This week, Olympic champ Tom Shields joins the SwimSwam Breakdown and we discuss the World Cup, Olympic Trials, and NCAA Dual Meets. Full List of topics below:
0:00 SwimSwam Breakdown Introduction
- 0:48 World Cup – Who stood out? What did you think of the 3-Meet format? Will it come back to the USA?
- 14:09 What will USA Swimming have to do to fill 30,000 seats for 9 days in a row at the 2024 Olympic Trials?
- 19:43 What can NCAA Dual Meets pull from ISL to make more meets more fan friendly?
SINK or SWIM
- 26:06 Will Leon Marchand Finish the NCAA season undefeated in individual events?
- 32:50 Will Kyle Chalmers Get Win #8-in-a-row in the SCM 100 Free at SC World Champs?
- 35:42 Are Fans Being Too Salty about Cody Simpson‘s AUS GQ Athlete of the Year Nomination?
- 41:20 Who is Phelps’ Biggest Rival Outside of Ryan Lochte?
- 48:55 Way Too Early 2024 Olympic Trials Predictions?
Tom was absolutely fantastic. No offence to any previous participants but his informed opinions, stories, references, and self-deprecating humor were the most compelling. I need a ‘Tom is on SwimSwam Breakdown ALERT’ going forward
I believe Popovici was out in 22.74 in his WR race. I think Kyle has only been out faster than that only once in his life (and barely). I don’t know that Kyle would be creating the sort of wash that would affect Popovici. With one more year of strength (aging), I expect Popovici to be out faster than Kyle at the 50 next summer
Looks like from the FRNPM website for the 10-13 Nov SCM event at Otopeni Popovici is entered in five events 100,200,400 FR, 100IM, 100 BF. He said in a recent interview he doesn’t just train freestyle so maybe he’s ready to branch out in competition. There seems to be a livestream but it buffers so much it’s unwatchable.
The GQ stuff is irrelevant, when MOC was robbed in the Women in Sport Awards, now that is irredeemable.
I have been a competitive swimmer from 8 and under through college and now again on and off as a Master’s swimmer. I’ve always loved the sport but never paid attention to much news outside Olympics and major US National level meets.
SwimSwam has become my most visited site for the past two years and I have grown to near obsession keeping up with all things swimming.
A big shout out to the staff, writers, and researchers here who have shown me how exciting all levels and kinds of swim related happenings can be, and even more impressive to know that some of this high quality content comes from a high school student! Kudos to all
How the hell didn’t they mention Crocker vs Phelps the second greatest rivalary?
Love seeing tom on with hot takes, would love to see more!
Australia, punching above its weight for decades!
As an Aussie, the thing that fascinates me most is that a disproportionate number of our swimmers come out of Queensland.
It’s part of the culture. Like Canadians and hockey, Kiwis and rugby, Norwegians and skiing, Kenyans and distance running, etc.
Swimmers are heroes in Australia. In America, swimmers are the weird kids in highschool. Most Americans wouldn’t consider swimming a “real sport,”, just an intriguing olympic event (and let’s be honest, probably half of the Olympic TV view ship is just to see near naked athletes, not elite level sport competition).
We say this narrative from the outside, but if you listen to Kaylee McKeown talk about her experience with celebrity coming off 3 golds and 4 medals in Tokyo it doesn’t seem to always hold. I think there was a period starting with the home Sydney Olympics where this was the case, but now only a select few break all the way through with the non-swimming public in Australia.
Get Tom to come around as much as possible, he’s great at this.