Morning, Nerd.

Welcome to the Swimnerd newsletter, where we serve up piping hot swim tips, clips, and gossip every week. We only care about clicks so we will solely be focused on the Australian love triangle this week. #clicksfirst

Now, as Coach Jon Urbanchek would say, let's KEEP IT MOVING...

• 🏊‍♂️ 2022 Commonwealth Games Review

• 🤡 Swimming Meme of the Week

• 📜 Swimming Set of the Week

🏊‍♀️ 2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES 🌎

Swimming at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England finished up last week. Whilst most of the world doesn't participate (maybe we can petition to let Virginia swimmers compete), it's still a fantastic meet with loads of rich history. Birmingham's venue (Sandwell Aquatic Center) was absolutely gorgeous, with loads of color.

To no one's great surprise, Australia crushed the medal table, and nearly swept all of the women's freestyle medals. The Australian women put on quite a show.

• Canadian Summer McIntosh continued what has to be the best-ever season for a junior swimmer, or at least the best since Ledecky was a junior. After smashing World Junior records in the 200 Fly, 400 IM, and 200 Free at Worlds, she lowered her 400 IM Jr World Record, broke Leah Hayes's newly-minted 200 IM record (2:08.70), set a Canadian national 400 Free record (3:59.32), and topped it all off anchoring Canada's medley relay with a 53.3 only shortly after that 400. Her 400 was the only medal between Australia and the aforementioned freestyle sweep.

• Emma McKeon was back (in more than just the tabloids). She now has more Commonwealth Games medals than anyone in history. Obviously, adding two additionals relays allows for the "medal count records" to change rapidly. Emma went 5/5 on Australian relays. She won the 50 Free and 50 Fly but couldn't hold that same speed into the 100's, picking up Bronze in the 100 Free (off by a full second vs her Olympic gold medal winning swim in Tokyo) and Silver in the 100 Fly. With everything going on in Australian media, she is one tough cookie. Sometimes it says a lot when you don't say anything at all.

• Maggie MacNeil outtouched Emma McKeon in the 100 Fly by just .02 making that one of the best races of the meet. Good to see Maggie back racing individual events after taking some time off to tend to her mental health. I love watching her race -- she's a calculated assassin.

• The next best race of the meet was the Women's 400 Free between Titmus & McIntosh who both went sub 4 minutes. The Paris podium won't see anyone over 4 minutes, that is for sure.

• One senior World Record was set - the Australian women became the first 4x200 free relay team to break 7:40. They were buoyed by Ariarne Titmus' 1:52.8 anchor - the fastest relay split of all time. Australia left some meat on the bone for the next time they get together - Mollie O'Callaghan's rolling split was .8 off her flat start earlier in the meet.

• The men's meet was a bit more tame, though there were a couple fireworks. The New Zealander, Lewis Clareburt, performed admirably after a bout of COVID earlier in the summer - he took the 200 Fly (1:55) and 400 IM (4:08) in best times, the latter an Oceanic record. And took home Bronze in the 2 IM. Fellow Kiwi's Andrew Jeffcoat (1st, 50 Back) and Cam Gray (3rd, 50 Fly) helped NZL to their finest showing ever.

• If I don't see Duncan Scott swim another 200 Fly or 400 IM ever again, I won't be upset and neither will Brett.

• The men's 1500 saw a couple notable swims - Sam Short redeemed himself from Australian Trials where he miscounted and stopped 100m early by blasting a 14:48.5. Dan Wiffen hung with him through 900m before falling off the pace a bit, but touched in 14:51.7, breaking his Ireland record by six seconds. Wiffen is on an amazing trajectory - he swam a best of 15:07 at the Tokyo Olympics, and has lopped off around 5 seconds a pop at every major meet since.

• Ben Proud doubled up the 50 Free and 50 Fly. He's been unbeatable over the last year in the 50 Free - both SC & LC. Nobody was even close to him at this meet.

• Tom Dean picked up 3 individual silver medals (100/200 Free, 200 IM). He's still so young and is an absolute physical specimen. He's taller than everyone in this picture even though he's standing on the lowest podium level. He anchored one of the relays in 46.70. Duncan Scott is certainly capable of that. Great Britain with two 46 mids on their relay...throw in Lewis Burras and Jacob Whittle and that relay should be eyeing Olympic gold as their goal.

BRETT HAWKE CLIPS OF THE WEEK

• The X+Y+Z set with Dave Salo & Katie Robinson

• Jennifer LaMont and the 2022 ASCA World Clinic in Las Vegas (we will be in Vegas showing off our newest swimming inventions so please stop by booth 420 to catch a swimming buzz)

• Chicken drill with Alia Atkinson

• Two things you can control with Frank Busch

Ryan Lochte Clips of the Week...

• Ryan Lochte's Underwater Kicking Rule in Practice

• If you break Ryan Lochte's 200 IM World Record...

• Getting comfortable being uncomfortable

• The mentality you need to beat Michael Phelps

• No negative energy

This week on INSIDE with BRETT HAWKE...

Viktoria Gunes is a 2x Olympian and 5x World Junior Champion. Born and raised in Ukraine, she now competes for Turkey. Most recently, she won the 400 IM at SC European Championships in Kazan.

SET OF THE WEEK

Bill Sweetenham's Death Spiral Set

We all know Michael Bohl as one of the greatest swim coaches in history. But did you know that he swam for Bill Sweetenham?

The hardest set Bohly can remember is this one, that I have affectionately renamed as Bill Sweetenham's Death Spiral Set.

150014001300120011001000900800700600500400300200100

All on 1:15 base interval. Tracey Wickham is said to have finished it...

🤡 SWIMMING MEME OF THE WEEK

It's funny because it's true.