This isn’t a traditional college commitment article, but 19-year old professional swimmer Michael Andrew answered a hypothetical question that has been posed in many corners of the swimming community in his latest YouTube video.
In the 10-minute Q&A video, Andrew says that if he were to swim in college, his first choice would be the University of Texas, throwing a “Hook ‘Em” in the air.
It’s all hypothetical, of course, because Andrew turned pro when he was just 14 years old, believed to be the youngest pro swimmer in history. He’s said many times that he doesn’t regret the decision, and in the video he also discusses the pros and cons of attending “virtual school” through high school: another decision that he still feels was right for him.
Also in the video, Andrew reveals his goal times. Goal times for Andrew, in his USRPT swimming, are very important, as the nature of the training hones in on very specific times in practice that are intended to correlate directly to expected race times – with more specificity than most training methodologies can offer. Andrew showed that off at the 2017 World Junior Swimming Championships, when he hit one of those goal times on the money not once, but twice – 21.75 in the 50 free. In between, he swam a 21.79 in the semi-final.
Andrew’s currenlty listed goal times:
- 50 LCM free – 21.25
- 50 LCM breaststroke – 26.75
- 100 LCM breaststroke – 58.75 (27.75/31.00)
- 50 LCM butterfly – 22.80
- 100 LCM butterfly – 50.80 (23.80/27.00)
The 50 free goal time would have earned a silver medal at last year’s World Championships, as would have the 100 breaststroke time. The 50 fly time would have been good for bronze in Budapest, as would the 100 fly time.
Other topics discussed in the video:
- Andrew talks about how he stays positive in a world of constant negativity
- Andrew talks about other sports he played as a kid
- He discusses his upcoming travel plans to the Mare Nostrum series
- He shares the internal pressure he once felt to break records every swim, and how that almost made him quit, but how he overcame it and fell in love with the sport before.
Andrew talks about how he stays positive in a world of constant negativity – so he reads the comment section
one of the main reasons is that when you announce your goals people often start giving you credit for them before you’ve achieved anything, which can diminish your hunger for them. I’m sure Michael knows what he’s doing but I think that’s why most don’t discuss goals beyond their coaches
He probably wants people to act like those times are all doable for him right now, even though he’s not close. 50.8 100 fly? Lol cmon
Ironically In the same Q&A Michael Andrew reveals that he doesn’t read anything on Swim Swam
Good for him, we commenters can be a cancerous bunch sometimes
lol
Especially when the name “Dean Farris” pops up.
Bet that’s a lie also
Michael? Why did you do this? Your goal times are for you and your coach. You have just added unnessary pressure on yourself in my opinion. The media has asked Caeleb Dressel and Katie Ledecky their goal times for years now. They don’t give us anything. And in my opinion….you shouldn’t have either. Good luck though. 😕
He will be tweeting from behind the blocks in Tokyo. Just get used to it
I’m sure the stadium will have audience seating from behind the blocks
For the publicity
He forgot to tell us his goal time for the 6.25 LCM fly and 3.125 LCM breast.
No goal for the 100 free? USA doesn’t lack for potential in that event and the relay but would love to see him make some noise on that relay
Perhaps 51.03 was his goal time, and he already hit it….
Surely he’s good for a 48 low flat start? With 50 Free speed like that and the legs to do a 100 Fly, he could be a big relay swimmer.
He’s extremely fast with no-breathing in free. He hasn’t mastered sneaking a breath to make it a fast 100 free. He may never be that fast as a “breathing” freestyler. We’ll see. It’s not a matter of endurance — his 100s of other strokes are comparatively fine —- it’s a matter of 100 free technique.
He barely broke 50 on 100
Assuming Dressel doesn’t get any slower and Adrian can stay right at 47.00 – 47.2with a relay start, the USA needs two other guys to go 47.2 or lower on the relay start to take a shot at the 2008 record.
Haas has been close to that, albeit with a nearly illegal exchange. A few other guys have been 47 high but we need at least one, if not two guys to get down to that level. Need to capitalize on Adrian and Dressel being that fast
The average split on the world record is 47.06, so they really need two or three swimmers sub 47 with a flying start if they want a shot at the record.
I can see Dressel leading off sub 47, Adrian anchoring in like 47.0. Middle 200 is probably some Haas/Pieroni/Apple combination? I would not be too surprised with those guys splitting 47.0, but I don’t necessarily expect it either. Exciting to think that record is actually within reach again though!
it might be within reach when Tokyo rolls in 2020 …..Usa is the only Nation with that potential 47 for 4 legs right now ….
The big deal is dressel who can open with 47 low Brazil 4 legs now are potential 47 (spajari and Gabriel can open on 47 and fratus chiereghini can split 47
Dressel is more likely 46 high leading off, Adrian 47 low/maybe 46 high, haas 47 flat/low, Held or Pieroni 47 mid.
Nearly illegal is still legal, that’s my relay start motto 😛
He didn’t cordes it
I’ve always maintained that his performance will speak for itself, in either direction
Is that supposed to be deep? You are not committing to much there!
Like I’ve said from the beginning: whatever his time is, that’s how long it took him to finish the race
Liberty changed everything.
Must be nice to have a goal times right on or near the American record. MA is starting to get fast at sprints.