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Michael Andrew: “I think the X Factor to making the team here is…”

2024 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS

Vying for his 2nd Olympic berth (and swimming at his 3rd Olympic Trials), Michael Andrew is the 6th seed (59.65) heading into a 100-breast final that is only separated by .44 from top to bottom. Andrew has the fastest personal best of the field, which is coincidentally the American and Olympic Trials record (58.14) that he set in 2021.

After the semi-final, Andrew believes that the key to touching the wall in first or second isn’t focusing on minute details but rather clearing his mind and racing freely.

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Cole
5 months ago

Michael Andrew is one of the great “what ifs”. It is simple he doesn’t have a good coach.

Dann.
5 months ago

LAST.

mA sWiM aCaDeMy
5 months ago

Looks like he cleared his mind and got last

Hiswimcoach
5 months ago

An MA post is always the place to find the lost irrational
Comments

Alex Dragovich
Reply to  Hiswimcoach
5 months ago

And so often from the same commenters saying the same things. Again. And again. The amount of real estate MA takes up in people’s heads is really something else.

Here Comes Lezak
5 months ago

I know the dude has an unconventional journey, his family situation is unique, and his prep is definitely questionable going into these trials. However, I really don’t believe some of the vitriol the commenters have for this dude are warranted and are pretty cruel. He isn’t hurting anyone, and a lot of the hate is honestly the same boring takes over and over again. Especially given the fact he is successful when it comes to making teams and performing fairly well.

RealCrocker5040
Reply to  Here Comes Lezak
5 months ago

The results will speak for themselves unfortunately

NCSwimFan
Reply to  Here Comes Lezak
5 months ago

I don’t necessarily dislike MA as a person, but the vaccination status issues surrounding Tokyo were really questionable and definitely made me less of a fan.

His training is unorthodox but you could say the same about so many athletes. I think the problem with it compared to others, though, is it’s so clear he has ridiculous potential. Being an elite 50 freestyler, 100 breaststroker, and 200 IMer, and able to swim really strong 50s & 100s stroke all at once was amazing and so rare to see in 2021. But it feels like he’s given up that pursuit of being elite across the board in favor of pursuing talent in the 50s, and with only one Olympic event being… Read more »

maverick1993
Reply to  NCSwimFan
5 months ago

You are perfectly fine in disliking his tastes (I am also in that category) but if you see the incessant hate and vitriol against MA and his family in EVERY post it is quite disturbing. Says a lot about the social media age we live in. Can just post or say anything without any repercussions.

Antipodean
Reply to  maverick1993
5 months ago

The Andrew family have an uncanny knack for making themselves utterly risible in the public domain (that is, on social media), and the public responds. Not sure it’s vitriol, as such, just incredulity that they keep putting themselves out there for more. Is the family naive? Calculating? Who knows! They seem nice but also a bit dim. But, you can’t run with the hare and hunt with the hounds.

Admin
Reply to  Antipodean
5 months ago

I think if you spend too much time in the comments you can mistake how the public feels about Michael Andrew. When he was announced at Trials, he got as loud of a cheer as anybody in the event aside from maybe Cody Miller. His target audience loves him.

Here Comes Lezak
Reply to  Braden Keith
5 months ago

That’s an interesting perspective!

JAG
Reply to  Here Comes Lezak
5 months ago

The vitriol expressed by so many commentators is a sad snapshot of what takes place on social media. I would like to think that the sport of swimming fosters better morals and integrity than what sometimes id displayed in these comments. If you can’t keep it positive or constructive, maybe it’s better to keep it to yourself.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
5 months ago

Let’s go Charlie, Jake, Josh, Liam, Luke, Nic, Noah!

Tester
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
5 months ago

How’s your girl Bella doing?

Sapiens Ursus
5 months ago

I mean I hope he throws egg on my face but “not caring about the technicals” isn’t inspiring to hear given the concerns about the decline in his performances…

SwimCoach
Reply to  Sapiens Ursus
5 months ago

I think the point he is trying to make is that at this stage you should have everything built into your muscle memory, from the thousands of reps you strengthen the myelin sheath around nerves making everything more natural.

If you’re still thinking about a change, it’s not going to be as fast.

At this point of the year, you are who you are technically. Go race.

HeGetsItDoneAgain
Reply to  SwimCoach
5 months ago

Mandrew ain’t doing thousands of reps lol

hegetsitdoneagain
5 months ago

dude’s about 6 -8 months away from being a fox news contributor

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  hegetsitdoneagain
5 months ago

Nah!

Peter Andrew places a request for his previous job with the South African Navy and enlists his son as a swabby.

This Guy
Reply to  hegetsitdoneagain
5 months ago

Local Fox News contributor

Barbossa Andrew 🐍
Reply to  hegetsitdoneagain
5 months ago

Brett Hawke’s podcast will be the perfect stepping stone! I foresee his reaction to missing the team including being a part of (Brett’s) Paris coverage and proposing to his girlfriend during the games.

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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