Morning, Nerd.

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

• 🌎 Fast Swims Around the World

• 📰 Clips of the Week

• 📜 Set of the Week

• 🤡 Swimming Meme of the Week

🏊‍♀️FAST SWIMS AROUND THE WORLD 🌎

TYR Pro Series

This week in swimming was all about the TYR Pro Swim Series in Knoxville, TN.

Forget about the Doha World Championships - it’s the Olympic year!

The TYR Pro Swim Series are the most meaningful long course meets in America during the lead up…

Day 1:

The University of Florida swept the 1500…

• Katie Ledecky - 1500m Freestyle - 15:38.81. She swam the 17th fastest time in history and won by 53 seconds. What else is new? Somebody post that video of her balancing the chocolate milk on her head from 10 years ago I haven’t seen that one in a while.

• Bobby Finke - 1500m Freestyle - 15:04.43. While the time itself isn’t speedy (over 30 seconds off his PB from last summer’s worlds) - this is typical for him. He’s a big meet swimmer and has little to no competition as he makes he way to Paris.

Day 2:

In the women’s 100 freestyle, we got some pretty impressive speed from the top five - Kate Douglass (53.1), Gretchen Walsh (53.6), Simone Manuel (53.7), Torri Huske (53.8), Abbey Weitzel (54.00).

On that note, let’s point out Simone Manuel’s performance progression over the last few months

50 Freestyle:

• July 27, 2023: TYR Pro Champs: 25.16 (Prelims)/25.05 (Finals) -

• November 30, 2023: U.S. Open: 25.11 (Prelims)/24.82 (Finals) -

• January 13, 2024: TYR Pro Series: 25.09 (Prelims)/24.82 (Finals) -

100 Freestyle:

• July 29, 2023: TYR Pro Champs: 54.44 (Prelims)/54.21 (Finals) -

• December 2, 2023: U.S. Open: 53.94 (Prelims)/ 53.65 (Finals) -

• January 11, 2024: TYR Pro Series: 54.26 (Prelims)/53.74 (Finals) -

What is significant about this? The obvious conclusion is that she is gearing up to be at her best come trials. Almost exactly five years ago, at the TYR Pro Series in Knoxville (before she went on to swim her PB of 52.04 at the World Champs that summer), she swam the 100 free in 53.42. In the 50 free, she was 24.75. In conclusion, she’s right in line with where she was. Can she go 52.0 again? I’d probably bet against that. But what I’m not betting against, is her ability to make Top 6 in the 100.

On the men’s side of the 100 free, World Championship Silver Medalist, Jack Alexy, took the win in 48.24 over Brooks Curry (48.68), and Matt King (48.91).

That time from Alexy serves as the seventh-fastest time in his career (he’s 20) and his in-season PB by over a half-second. He just came down from altitude at the OTC and has a full beard. I don’t think anyone is beating Jack in the 50 or 100 at OT’s. Write it down!

In the women’s 100 Breast, Lilly King came back and dominated winning 1:05.67 over Mona McSharry (1:06.23) and Tokyo Olympic Gold Medalist, Lydia Jacoby (1:06.62). It’s also important to note that Kate Douglass also swam this event and finished fourth in 1:06.67 (a half-second PB).

Nic Fink narrowly defeated Michael Andrew in the 100 breast going 1:00.36 to Andrew’s 1:00.41. Third was Joshua Chen in 1:00.67. Last year MA was dropping 1:01’s and 1:02’s in-season. Can he beat Nic Fink, the 9-5 engineer? No American has been faster than MA’s 58.14 from Semi Finals of OT’s 3 years ago. But I never bet against Nic Fink. I think he’s America’s Breaststroker in 2024.

Summer McIntosh won the 200 fly in a very impressive time of 2:05.73 over Texas teammates Emma Sticklen (2:08.57) and Kelly Pash (2:09.02). McIntosh won gold at the World Champs in Fukuoka last summer in this event in 2:04.06.

The men’s 200 Fly final saw a great race at the finish between Tennessee/Austrian swimmer Martin Espernberger and USA veteran Trenton Julian. In the end, it was Espernberger’s last 50 split of 29.89 that snatched the win from Julian who split 31.43. Julian finished second in 1:56.97 and Espernberger took the win in 1:56.58. There are 3 certainties in life: death, taxes, and Trenton Julian coming home in 31.

Finishing day 2 was the women’s and men’s 400 freestyles. On the women’s side, Katie Ledecky took the W going 4:03.46. But the swim of event goes to Paige Madden who blasted a 4:05.66 which serves as her best in-season time by over three seconds!

Do you agree or disagree with Paul here?

On the men’s side, new faces and vets faced off. Austrian National record-holder and 2021 Short Course World Champion, Felix Auboeck won the event in 3:46.78. Belgium’s Lucas Henveaux was second just a couple seconds off his PB (3:48.70), and third was USA National Veteran and Olympic Bronze medalist, Kieran Smith in a time of 3:49.63.

Day 3:

Starting day 3 of the competition was Summer McIntosh blowing away the field in the 200 freestyle. McIntosh made a statement swim with a 1:55.41 over Erin Gemmell (1:58.23) and Simone Manuel (1:58.87).

On the men’s side, Felix Auboeck took another win (1:46.70) over Grant House (1:47.58) and Kieran Smith (1:47.60). Luca Urlando also had a pretty spicy swim with his own 1:47.68.

Claire Curzan won the 200 Back with a time of 2:07.38 - only a second short of her own best time from the Tokyo Olympic Trials. Second was Isabelle Stadden in 2:08.42 and third was Josephine Fuller in 2:09.16.

With the absence of Ryan Murphy due to sickness and Shaine Casas opting out of this particular event, the men’s 200 back was completely open for some of these younger men to take. NC-State swimmer, Hunter Tapp won in 1:58.91 over World Junior silver medalist Daniel Diehl (1:59.16) and Jack Aitkins (1:59.98).

Canadian Tess Cieplucha won the women’s 400 IM in 4:41.54 over Katie Ledecky (4:44.82) and Leah Polonsky (4:47.58). Lilly King also threw her hat in the ring placing fourth in 4:49.42.

World Champion Silver Medalist Carson Foster dominated the field in the men’s 400 IM posting a pretty speedy time of 4:13.04. Foster will also be representing the red, white, and blue at the Doha World Champs next month. Second was Bobby Finke (4:18.61), and third was Tokyo Olympic silver medalist, Jay Litherland (4:18.70). It’s not often you see Jay Litherland get run down in the freestyle portion of the 400 IM, but if anyone was going to do it, it would have to be Bobby Finke.

The women’s 100 fly was pretty quick with Gretchen Walsh taking the victory over the Olympic gold medalist, Maggie MacNeil. Walsh won in a time of 56.78 over MacNeil (57.18) and Claire Curzan (57.26).

In the final event of the night, there was a legit showdown between vets and the next generation. No Caeleb Dressel at this meet after he dropped earlier in the week, as his wife is about to give birth to a human. Shaine Casas, Dare Rose, and Santo Condorelli finished within .4 seconds of each other. Shaine Casas finished first (51.40) over Dare Rose (51.72), and Santo Condorelli (51.79).

Day 4: Final Day of Competition

No Regan Smith at this meet to crush the field and go a near-world record time. However, Katherine Berkoff swam pretty dang quick winning the event in 59.06 over Claire Curzan (59.11) and veteran, Rhyan White (59.84).

The men’s 100 back was won in 53.54 by Shaine Casas over Hunter Armstrong (53.97), and Jonny Marshall (54.36).

The swim of the meet was obviously the women’s 200 breaststroke. Kate Douglass destroyed EVERYONE. Including former American Record Holder, Rebecca Soni. Douglass went 2:19.30 - not only winning by over FIVE seconds, but that is the fastest time since April when Evgeniia Chikunova lit the previous world record on fire (2:17.55). Before that, you’d have to look back to the Tokyo Olympics to find a time faster than Douglass’…

Lyubomir Epitropov narrowly won the men’s 200 Breast in 2:11.59 over veteran Will Licon (2:11.77) and Doha World Champs roster member, Nic Fink (2:12.89).

The women’s 200 IM was the race of the meet. Summer McIntosh put up a beautiful breaststroke split touching in 2:07.16 over a very impressive 2:07.63 by Alex Walsh. Those two were in a field of their own.

Carson Foster swept the IMs with a win in the 200 this time (1:58.83) over Trenton Julian (1:58.89) and then Grant House (1:59.02).

In the final event of the meet, the 50 free, Kasia Wasick took down Abbey Weitzel, Kate Douglass, and Simone Manuel winning in a time of 24.31. Weitzel was 24.57, Douglass at 24.67, and Manuel at 24.82.

On the men’s side, Michael Andrew got his win. The only man under 22 seconds finishing in a time of 21.87. Jordan Crooks and Santo Conodrelli both had impressive swims both finishing in a tie at 22.06.

This week on INSIDE with BRETT HAWKE...

#358 The Dale Oen Experience with Robin Dale Oen

This week Brett welcomes Robin Dale Oen on the show to talk about his late brother Alexander Dale Oen, the Norwegian Olympic swimmer who tragically passed away in 2012 at the age of 26. Robin and Alexander grew up swimming together and dreamed of competing in the Olympics. While Robin had success as a sprinter, Alexander established himself as one of the world's top breaststrokers, winning silver at the 2008 Olympics behind Kosuke Kitajima.

Tragically, Alexander passed away from an undiagnosed heart condition just months before the 2012 London Olympics, where he was considered a top contender. To honor his brother's memory and legacy, Robin started the Dale Oen Experience, which uses outdoor activities to inspire and develop youth across Norway. The foundation now has six centers around the country serving over 10,000 young people annually.

In addition to discussing his and Alexander's swimming careers, Robin shared touching stories about Alexander's kindness, generosity, and the impact he had on others. He also explained the foundation's goal of helping youth find their passions and build character. Robin remains actively involved in Norwegian swimming as a coach for the national team.

The interview provided meaningful insights into Alexander's promising career that was cut short, as well as the positive way Robin continues to honor his memory through a foundation that enriches the lives of thousands of young Norwegians. It was an inspiring discussion of two brothers who shared a love of swimming and are still making a difference in their community.

The Dale Oen Experience Foundation: “We don't give character, we build character.”

Biomechanics by Ernie Maglischo | ASCA Talk #024

This week’s ASCA Talk comes from renowned swimming coach and researcher Ernie Maglischo from the 1998 World Clinic.

He provided some fascinating new insights into the mechanics of swimming propulsion. Having long been a proponent of lift-based theories, Coach Maglischo admitted he may have been wrong in his understanding and presented compelling evidence that drag forces likely play a much larger role than previously thought.

Coach Maglischo walks you through the history of research in this area, from Schleihauf’s early plaster hand studies showing lift dominance, to more recent work calling those results into question. He acknowledged the difficulties in accurately measuring lift and drag on a moving swimming hand. Through his own experimentation using velocity meters on swimmers, Coach Maglischo observed that strokes emphasizing sculling motions led to deceleration, contradicting lift-based theories.

A key realization was that while stroke patterns appear to involve significant in-out and down-up movement, propulsion actually occurs primarily during the backward portion of the stroke. Coach Maglischo now believes swimmers are using their entire arm as a paddle to push water backwards, not sculling it.

He introduced the concept of shoulder adduction as the primary propulsive movement in all strokes. This inward arcing motion of the arm allows it to function like an effective paddle throughout the pull. Flexion of the arm also occurs more abruptly than previously thought.

Overall, this talk provided a fascinating re-examination of long-held beliefs about swimming biomechanics and stroke mechanics. Even though this talk is 20+ years old, I still found it to be insightful.

📝 SWIM SETS OF THE WEEK

Dave Salo Resistance Workout

7 Rounds:

2×25 + 100 @ :30/:30/3:00

Dive 25 Push 25 Active Recovery 100

3 Rounds in Shirts & Jeans

2 Rounds in Shirts

2 Rounds No Resistance

Isaac Cooper Sprint Set

4×25 @ 5 minutes all out

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