This Week in Swimming

Kaii Winkler's 42.5 NAG, Kolesnikov's 50 Back WR, & Golden Goggles

Morning, Nerd.

Welcome to the Swimnerd newsletter where each week we highlight the most interesting stuff going on in swimming.

  • 😎 USAS Golden Goggles , πŸŠπŸ»β€β™‚οΈ Kolesnikov's 50 Back World Record, and the Lanky Legend, Kaii Winkler

  • πŸ“œΒ Swim Set of the Week

  • 🀑 Swimming Meme of the Week

USA Swimming's Golden Goggle Awards

Each year since 2004, the USA Swimming Foundation has hosted a fundraiser/charity dinner as well as an award ceremony for the USA's top swimmers that year.

This is that special time of year when you get to see how well our nation's top swimmers, "clean up". Mike Lewis was there taking pictures, so be sure to check out his Instagram. Also, check out swimposters.com - Mike's new venture aimed at bringing swimming heroes into your child's bedroom. The perfect Christmas gift.

The process starts with a selection panel that chooses the nominees for each category, which are then announced a few months before the ceremony. The cool part is that the winners are chosen by fan vote; we nerds get a say in who wins.

πŸ…Female Athlete of the YearπŸ…: Katie Ledecky

πŸ…Male Athletes of the YearπŸ…: Bobby Finke

πŸ…Female Race of the YearπŸ…: Katie Ledecky, 800 Freestyle

πŸ…Male Races of the YearπŸ…: Bobby Finke, 800 Freestyle

πŸ…Relay Performance of the YearπŸ…: Women's 4x200 Freestyle Relay (Leah Smith, Katie Ledecky, Bella Sims, and Claire Weinstein)

πŸ…Breakout Performer of the YearπŸ…: Leah Hayes

πŸ…The Perseverance AwardπŸ…: Leah Smith

πŸ…Coach of the YearπŸ…: Anthony Nesty

πŸ…The Impact Award(s)πŸ…: Carol Zaleski/Bill Maxson

Let's take a moment to acknowledge how crazy it is for two distance swimmers to win athlete and races of the year. It's no secret that the U.S. has been falling behind the rest of the world in the *male* distance races. That was until the "Comeback King" Bobby Finke showed up in Tokyo and swept both the 800 and 1500 Freestyles.

Though it was a great year for the United States relays on both the men's and women's side, I think the Women's 4x200 Free Relay was the best choice. For the past few years, the United States women's team has had to depend on their heavyweight in Katie Ledecky to either give a good lead or come from behind (with special assistance from Allison Schmitt and Leah Smith), but this race was TRULY a team effort. This is the most exciting relay for us come Paris 2024.

The breakout performer of the year was probably the toughest category. Between Carson Foster making the international team in multiple events and later winning medals, Claire Curzan swimming what felt like every race under the sun, and Leah Hayes making the team AND medaling in the 200 IM, there could have been three definitive winners in this category. All five nominated swimmers (Hunter Armstrong and Torri Huske) had a fantastic 2022 but Leah Hayes was the surprise of the summer.

The perseverance award had three nominees including Luca Urlando (who coincidentally is back on the injured reserve list), Lilly King, and Leah Smith. Now, for those of you wondering why Nic Fink wasn't on that list, I can't tell you. But if anyone was going to win this award, I'm glad the voters decided on Leah Smith. Smith has had a very successful career, and no one can understand "swimming for second" better than her as she has had to race Katie Ledecky for going on a decade now. Most people might have called it a career and retired with Olympic and World Championship medals to their credit, but Leah Smith's perseverance and determination to give her best these last few years has been truly inspiring. Another tip of the hat to Texas Women's Swimming.

As the coach of both Bobby Finke (male athlete and men's race of the year winner) and Katie Ledecky (undisputed freestyle 🐐 and distance πŸ‘ΈπŸΌ), there shouldn't be any wondering why Anthony Nesty was voted 2022's Coach of the Year. Nesty is also the coach of Kieran Smith and Caeleb Dressel (to name a few). Though some might have chosen Eddie Reese (🐐), Todd DeSorbo, or Ron Aitken as 2022's COTY, I think the voters got this one right in voting for Nesty.

Watch the full-length ceremony below!

πŸŠβ€β™€οΈΒ 2022 Russian Short Course Games 🏊🏼

They call this swim meet the "solidarity" games but I'm gunna go ahead and pass on using that adjective.

The Russians had some pretty quick swims this past week, including a new WR from Kliment Kolesnikov in the 50 Back πŸ”₯22.11πŸ”₯Β 

The previous world record (22.22) was set by Flo Manaudou at the 2014 SC Worlds in Doha, Qatar - the host of the FIFA World Cup going on right now.

Kolesnikov has consistently put up fast 50 Back times in the last few years and now holds five of the top 10 fastest times in history (three of those coming from this week alone!). He was the first man to break 24 in the long course version and would still be the WR holder if it weren't for Hunter Armstrong.

Though Russia is still banned from international FINA swimming events, this meet is considered official since it was still officiated and followed FINA regulations. So, expect this WR to get ratified.

There were many other surprisingly fast swims at this meet as well! Evgeniia Chikunova put up the second-fastest women's 200 Breast in history with a time of ⚑️2:14.70⚑️ The only other woman officially under 2:15 ever was Rebecca Soni (the world record holder in 2:14.57 from wayyyyy back in 2009).

Chikunova clearly surprised after that swim:

Mariia Kameneva also had some very impressive swims, most notably her 50m backstroke where she swam 25.60 which tied Kira Toussaint for second-fastest all-time performer. Kameneva also won the 50 and 100 Free in 23.35 and 51.79 respectively. Both National Records.

On the men's side, the 400 IM'er that missed the Olympics due to COVID, Ilia Borodin, swam a spicy 3:58.08 400 IM which currently ranks him number πŸ₯‡ in the world this year (and by a bit) in front of Daiya Seto who was 4:00.70 last month at Japanese Short Course Nationals.

Danil Semianinov and Ilya Shymanovich had a great duel in the men's 100 Breast with Semianinov ultimately winning out by one one-hundredth in a 56.25 to Shymanovich's 56.26. These two times are currently the third and fourth fastest times in the world this year.

Some of Russia's biggest stars also swam at the games and had some good swims! Svetlana Chimrova swam the 100 Fly in 57.61, Andrei Minakov posted a 22.30 in the 50 Fly, Kiril Progoda went 2:02.70 (just ahead of Nic Fink as third-fastest this year), double Olympic gold medalist Evgenii Rylov swam the 100 Back in 50.03, and Anton Chupkov swam the 100 Breast in 57.34

Kaii Winkler, the Lanky Legend

Kaii Winkler is the fastest 15-16 year old ever in the 100 SCY Free. Last week at Florida 1A HS State Champs, he was out 20.57 to his feet and came back in 21.95 (+1.41).

42.52 πŸ‘€ This kids from another world. πŸ‘½

Not the fastest off the blocks but definitely the cleanest. Carries good speed off his walls - bet he could win one of those push off and streamline contests they like to do at swim clinics. Love his stroke. Super long. Classic high elbow. Does a stroke or two of straight arm when breaking out of his turns to get up and moving. Has the keen ability to change pace - even in a 100. Takes less breaths on the second 50 than the first 50. Super fast breather.

He also split an 18.9 on the back of a relay and won the 200 Free in 1:34.1 at the same meet.

This ain't Kaii's first NAG - he's been smashing them for almost a decade. Seven years ago, Swimmer Joe asked him what his future goals were. He answered, "To go to the Olympics and win all gold medals".

This summer, he anchored (48.95) Team USA to a World Junior Record in the 4x100 Free Relay along with Thomas Heilman (49.1), Henry McFadden (49.0), and Daniel Diehl (48.6). BTW, all these guys are from the East Coast (BEAST COAST). West Coast needs to step up their game.

In the NCAA, 50/100/200 Freestylers are worth their weight in gold. Currently a junior in high school, Winkler is arguably the top recruit in his class but hasn't said where he's going yet. If I had to bet, he'll be going somewhere warm and probably near a beach. What can I say? He loves to shred waves.

Interestingly, Winkler has a lanky body type similar to that of David Popovici, the Skinny Legend. He seems to also have the same ability to back half races...

Kaii swims for Adam Madarassy at Eagle Aquatics in Miami, Florida.

inside with brett hawke banner logo transparent

BRETT HAWKE CLIPS OF THE WEEK

This week on INSIDE with BRETT HAWKE...

John Sinclair is the programming officer for Institute of Motion (IoM), where he designs programs and solutions for the largest companies in the industry, including Nike, Zumba, 24 Hour Fitness and Equinox. He also travels globally, representing the top vendors in the fitness industry: ViPR PRO, Power Plate North America, Hyperwear, Pavigym and Technogym.

John is the Founder of Authentic Health Coaching, and specializes in holistic movement therapies and programming for personal executive performance and health, fitness and wellness companies.

He's also the co-founder of Seven Movements, an online system that brings wellness solutions to the workplace in simple, cutting-edge methods that decrease pain and anxiety.

Enjoy!

πŸ“ SWIM SET OF THE WEEK πŸ“

Susie O'Neill 30x100's Fly

Coach Bernie Wakefield was a boss.

Here's his obituary from SwimNews.com back in August of 2000:

"Susan O'Neill's coach of twelve years, from the age of 9 to 21 passed away on Saturday 19 August following a fight with cancer.

A fighter to the end, Coach Bernie Wakefield, signed himself out of hospital twice in the last few weeks. Once to carry the flame in the 2000 Olympic Torch Relay and on another occasion to attend his Testimonial Dinner at the Wynnum Golf Club near his place of birth, and where he was honoured by one hundred and fifty coaches, present and past club members, swimming officials and friends.

Bernie enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) at 21 years of age (1951) and served in the Malaysia and Vietnam campaigns. After twenty one years of service he retired from to RAAF to return to his home town of Brisbane where he became involved in teaching and coaching swimming, an activity he had taken up while in Malaysia.

Coach Wakefield was engaged as the head coach of the Acacia Swim Club in 1972, a position he held until retirement thirty eight years later (1972-2000); a period in which he had an enviable record as of one of Australia's all time best coaches."

Talk about feeling the Bern...

Warm up - 30x100's Fly - Warm down.

Keeping it simple on this Monday afternoon.

Thank gawd for that extra minute rest after 10...

🀑 SWIMMING MEME OF THE WEEK 🀑

Imagine doing 30x100's Fly at altitude...

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