Olympic champion, world champion and world record holder Kathleen Baker is the best goal setter I’ve met. I’m sure a lot of athletes do what she does, but 99% don’t, and they should.
Got a phone? Set an alarm with your goal time. Kathleen’s is set for 8pm every night. You might think she would’ve given up on her phone-alarm goal-reminder after not reaching one of her goal-times for over 1,000 days, but she stuck with it. That’s how you become a world record holder–that and a lot work. At the very least, you’ll stay focused and inch your swimming career (academic or business career) further.
Kathleen’s 58 flat 100m back woke up a lot fans at U.S. Nationals. Turning pro shortly thereafter was a bit of a surprise, but it makes sense. Kathleeen will continue to train at Cal while finishing her undergrad, but I think she will stay connected with her old coach David Marsh at Team Elite Aquatics as well, a proven formula, as she zeros-in on 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials.
QUESTION: Is there a better way in the digital age to set goals than with an iPhone alert?
PAN PAC PREDICTIONS:
200 Back – I think Kathleen wins, but I could see Regan Smith breaking through as well. It’s a tough call, but I see both of them in the 205.5 range.
100 Back – Kathleen rides the confidence wave to a 57.9, another world record, with Canada’s Kylie Masse close on her heels.
What do you think?
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RECENT EPISODES
This is a Gold Medal Media production presented by SwimOutlet.com. Host Gold Medal Mel Stewart is a 3-time Olympic medalist and the co-founder of SwimSwam.com, a Swimming News website.
Love this girl! Part of a new generation of young American women who are taking over. Simone, Ella, Katie, Lilly, Mallory, Abbey, Hali, Regan, Dakota and many others—these girls are FIERCE!!
I’m predicting it won’t be a world record.
Fun to have the odds in your favor yet stand out as an oddball. I’ll take that every time.
Mel, what was your goal setting process like? You dominated the 200 fly over a four year span from 1988 to 1992, setting the World Record, Olympic record, and winning an Olympic gold medal. You had to have some sort of goal that pushed you every day when you were the undisputed #1 in the 200 fly right?
I can see Baker going under a 58 if she stays off the lane lines.
Agree with Baker winning the 100 in 57.9, but I feel she’ll be closer to 2:06.0 range in the 200 and that race will be more between Smith and Masse.
Absolutely inspirational to see Baker strive through her Crohn’s Disease and set a world record! It’s an absolutely terrible condition that can leave many hospitalized, even. I have ulcerative colitis myself (short story: similar to Crohn’s, less severe) and when I found out Baker was a world class swimmer with Crohn’s it really pushed me to finish my senior year strong against the odds. To see her now setting a long-course WR is truly incredible to witness!
IMHO it is very strange for a swimmer to use a gastrointestinal disorder as a marketing tool..
I see her also lowering her own WR pushed by Masse !! Smith rising curve is so impressive that i would not be surprised if she gets second on the 200 back 57.89 for Baker 58.05 for Masse
Wow, I didn’t realize coach Marsh and Kathleen have been a team for that long! You can see how much he admires and cares about her in his interview and how much she trusts his ability to help her reach her goals. For a swimming fan, that’s a beautiful thing to witness! Congratulations to them both!
Yes…going back to SwimMAC. Marsh also likes to collaborate with other coaches, meaning a swimmer gets their base work done with a college coach, and they do their fine-tuning and taper with him. Marsh has a long history and success rate with helping athletes in their last 3-6 months before Olympic Trials. He did it for me, Tony Ervin, Kara Lynn Joyce and Cullen Jones.