This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss the ISL playoffs starting this week in-depth, highlighting which teams are secured a spot in the ISL final, which are on the bubble, and which are on the outside looking in. We also assess the world records broken in Kazan at the SC European Champs this past week and look at what the Texas-UVA dual meet tells about both defending NCAA champions. Full List of Topics below:
- Which World Record from SC European Championships was most impressive?
- Szebasztian Szabo‘s 21.75 50 Fly, tying Nicholas Santos’ current mark
- Ilya Shymanovich‘s 25.25 50 Breast, tying Cameron van der Burgh’s mark from 2009
- The Dutch flying to a 1:36.18 in the mixed 200 medley relay, taking down the old mark. by .04 held by Russia
- The Italian men surprising with a takedown of a Russian mark themselves in the 200 medley relay
- ISL Playoff Predictions
- Who will be the #3 and #4 teams after Cali Condors and the undefeated Energy Standard? Could it be any team aside from London Roar, LA Current and Toronto Titans?
- Who will you miss most from the 2021 ISL “All-Eliminated” Team in the Playoffs?
- Karol Ostrowski of Drury University, the best sprinter in DII history, enters the transfer portal and we predict where could be his landing spot
SINK or SWIM
- Beryl Gastaldello announced that she will be training with Coley Stickels – Do we see this lasting through the 2024 Paris Olympics, Beryl’s home Games?
- After being eliminated from the British dance show Strictly Come Dancing, will Adam Peaty join his London Roar in Eindhoven for the ISL Playoffs?
- After seeing them dominate the Virginia men this past weekend, do you think the Texas men will repeat as NCAA Champions?
- After watching the UVA women handily hold off a strong Texas women’s team, will they defend their NCAA title this year?
Peaty is doing a book signing in Nottingham on Monday. Guessing that means he probably won’t be in Germany on Sunday…
It’s almost surely that Toronto will make the final instead of LA with the way they decide the line-ups for the playoff.
8 teams are divided into four groups: Energy & DC, Condors & Iron, London & LA, Toronto & Centurions. Teams in the same group will face each other in every single match.
The line-ups for playoffs are:
match 1: group 1 and group 2.
match 2: group 3 and group 4.
match 3: group 1 and group 4.
match 4: group 2 and group 3.
match 5: group 1 and group 3.
match 6: group 2 and group 4.
It’s very difficult for LA to score more points given they are… Read more »
Yeah the matchups are terrible. Toronto came 4th and 5th in the regular season, so they should have been matched up against each other, with 3rd and 6th, 2nd and 7th, and 1st and 8th.
Even if LA wins their only direct matchup with Toronto, they need to beat London, Cali or Energy at least once to beat Toronto (or Toronto has to really stuff up a match).
The regular season matchups were terrible too! London and Energy (both top 3 teams) faced each other three times, while Cali only faced another top 3 team once. Like the regular season favoured Cali so much.
I can’t believe you are trying to manipulate the system so every stud makes the playoffs but earlier you were complaining how the league was made up of the haves and have nots and needed a way to even the playing field!?!?
I say Peaty doesn’t show up! To show up after have not swum for two months just means you will get beat by some very hot swimmers. His philosophy is to always win. Don’t see it changing to make fans happy. Lots of stud elite swimmers aren’t doing ISL…that happens.
Beryl won’t last with Coley til Paris
Texas men swimmers might be a bit less than Cal swimmers but don’t ever forget Texas divers! And… Read more »
Thanks Coleman for eliminating the airhorn sound.
As always, another great episode. Keep up the work!
I’ll be honest… that was an accident.
I am overjoyed that you like this audio format. I can’t promise the airhorn won’t be back though…
I personally like the airhorn. Makes me aware that you are switching topics.
Coleman – regarding the UVA-Texas women’s meet, UVA was only ahead by 1 after the first day in large part because both diving events (which Texas swept) were included in the scores before the swimming started. So UVA made up 27 points in that first day to be one ahead, even with Alex Walsh getting touched out by two Texas women in the 200 fly. So the first day’s score wasn’t surprising given all that, and it wasn’t surprising UVA pulled away quite a lot in the 2nd day.
Thank you for this insight! I figured diving was a big part of it but I hadn’t looked into it. We always know UT will bring it on the swim AND dive side of things.
The UT women have a tough road trying to move up from 3rd, but even if they repeat as 3rd place this year, I feel their performance on the swim side will be much more complete. Their team is looking more well-rounded. But the NCS women, keeping quiet like last year until the lights come on… should be a fun one in ATL, esp with Stanford HOPEFULLY back in the mix
Beat me to it, Greg. Thanks!