The SwimSwam Podcast

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Hali Flickinger Balances Life, Her Mental Health, And Wins SC World Champs Gold Jan 14, 2023

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Two-time Olympian, two-time Olympic medalist and Speedo Athlete, Hali Flickinger, took the longest break of her career since winning gold (4×200 free relay) and silver (200 fly) at the 2022 FINA World Championships in Budapest. She needed the time to reevaluate life and what she wants. Swimming, when it was 100% of her focus, created to much stress and anxiety. Hali had touched the wall second in her individual events one too many times. That wasn't working, wasn't the goal, and wasn't making her happy. Something had to change. During her time off, and that period of reevaluation, Hali sold real estate in Arizona and loved it. Last fall Hali slowly reentered training with Bob Bowman's elite pro group. When SwimSwam spoke to Hali she had no idea how this new life change would impact her performance. At that time Hali wasn't even sure if she would rest for Short Course World Championships. She, of course, did rest, though she feared she might not have enough of a base of training to finish her races. Ultimately, she did finished, and in spectacular fashion, winning gold in the 400 IM and silver in the 200 fly. In sum, this new lifestyle is working. If Hali's situation sounds familiar, you're probably thinking of her peer and old Georgia training buddy, Nic Fink, who prioritized graduate school, while continuing to train, and had the best year of his life becoming the 2022 Swammy Award Winner for Male Athlete of the Year. Hali shares in this podcast how she traded texts with Nic about his journey and how it worked for him. Hali's on the same path now. At this point Hali's enjoying selling real estate and taking her training one day at a time.

Emma Weyant Returns to NCAA Competition And Releases Sporti Swim Collection Jan 13, 2023

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Olympic silver medalist Emma Weyant returns to NCAA swimming competition this weekend at the University of Florida vs Florida Atlantic University (FAU) dual meet. We sat down with Emma to unpack her big Sporti Swim Collection release, which lead SwimSwam traffic for 24 hours, and she dropped this news on us. Emma turned a lot of heads when she decided to transfer from NCAA powerhouse UVA to the University Florida. "It was a tough decision," she explained, but she wanted to be closer to home in Sarasota, Florida. Of course, being a Florida Gator has a lot of upside too. Emma's enjoyed the challenge of training with Olympic icon Katie Ledecky and U.S. distance king, Bobby Finke. Florida's the right fit for Emma. She shares that she did struggled with mental health, looking to peers in the Olympic community for guidance and inspiration. Training through the pandemic, the delay of the Olympic Games, then ultimately making the Olympic podium, took a toll. Emma's back now and in a big way. Her Sporti Swim release, the collab on the collection, specifically, helped to put that one ingredient she wanted into her swimming career--fun.

4x World Champ Lani Pallister Almost Gave Up on AUS Swimming and Came to the NCAA Jan 09, 2023

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20-year-old Lani Pallister dominated the distance events at the 2022 Short Course World Championships in Melbourne, taking gold in the 400, 800, and 1500, and as a member of the world-record-setting 4x200 free relay. The Australian lends her perspective on this feat and her path to the top over the last year when she nearly gave up on training in Australia altogether. When Pallister moved to train with Michael Bohl at the beginning of 2022, she gave herself one year and if it wasn't going well by then (which it is), she would pursue swimming in the NCAA to be a part of a team and hopefully enjoy her sport that way.

Aquajets’ Kate Lundsten on Training Elite Club Swimmers, Developing ”HAPIE” Athletes Jan 04, 2023

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Kate Lundsten has been the Head Coach of the Aquajets Swim Team since 2004. In that stretch, she has been named to multiple USA Swimming International Staffs, coached multiple NAG records, and built a reputation of excellence with 7 Silver and 5 Gold medals in USA Swimming’s Club Excellence program. In this conversation, Kate discusses her coaching style as a combination of fun and holding the kids accountable. She likes to teach by asking the kids the right questions so that they can figure out solutions on their own. She dives deep into underwaters, a strength for most of the top-level Aquajets swimmers. Kate is kind enough to give us a couple of examples sets she uses to make the kick count automatic in races. She also tells us a little about her dryland and how it fits into the overall progression of their program. Kate describes a very healthy culture centered around the Aquajets values, HAPIE. Humility, Accountability, Perseverance, Integrity, and Empathy. Much of the program's success seems to come from Kate’s ability to learn and let her coaches do the jobs they were hired to do. A lot to be learned from one of the best coaches in the sport!

30-Year-Old Kasia Wasick Had the Best Year of Her Career in 2022 and is Only Getting Better Jan 02, 2023

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2022 was the best year of Kasia Wasick's career, having garnered 5 silver medals from international meets including World Championships (LCM), European Championships, and Short Course World Championships. Wasick discusses her love for racing and how that, combined with her diverse sprint training at UNLV, has driven her to have success in every form of swimming this year. As Wasick looks toward her 5th Olympics in 2024, the fact that it is in Europe brings the Polish native confidence that it could indeed be her best to date after a career-high 5th place finish in Tokyo.

How Ruta Meilutyte Went From Finals DQ to World Record & World Title Dec 29, 2022

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We sat down with newly minted world champion and world record holder in the 50 breast (SCM), Ruta Meilutyte. The 2012 Olympic champion goes deep into how getting DQ'ed in the 100 Breast was a wake-up call for why she was even competing again in the first place. After getting her mind right, the breaststroke savant was back in action in the 50 breast, swimming to a world title and registering a best time and world record in the process.

How Can A Swim Coach and Their Swim Club Board Build Trust? Dec 28, 2022

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Renata Porter, founder of yoursportsresource.com, returns to the SwimSwam podcast. Renata’s a dedicated swim business expert with a focus on youth sports clubs. Her company provides actionable guidance and support helping swim clubs shift from old mindsets to running the club as the business that it is. We’re coming up on the end of the year—that time for New Year’s resolutions. If you're a swimming coach or a swim club board member, a great new year’s resolution would be to build more trust. The big question is how do you do that?

Ilya Kharun Breaks Down Representing Canada, World Jr Records, and 1st Worlds Medals Dec 27, 2022

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We sat down with World Jr Record holder and World champs medalist Ilya Kharun to discuss his 2022 Short Course World Championships performance. Kharun takes us through each of his individual swims (50, 100, 200 fly) as well as what his first experience competing for Canada was like. Kharun had thought he was eligible to compete for the USA just this summer, having been named to the USAS Jr Pan Pacs Roster. However, once it was realized by all parties that Kharun only had a Canadian passport, the decision was made for Kharun to instead represent Canada internationally. This is just in time for Swimming Canada, as Kharun will join a rising young crop of male talent that could combine for to make podium appearances on the top stages in years to come.

Chad le Clos 2.0 Looking Forward: ”The dream is to be Olympic Champion again” Dec 26, 2022

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We sat down with new SCM world champ in the 100 and 200 fly, Chad le Clos. The 2012 Olympic gold medalist talks us through his last 2.5 years, from Energy Standard dissolving because of COVID through being a nomad and training wherever he could to finally landing in Germany with Dirk Lange. Le Clos emphasizes how much of a difference it has made in having a steady training base. He also alludes to difficulties outside of the pool setting him back in early 2021 and affecting his performances through the 2022 Commonwealth Games. After his two wins in Melbourne, however, le Clos 2.0's confidence is sky-high. He is not only predicting podium finishes in the world champs to come but PBs at the Paris Olympic Games as well.

Daniel Wiffen on Being First Irishman to Own European Record, Skipping SC Worlds, Swim Vlog Dec 25, 2022

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Daniel Wiffen is the first man from Ireland to ever own a European record in swimming. He broke it last week in the 800 SCM free, going a time of 7:25.96. Wiffen talks us through racing at the Scottish/Irish Championships, winning a medal at the Commonwealth Games, and training at the University of Loughborough.

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