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SwimSwam’s 50 Most-Watched YouTube Videos of 2019

Braden Keith
by Braden Keith 0

December 27th, 2019 News

The top 10 most-viewed videos on SwimSwam’s YouTube channel in 2019 reveal a lot about what stuck out to swim fans as the biggest stories in the news cycle. Caeleb Dressel was the world’s top swimmer in 2019, which he proved at both the long course World Championships and in the International Swimming League. Dressel videos occupy 3 of the 10 most-viewed videos of 2019 on our YouTube channel, and 10 of the 50-most viewed videos on our YouTube channel of 2019. He’s also part of another, a behind-the-scenes video from a Speedo photo shoot.

Also high on our readers’ minds was Abbey Weitzeil‘s 50 yard freestyle at the Minnesota Invite in early December, where she became the first woman ever under 21 seconds in that event. That was the 2nd-most viewed video on our channel, and our most-viewed race video (beating out a novelty University of Texas 100 free relay swim).

Also high on our readers’ mind were the podium protests by swimmers Mack Horton and Duncan Scott at the World Championships, where they posed their objections to the presence of Chinese swimmer Sun Yang. News segments about those protests ranked 9th and 11th among our most-viewed videos.

Among Coleman Hodges’ Practice & Pancakes series, our most-watched videos were, unsurprisingly, a breaststroke clinic with Indiana University, which is the most successful American breaststroking group at the moment by far, and a morning workout with, among others, Olympic and World Champions Katie Ledecky and Simone Manuel.

Below, we count down the top 10 most-viewed videos on SwimSwam’s YouTube Channel in 2019.

Note: in our countdown, we’ve only included videos that were actually produced in 2019. Our most-viewed video of 2019 was actually first posted in 2017, a Day in the Life with Stanford Women’s Swimming, and the full list of the top 50 at the end includes all views in 2019, regardless of when the video was produced.

10) Duncan Scott Also Protests Yang; Yang Confronts Scott After Podium

The 2nd of 2 podium protests at this summer’s World Championships, Scottish swimmer Duncan Scott refused to shake hands with Sun Yang after Sun won gold in the men’s 200 free and Scott won bronze. Unlike Mack Horton’s earlier protest after the 400 free, though, Scott did get on the podium while the Chinese national anthem played.6Q

9) Caeleb Dressel 100 Free Atlanta Classic – 47.86 (LCM)

Almost as if to signify that his troublesome summer of 2018 was a thought of the past, in May Caeleb Dressel swam a 47.86 in the 100 free in long course. That was the first time he had been sub-48 in the 100 free in a regular season meet (he did so again a month later in Mission Viejo). Dressel would go on to a 4-for-4 individual performance at the World Championships that included a World Record in the 100 fly.

8) Mack Horton Abstains from 400 Free Podium Celebrations in Protest of Sun Yang

An old rivalry between Mack Horton and Sun Yang flared up again at the World Championships after the men’s 400 free. Sun won gold and Horton silver, but Horton refused to mount the podium next to his long-time Chinese rival in protest of Sun’s actions during an anti-doping control test in 2018, and the fact that Sun was still allowed to race while WADA was appealing his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Both athletes, along with Scott, were warned by FINA for their behavior.

7) Team Speedo 2019 Fastskin LZR Pure Valor/Pure Intent Photo Shoot (Behind the Scenes)

While Speedo is a SwimSwam advertising partner, they did not pay us to include their video on the list. The reality is that our audience loves new suits, they love photo shoots, and the video had a lot of huge-name athletes like Caeleb Dressel and Ryan Murphy.

6) Watch Caeleb Dressel Swim 47.9 100 Free (Race Video)

More Dressel. This is the 2nd time he was under 48 seconds at an in-season meet, touching in 47.97 at the Fran Crippen Memorial Swim Meet of Champions in June. More foreshadowing of what was to come later in the summer.

5) Texas Men’s 100 Free Relay

People love watching sprinters, people love suited practice swims, and people love watching the University of Texas do unorthodox things in workouts. Enter the Texas men’s 4×25 free relay race from February. The winning team went 34.50, which is averaging 8.63s.

4) Katie Ledecky‘s Times in Practice Are Ridiculous: GMM presented by SwimOutlet.com

As incredible as Olympic gold medalist and World Record holder is in meets, her swims in practice are ridiculous. In this video, she describes a set where she does 20×100 freestyles on a 1:40 interval, and hitting better than 1 minute on half of them. Then she went a 4:10 in a 400 freestyle from a push at the end of a workout. Then talks about doing a 4:31 in the 500 yard freestyle from a push at the end of a set. Also popular: Katie Ledecky battling True Sweetser in a distance workout.

3) Dressel Will Go to Training Camp Right after World Champs: GMM presented by SwimOutlet.com

More Dressel. Before his Worlds outbreak, Dressel talks about what his plan was for the summer.

2) Kristof Milak Slaughters Phelps’ 200 Fly World Record in 1:50.73

One of Michael Phelps‘ most famous records, a 200 fly time of 1:51.51, stood for 10 years. But then, this summer, a Hungarian teenager took it down by almost eight tenths of a second. That day started the first time in 18 years that Phelps hadn’t held the World Record in the 200 fly.

1) Abbey Weitzeil Swims 20.90 in the 50 Yard Freestyle

A late entry, posted on December 6th, this video didn’t have nearly as much time as the other videos in the top 10 to simmer and rack up views. In fact, Weitzeil’s swim was the only video posted after July to crack the top 10. But, as we’ve said, people love sprinting, and people love records. Abbey Weitzeil‘s 20.90 at the Minnesota Invite made her the first woman ever under 21 seconds in the 50 free.

50 Most-Watched Videos on the SwimSwam YouTube Channel in 2019 (All Publish Dates)

Rank Video title Video Publish Date Click to Watch
1 A Day in the (Meet) Life: Stanford Women’s Swimming Nov 23, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDkpw-_qH1I
2 Abbey Weitzeil Swims 20.90 in the 50 yard freestyle – the fastest swim in history Dec 6, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7xu1dxYy8Y
3 Kristof Milak Slaughters Phelps’ 200 Fly World Record In 1:50.73 Jul 24, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJIZSTtahps
4 Dressel Will Go To Training Camp Right After World Champs: GMM presented by SwimOutlet.com Feb 15, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9tu6o5Bld8
5 Katie Ledecky‘s Times In Practice Are Ridiculous: GMM presented by SwimOutlet.com May 3, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn5YMASCjpU
6 Texas Mens 100 Free Relay Feb 6, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ4vdSfQ9VM
7 Watch Caeleb Dressel Swim 47.9 100 Free (Race Video) Jun 22, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCSgq20duiM
8 Team Speedo 2019 Fastskin LZR Pure Valor/Pure Intent Photo Shoot (Behind the Scenes) Feb 15, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nhh92ejIVM
9 Mack Horton Abstains from 400 Free Podium Celebrations in Protest of Sun Yang Jul 21, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q31NcBb91A
10 Caeleb Dressel 100 Free Atlanta Classic – 47.86 (LCM) May 19, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_hwRrcVI7s
11 Duncan Scott Also Protests Yang; Yang Confronts Scott After Podium Jul 23, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQcNSq82Wqs
12 Texas Speed Practice, The Eddie Reese Invite: Gold Medal Minute presented by SwimOutlet.com Nov 19, 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi9pVt4V94A
13 Thomas Heilman Breaks 11-12 National Age Group Record in the 200 yard fly Dec 7, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lHSncOn3ew
14 Practice + Pancakes: IU Breaststroke Clinic May 23, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyR_IuPn__4
15 Caeleb Dressel Posts 21.5 50 Free (Race Video) Jun 23, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tkEDx-_r54
16 Practice + Pancakes: Ledecky, Manuel, Neal, Sweetser AM Workout May 24, 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go_5eROAiRg
17 Practice + Pancakes: Auburn Sprint Group keeps it “Unorthodox” Feb 7, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKwRLMgE1Zw
18 Caeleb Dressel Breaks Phelps’ 100 Butterfly World Record in 49.50 Jul 26, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYTlui2lVZQ
19 Cody Miller on Racing Dressel: “I was trying to get in his head… didn’t work” Nov 18, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE9Hj1sS9RQ
20 Practice + Pancakes: UT Men + Dean Farris Tackle Fast Friday Jun 15, 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBvT_fKAjPQ
21 Practice + Pancakes: Cal Men Get Meet Ready With Socks Speed Work Jun 20, 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flNMukZ65Jg
22 How Michael Andrew Recovers Between Races: Gold Medal Minute Presented by SwimOutlet.com Mar 15, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCPQ1PIqvWg
23 Caeleb Dressel Explains Wearing a Brief for Prelims Mar 9, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ2Iaf1t2Qs
24 Watch Luca Urlando’s 1:55 200 Fly in College Station (Race Video) Mar 2, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUwUrUeJUUg
25 2019 NCAA Championships: Women’s 800 Free Relay Mar 20, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4LjGlkGilg
26 2019 Men’s NCAA Championships: Daniel Carr 100 Back Re-Swim – 44.86 Mar 29, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbhiy1h_D4U
27 Practice + Pancakes: University of Arizona Throws Down After Mesa Apr 20, 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYQdPJ1tqh0
28 Practice + Pancakes: Texas Men Taper Practice for WUGs Jun 26, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39GwaDoxWCw
29 Practice + Pancakes: Michael Andrew Goes Surfing, Trains Overspeed Jul 3, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8oQjLNqKeg
30 Practice + Pancakes: Behind The Scenes of the Speedo International Photo Shoot Apr 14, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsyIyrrnOqg
31 Caeleb Dressel Explains Difference Between Dryland and Weight Training Mar 11, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOd0jKI7XUE
32 Practice + Pancakes: Jack Conger Topples Todd DeSorbo Power Set Apr 30, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSkOvbhnBYo
33 Caeleb Dressel: “I gotta figure out how to swim short meters” Nov 17, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6MTgrmKA_g
34 Practice + Pancakes: Virginia Tech Suits Up for 8×100 Off the Blocks Nov 11, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5_bS_a6u_8
35 Practice + Pancakes: Team Elite, Chinese Pros Suit Up + Throw Down Oct 11, 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=857u26GDACg
36 Luca Urlando Gets Coaching from Michael Phelps: GMM presented by SwimOutlet.com Aug 15, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7i7PAffhlA
37 1650… Backstroke?! Jan 29, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ylN8csj9tw
38 Practice + Pancakes: Mizzou Swims 10×100 @ 1:30… But Think They’re Doing 30 Oct 11, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1ovLBAhi-A
39 Practice + Pancakes: Texas Men Sprint 25’s and Play 6-Square Oct 11, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZuy1iPbemQ
40 Caeleb Dressel Analyzes Performances: “I gotta get better” Jun 24, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHEjPwSuCN0
41 Practice + Pancakes: Mizzou Builds Lactate with 20×50 @ 2:00 Jan 8, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D8GvJr-kLo
42 Speedo’s Smartest Ever Performance Range Shows Pure Intent and Heaps of Valor Feb 15, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S2JXa8e-IE
43 Practice + Pancakes: UGA Postgrads Light Up Wednesday Pace Set Jan 31, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ6Ov1r329Y
44 Mitchell Whyte Takes DQ, Swims 50 Meters Underwater in 22.83 Jun 15, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkXFGFL5TR4
45 Practice + Pancakes: Mizzou Tigers Tackle 25-50-75 Lactate Set Jan 15, 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNtBt9F3N2E
46 Simone Manuel Becomes 1st Woman to Win 7 Medals in Single World Championships Jul 28, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaJ6EdK1v0w
47 Can Ryan Lochte Make The 2020 Olympic Team? GMM presented by SwimOutlet.com Aug 8, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivY4iD9MeH4
48 Dean Farris on 1:29.1, Not Swimming Individual 200 Free Mar 28, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW-j6GDyXfI
49 Practice + Pancakes: Team Elite Starts Taper for World Champs, Pan Ams Jul 11, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IetMQluXtI
50 Practice + Pancakes: Stanford Women’s 400 IM Group May 31, 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYwl6Wl1isg

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About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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