In the SwimSwam Podcast dive deeper into the sport you love with insider conversations about swimming. Hosted by Coleman Hodges and Gold Medal Mel Stewart, SwimSwam welcomes both the biggest names in swimming that you already know, and rising stars that you need to get to know, as we break down the past, present, and future of aquatic sports.
Olympic swimming icon Tracy Caulkins (married name Tracy Stockwell) won 48 U.S. National titles and broke 63 American Records–setting American Records in all four strokes. She was on-course to medal in seven events at the 1980 Olympic Games–which were boycotted by President Carter. Of course Tracy finally achieved her Olympic moment four years later at the Los Angeles Olympic Games, taking home three gold medals.
Growing up Tracy was known – and this was taken as gospel – as the greatest female swimmer in history. This was the oxygen I breathed as a young age grouper. I’m rarely nervous to talk with any Olympic peer, but Tracy did set my nerves on edge. The only other time I’ve been star-struck was when I met JFK Jr.. Yes, Tracy is on that level.
If you are young and don’t know your swimming history, dive into the full SwimSwam podcast here. Tracy’s funny, with a matter of fact wisdom that hits home and stays with you.
- Click here to listen and subscribe on Spotify
- Click here to listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts
- Click here to listen and subscribe on Podbean
- Click here to listen and subscribe on Google
- Click here to listen and subscribe on YouTube
- Click here to listen and subscribe on Listen Notes
- Click here to listen and subscribe on Stitcher
- Click here to listen and subscribe on iHeartRadio
- Click here to listen and subscribe on Amazon
Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com
RECENT EPISODES
Opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the interviewed guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the hosts, SwimSwam Partners, LLC and/or SwimSwam advertising partners.
On the last night of Trials in 2016, I found myself sitting right next to Tracy Caulkins Stockwell. It was overwhelming. She is such a legendary champion and icon of swimming. I know the swimming community can totally understand the emotions I felt at that moment.
Explaining it to swimming outsiders, I’d say that finding oneself sitting next to Tracy would be like a longtime baseball fan meeting a living legend like Cal Ripken, Hank Aaron, or Sandy Koufax; a basketball fan meeting Kareem, Jordan, Cheryl Swoopes, or Bird; a football fan meeting Pele, Mia Hamm, Megan Rapinoe, or Zidane; or meeting Serena, Stefi, Venus, Rafa, or Martina….
Really really bad analogies.Those you mention didn’t sulk or lose passion for their sports as Caulkins admittedly did, and didn’t quit sport at age 21 in an immature huff. She wasn’t exactly the Iron Man Cal Ripken or Serena battling for one last major title into her late 30s.
Were you around swimming in the late 70’s and even into the 80s? It was VERY RARE for any swimmer, male or female, to stick around the sport much beyond 22.
Tracy was and remains in the realm of Phelps and very few others in terms of swimming accomplishments.
Really? Realm of Phelps? Don’t insult Phelps. She won a few gold medals in exactly one Olympic Games and one World Championship meet, then retired at age 21.
What’s With all the downvotes??
Can someone please explain?
It may be that, in the middle of a pandemic, people don’t want to hear from a boastful Karen complaining in a grating Southern-Australian accent about Olympic gold medals she claims she was entitled to forty years ago and probably would not have won anyway.
She would have won no doubt about it.
Why is every comment getting overwhelming negatives? Am i missing something?
The only things we are missing is the “person” behind this travesty & his/her motivation. Tracy is a first-class person, super Champion, so the downvoter has some kind of agenda that is outside our awareness, for now at least. Likely I will get downvoted on this one too. LOL
Caulkins-Stockwell not well-regarded in Australian swimming circles.Viewed as self-promoter.
It’s probably just a cultural difference in how pride and confidence are perceived. Tall Poppy Syndrome is a very real, very bizarre phenomenon unique to Australia. No one I’ve ever met in swimming circles has ever had a bad thing to say about her.
Tall Poppy syndrome is actually common in many cultures…it is especially encouraged in repressive regimes to discourage alternate power bases. Australians like to think they invented mateship as well (I am Australian BTW!).
…you’re now the 2nd person to explain this to me. Very, very interesting.
Tracy Caulkins and Joan Pennington were, as I recall, the first two women to ever swim sub 2:00 in the 200 IM — two great athletes, both Nashville Aquatic Club icons. Tracy had flawless technique and it was inspiring to watch her compete. As a fan, I was bummed that she didn’t get to compete in the 1980 Olympic Games. She was at the pinnacle of her career at about that time. Thank goodness she had that opportunity in Los Angeles. Thanks for sharing this podcast with SwimSwam’s readers!
Did the upvote and downvote buttons switch or somethin??
It looks like someone doesn’t like any comments about this interview! Surprising when all comments were positive!
Did you actually watch the interview? The humble-bragging about things like awards she won (same as a Kardashian!) and the record she broke after seeing Rowdy Gaines naked were kinda off-putting. As was the continued complaining about 1980. At this point, I think US and AUS swimmers are on to what Caulkins-Stockwell is about.
Sheesh.
ahhhh, that’s a no…
Very entertaining. I swam in the Midwest same time as Tracy and remember a few meets with her and Sippy Woodhead. Such a cool interview. Thanks!
The American record in the 400y IM when she came on the scene was 4:20.64. In 1977, she took it down to 4:16.76, then 4:11.38 in 1978, then 4:08.09 in 1979, then 4:04.63 in 1981 where it would stay until Summer Sanders came around in 1992. She so thoroughly dominated that in just three years, she dropped the American record by SEVENTEEN SECONDS in a 400. And that’s just one event. At one point, she held nearly every women’s yards record including the 500 free which would stand ten years until Janet Evans came along. She did this in the 70s and 80s which, if not for the East Germans, would have been (and still in many ways was) a… Read more »