It could have been different. The NCAA could have acted boldly.

CONGRATULATIONS INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME HONOREES We wish you and the entire aquatics community a warm welcome as you celebrate this great honor. We hope you enjoy your stay, whether relaxing on golden beaches, exploring endless waterways or experiencing the many exciting dining and nightlife offerings. Welcome and enjoy!

It took forever for the governing body to allow its athletes the opportunity to benefit from their Name-Image-Likeness (NIL). It’s a group that last year, in an embarrassing scene, provided a loaded weight room for its NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. It provided athletes at the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament with a dumbbell rack. The NCAA simply can’t get out of its way.

Through its decision, or lack thereof, the NCAA once again disrespected women’s sports. The organization did not deem this issue important enough to craft specific, science-based guidelines that would protect women’s athletics. It failed to protect female athletes, which should have been at the heart of the Board of Governors’ discussion. Rather than stand up for women, the NCAA handed that duty to other groups.

Worse, the NCAA tried to spin its decision as a meaningful connection between itself and the Olympic movement. Check out this word-doctoring from Mark Emmert, the President of the NCAA. “Approximately 80% of U.S. Olympians are either current or former college athletes,” Emmert said. “This policy alignment provides consistency and further strengthens the relationship between college sports and the U.S. Olympics.”

Got that? The NCAA’s attempt to throw the onus on National Governing Bodies as a coordinated effort is a sham. That approach is nothing more than a convenient excuse to free itself of making a potentially difficult and controversial decision.

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Five one-week sessions (May 29-July 1). Room, board, parking, $650/session salary, up to $300 travel expense help, and NIKE camp apparel package provided. Applicants must agree to work in an alcohol/drug-free environment, and must have completed at least 75 hours of college coursework. Competitive swimming and/or teaching/ coaching/camp experience required. References, CPR, First Aid and/or Lifeguarding/ Safety Training for Swim Coaches certifications required.

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

Indiana Junior Emily Weiss Announces Medical Retirement

BY DAVID RIEDER

E

mily Weiss, a former U.S. National Junior Team standout and a junior at Indiana, has announced a medical retirement from swimming. Weiss was the Big Ten champion in the 200 breaststroke during the 2021 season. Years earlier, she was named Swimming World’s Female High School Swimmer of the Year in 2018 after she broke the National High School record in the 100-yard breaststroke with a 58.40.

That came just one year after Weiss broke Indiana’s high school record previously held by Lilly King.

Weiss competed for the Hoosiers throughout the fall before calling time on her career for undisclosed medical reasons.

In her Instagram post announcing the decision, Weiss wrote, “I cannot thank everyone enough for the immense amount of support and love I have gotten throughout the years. I would not trade all my years of swimming for anything in the world.

This sport has taught me so much and has put such amazing people in my life. I have so much to be grateful for. With that being said I am ready to start a new journey.”

Weiss was the gold medalist in the 50 breaststroke at the 2017 World Junior Championships, and she added another gold in the 100 breast at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships one year later. Later on, during her college career, she placed 22nd in the 100 breast at the 2021 NCAA Championships (her only appearance at the meet) and 24th in the 200 breast, and she also competed in both breaststroke events at the Olympic Trials in June. ◄

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Florida, where she was a 20-time All-American from 201216. She won three SEC individual championships for the Gators.

[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

But after finishing no higher than 40th at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, Hinds took a break from the sport. She would return in 2018 and shift her training base to the University of Georgia, which breathed new life into her career.

Representing Athens Bulldog Swim Club, Hinds earned a relay spot in the women’s 100 freestyle at Olympic Trials in 2021, which turned into a bronze medal when she swam the third leg of the Olympic final in Tokyo.

Natalie Hinds Teases Return to College Roots in Gainesville

N

BY MATTHEW DE GEORGE

atalie Hinds teased a return to Gainesville to train with Florida’s postgrad group, returning the 28-year-old to her college roots.

Hinds made the announcement on Instagram.

Hinds has grown immensely since leaving the University of

Hers is one of the sport’s underappreciated comebacks, as she’s gone from essentially retired after Rio to continuing on toward a Paris games that would fall in her early 30s.

She’s also been a staple of the Cali Condors’ International Swimming League the last two years, as a valuable weapon in their relay stable. She helped the Condors lift the 2020 ISL title in Budapest.

In Florida, Hinds will join one of the nation’s top training groups. The success that Anthony Nesty and his staff have had, particularly with freestylers from Caeleb Dressel in the sprints to Bobby Finke in distance, has attracted a number of talents, including Katie Ledecky on the women’s side. ◄ (College or University Affiliated Swim Camp)

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[ Photo by Catharyn Hayne ]

>> Paige Hauschild

USC Seeking NCAA Title Repeat as Women’s Water Polo Season Opens

BY LAUREN MATTICE

T

he release of the Collegiate Water Polo Association’s 2022 women’s preseason rankings last week marks the unofficial start of the season for the programs competing this spring. The University of Southern California, the reigning national champ, claimed the top spot in the CWPA poll, holding a single-point lead over Stanford. Rounding out the top five are UCLA, Arizona State University and CalBerkeley, respectively.

Last season ended with a blowout 18-9 win by USC over UCLA in Westwood, with the Trojans putting their name in the record books with the most goals scored and the largest margin of victory ever in an NCAA women’s water polo championship game. USC redshirt senior utility Maud Megens earned the Peter J. Cutino Award for her part in the Trojans’ season. Though seniors like Megens and driver Denise Mammolito have graduated, Olympians from across the globe in drivers Paige Hauschild and Alejandra Aznar and 2-meter Tilly Kearns will return to the ranks this season.

The Bruins will be looking to reconnect with the momentum that launched them into a finals spot last season. UCLA managed a strong record of 15-5 that left them ranked at No. 2 at the end of the season. Returning players Abbi Hill and Hannah Palmer scored 28 and 36 goals, respectively, last season.

Youth National and Junior Olympic championship teams across their high school careers. The program continues to produce some of the nation’s top players, with alumnae Maggie Steffens, Melissa Seidemann, Jamie Neushul, Makenzie Fischer and Aria Fischer accounting for 44% of Team USA’s goals in Tokyo.

Earning their highest preseason ranking in program history, Arizona State will be a team to look out for this season. After a record-breaking season in 2021, which included upsets of Stanford and Cal in MPSF Conference play, ASU finished the year with a final ranking of fourth in the CWPA poll, its highest since 2014.

The Sun Devil defense is perhaps its greatest asset, with defender Bente Rogge, defender Lara Kiss, and attacker Luca Petovary all earning a spot in the top 10 for field blocks — Rogge leading the list with 26. Though Rogge has graduated, the momentum the Sun Devils garnered should help the younger players with head coach Todd Clapper’s guidance.

The unconfirmed return of redshirt senior Maddie Musselman, tabbed by Swimming World as Female Water Polo Player of the Year, to the Bruins could round out the depth of upperclass talent. Musselman totaled 18 goals in bringing Team USA to its third straight gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

Cal’s program has benefited well from a fall offseason training program, according to head coach Coralie Simmons.

Introducing Olympians Emma Wright of Canada and Kitty Lynn Joustra of the Netherlands back into the program with other top performers in graduate student Georgia Gilmore (back from an injury), Greek National Team member Elli Protopapas and 2020 All-MPSF performer Ruby Swadling might prove easier with the added time for team bonding.

Another key to the team’s chemistry is this group is mainly upperclassmen who have played extensively with each other already, an edge that not every team can boast.

Just edging out UCLA for that No. 2 spot in the preseason poll was Stanford, which boasts several new recruits hailing from

It’s gearing up to be one of the most competitive seasons in NCAA women’s water polo history. ◄

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

Before the Beep: How NCAA Champion Max McHugh Prepares for a Big Race

BY SHOSHANNA RUTEMILLER

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hen the University of Minnesota’s Max McHugh was unanimously named the 2021 Big Ten Swimmer of the Year, nobody batted an eye. The then college junior had more than earned the title by sweeping NCAA titles in both the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events with times of 50.18 and 1:49.02.

McHugh’s accomplishment was more than a personal one. It was the first time since 1964 that Minnesota captured a men’s swimming title, and the first NCAA title for all of Minnesota men’s sports since 1996.

“Winning at NCAAs has always been a goal of mine ever since high school,” said McHugh. “I was honored to win for Minnesota and for my family. Afterward, I felt like all the sacrifices I made had finally paid off.”

Those sacrifices are something every swimmer feels – from the strict training and nutrition regimes, to the mental focus every race requires.

“Swimming is just as much mental as physical,” McHugh said. “How someone approaches a meet or a race is so important, and it is something I work on every chance I get.”

The Golden Gopher senior (and team captain) took the time to talk to Swimming World Magazine about his typical prerace routines and his evolving view of mental preparation while on the national stage.

Hotel The night before a big meet – or even a dual meet – McHugh typically enjoys a movie or video games to keep his mind off things.

“I love to be around my teammates and enjoy time with them

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before the meet,” he said. “I will do my typical recovery on YouTube and make sure to eat and sleep well, but mentally I tend to keep my mind off the meet.”

McHugh admits that there is no special ritual or routine he has except making sure that he eats, sleeps and hydrates well before any competition. His go-to food is often Chipotle because it is so convenient and familiar.

Warm-up The day of a big race, McHugh does a very brief wakeup swim. McHugh admits that it’s nothing special, just the typical warmup his Gopher teammates do before each practice, in addition to a quick dryland stretch. But several hours later, it’s “GO time.”

“I like to head to the pool a little bit earlier than most. This will be about two hours before the time of my swim,” said McHugh. “I will listen to music, stretch a bit, talk to some teammates or other swimmers, and then finally get in the water to do my typical meet warm-up.”

In the pool during warmup, McHugh isn’t looking to find that magical “feeling” many swimmers describe when training and taper hit together perfectly. Instead, McHugh notes the confidence he possesses in his training and preparation.

“If I have done everything in my power to feel prepared, that is the best feeling,” he said Ready Room Many athletes’ styles differ in the ready room. If an outside observer looked in, they would likely see several athletes chatting with their competitors, someone zoned in listening to music, a few athletes stretching and possibly someone lying on the ground in a complete visualization trance. McHugh

prefers a combination of types: music and visualization.

“I like to listen to music and visualize my race,” he said. “I usually stick to myself and stay warm and comfortable while others do their own routines.”

McHugh’s preferred musical artist in the ready room is Taylor Swift, who he jams out to while sipping on his water bottle.

After a quick “good luck” to his competitors, he heads out the door to prepare behind the blocks.

Behind the Blocks The focus McHugh channels in the ready room through music and visualization transfers seamlessly as he approaches the pool. His mind sometimes doesn’t even register the surroundings.

for a race. I think the human mind can do amazing things, and keeping that in the back of my mind has gotten me through some of my most difficult races.”

As for the next generation of swimmers looking to achieve their own goal of becoming an NCAA champion, McHugh advises them to try and have fun.

“Try to have fun and make the most of a situation, regardless of how big or small it is,” he said. “I swim because I like the sport and like the competition, and keeping that in perspective has played an integral part in my success so far.” ◄

“I am not sure if I have any thoughts when it comes to being behind the blocks,” McHugh said. “If the meet is big enough, I almost always am so focused that I don’t even realize they called my name.”

Once he’s behind the blocks, McHugh splashes water up from the pool. He thinks about his focuses during the race while feeding off the energy of the crowd. If his family is at the meet, he’ll look up at them as well as his teammates for more positive energy. In the pool, McHugh sticks to his game plan. Unless he is at a large-scale competition, racing for a certain place, his main focus in the pool is achieving a specific goal time.

“I tend to swim my own race because I almost always focus on getting a certain time,” said McHugh. “In certain races like the Olympic Trials or NCAAs, I think there is a strategy to feed off of others, but only in certain scenarios.”

Over the years, McHugh has evolved from YMCA national champion to Wisconsin state high school champion and national high school public record holder (100 breast, 51.62) to NCAA champion. Along the way, his philosophy on mental preparation has also evolved.

“My philosophy has matured over the years, and I have developed a routine that works for me,” said McHugh. “I like to feel prepared and mentally ready just as much as I am physically ready BIWEEKLY

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[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

David Marsh to Fill in as Cal Men’s Assistant Coach With Chase Kreitler Expecting First Child

BY DAVID RIEDER

D

uring his 17-year career as head coach at Auburn, coach David Marsh led his team to a dozen NCAA titles, seven on the men’s side and five for the women’s team (including sweeps of the women’s and men’s titles in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007). Marsh left college coaching in 2017 and spent a decade coaching professional swimmers in Charlotte, N.C., before he spent two seasons as head coach at the University of California San Diego. Now, Marsh will be heading back to the college ranks temporarily with one of the nation’s premier men’s programs.

Marsh will be working as a men’s assistant coach at Cal for the final two months of the college season. He will be filling in fourth-year Cal assistant coach Chase Kreitler as Kreitler and his wife, Liz, prepare to welcome their first child.

Bears head coach Dave Durden actually spent four seasons as an assistant to Marsh at Auburn before taking over at Maryland and then at Cal, and the two have worked together on numerous U.S. national team staffs over the past decade, including at the 2016 Olympics (where Marsh was the women’s head coach and Durden a men’s assistant).

Marsh told Swimming World that he was excited to have the

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chance to work with the accomplished Cal program for a brief period. He raved about the positive team culture Durden has built in his 15 seasons at Cal, and the results are evident: Cal has finished first or second at the NCAA Championships every year since 2010.

“Dave has a role he needs filled, and we have a lot of history together. I’ve certainly been a big fan of his program. My wife swam at Berkeley, so she will obviously enjoy being up there,” Marsh said. “I think the biggest thing is when he asked me, I got most excited because the thing I missed most about college swimming is this time of year. Championship season is the most fun. To get a chance to experience this with a group of guys and with Dave and (his wife) Cathy, that would be hard to turn down.”

Marsh, who still lives in San Diego and coaches a group of professional swimmers, will join the Golden Bear men when they are in San Diego to face UCSD, and he expects to spend two months in Berkeley. One of Marsh’s top pupils, former 100 backstroke world-record holder Kathleen Baker, will be accompanying Marsh to Berkeley as she returns to her alma mater. Baker swam for three seasons for Teri McKeever’s women’s squad at Cal. ◄

[ Photo by Peter H. Bick ]

Claire Weinstein Ties 13-14 NAG Set by Sippy Woodhead in 1978

BY DAN D'ADDONA

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laire Weinstein, 14, tied the 13-14 USA National Age Group Record in the 200-meter freestyle (LCM) on Sunday.

performance for the Sandpipers swimmer, who used to swim for the Westchester Aquatic Club in New York.

Claire Weinstein has joined a great group of distance freestylers at Sandpiper, swimming alongside Katie Grimes and Bella Sims — both Olympians along with Erica Sullivan, who know swims at the University of Texas.

The Sandpipers of Nevada swimmer finished the race in 1:58.53. It tied one of the oldest NAG records, set originally

by Sippy Woodhead in 1978.

Weinstein clocked a 1:58.95 leading off the Sandpipers 800 freestyle relay in July at the Senior Mets Summer Long Course Championships, but lowered that time on Sunday to tie the record.

Only one swimmer in recent years has come close as Claire Tuggle was a 1:58.58 in 2018 at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships.

Claire Weinstein competed in several events during the meet, which was set up with a yards prelims and meters finals. She swam the 800 freestyle (8:32.51 in meters), 100 freestyle (50.61 yards/56.50 meters), 200 backstroke (2:02.57 yards/2:18.35 meters), 500 freestyle (4:12.34 yards/4:45.85 meters), 200 IM (2:04.38 yards/2:21.36 meters), and 50 free (23.55 yards/27.23 meters). It was an extremely strong

This latest NAG performance continues to show her stunning potential, and the move to Sandpipers is clearly working for Weinstein. If swimming alongside Olympic teammates gives her that extra push, she will continue to turn heads. ◄

[ Photo Courtesy: Tony Duffy /Swimming World Archive ]

Woodhead also still holds the 400 freestyle record for 1314 girls in a time of 4:07.15. Both the 200 and 400 freestyle records by Woodhead are the oldest for the 13-14 NAG. Woodhead was at her peak in 1980 when the Olympics were boycotted by the U.S. She won the silver medal in the 200 freestyle in 1984 in Los Angeles.

>> Sippy Woodhead BIWEEKLY

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