US Open + Italian Nats + Japan Open + Rotterdam

Here are a few things I was thinking about while watching the US Open...

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SWIM NERD
December 05, 2023

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

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2023 US Open

We hope you enjoyed this speedy 4 day meet because next year OT’s and the Olympics are both 9 day meets...

Here are a few things I was thinking about while watching the US Open…

  1. Caeleb Dressel is in shape. He doesn’t have full power and he isn’t anchoring like he used to yet, but he isn’t dying at the end of races. In fact, he was doing the opposite, he was coming home faster than everyone else. If you don’t think he’s got time to reach his previous form, think again. Here is his 50 Free swimming right at you.

  2. After watching the 200 IM, I knew Torri Huske was going to rip that 100 Fly and that’s exactly what she did. TBH, I was scared last summer that if she swam too slow, that she would jump ship at Stanford like Regan Smith and Claire Curzan and chaos would ensue. But it looks like she has righted her ship and found her speed again. She was under WR pace at the 50. Torri is a very important piece of the relay puzzles for Team USA - both medley and freestyle. She can go 51, which we need if we want to compete against Australia.

  3. Speaking of Claire Cruzan…is she identifying as a backstroker now? She went 58.3 and 2:06.3 - both PB’s. Both of those times will be very close to Bronze medal winning times in Paris if you ask me. The hard part is getting through Regan Smith and Kat Berkoff - who were both on the podium this summer.

  4. Nobody destroys B Finals like Shaine Casas, amiright?? Shaine won the 100 Fly B Final in 51.0 and won the 200 IM B Final in 1:56.0. His 200 IM was ridiculous - out under WR pace at the 100. His breaststroke split was very impressive in 33.7 — all he needs now is a world class back end and nobody is beating this dude if he can make Finals.

  5. Siobhan Haughey is from Hong Kong but she was at the US Open and she kicked our butts in the 200 Free (1:54.2) and the 100 Breast (1:06.0) and she did it back-to-back! I think she and her coaches will have to give breaststroke an honest look. Once you are under 1:06, you are sniffing the podium. But like today, they are on the same day in Paris.

  6. Simone Manuel posted times of 24.8/53.6/1:57.3 as she continues to progress. I believe all were season bests — maybe multiple year bests. It’s always tough to be first or second in any event but two of her events are relay events, giving her a much better shot of making another Olympic team this summer. She is on the right path and I will be the first one to say that YES she will make another Team USA Olympic squad.

  7. Team USA Women were far more impressive than Team USA’s Men.

  8. Regan Smith is the most valuable female swimmer in America.

2023 Italian Long Course Championships

From the looks of it, each day got better and better at the 2023 Italian Long Course Championships this week. Here were some of the most impressive swims:

Day 1:

Day 2:

  • Benedetta Pilato - 100 Breast: 1:05.80 🔥

  • Thomas Ceccon - 100 Back: 52.82

  • Marco De Tullio - 400 Free: 3:47.36

  • Davide Marchello - 400 Free: 3:47.87

  • Ludovico Blu Art Viberti - 100 Breast: 59.38

Day 3:

  • Alberto Razzetti - 400 IM: 4:09.29 🔥

  • Benedetta Pilato - 50 Breast: 29.65

  • Alessandro Miressi - 100 Free: 47.61

  • Federico Burdisso - 200 Fly: 1:55.11

  • Luca De Tullio - 800 Free: 7:48.33

  • Michele Lamberti - 50 Back: 24.83

  • Nicolo Martinenghi - 50 Breast: 26.71

2023 Rotterdam Qualification Meet

Based on World Aquatics points. The system is based on how close a swim is to the current world record (out of 1000 points total). What impresses me is that almost all these top swims are over 900 points. Here are the top swims for men and women:

Men:

  • Caspar Corbeau - 200 Breast: 2:07.99 (952)

  • Arno Kamminga - 200 Breast: 2:08.30 (946)

  • Daniel Wiffen - 1500 Free: 14:48.52 (942)

  • Jacob Whittle - 100 Free: 48.03 (928)

  • Kieran Bird - 400 Free: 3:47.96 (899)

  • Carlos Garach Benito - 1500 Free: 15:02.22 (899)

  • Nyls Korstanje - 100 Fly: 51.38 (891)

  • Victor Johannson - 800 Free: 7:50.14 (889)

  • Jonathan Adam - 100 Back: 53.67 (888)

Women:

  • Katarzyna Wasick - 50 Free: 24.18 (938)

  • Kylie Masse - 50 Back: 27.59 (935)

  • Barbora Seemanova - 200 Free: 1:55.59 (933)

  • Marrit Steenbergen - 100 Free: 52.96 (930)

  • Marrit Steenbergen - 200 Free: 1:56.19 (919)

  • Kylie Masse - 100 Back: 59.40 (904)

  • Imogen Clark - 50 Breast: 30.30 (904)

  • Tess Schouten - 100 Breast: 1:06.31 (904)

  • Ingrid Wilm - 50 Back: 27.92 (902)

2023 Japan Open

Swimmers far and wide also went to Japan this week for the 2023 LC Japan Open. Here were some of the most notable swims - *Swims with 870 or higher World Aquatics Points*:

Men: 

Women:

  • Kanako Watanabe (JPN) - 200 Breast: 2:23.66 (904)

  • Reona Aoki (JPN) - 100 Breast: 1:06.24 (907)

  • En Yi Letitia Sim (SNG) - 100 Breast: 1:06.36 (902)

  • Mio Narita (JPN) - 200 IM: 2:10.70 (898)

  • Matilda June Smith (AUS) - 200 Breast: 2:24.34 (892)

  • Yui Ohashi (JPN) - 200 IM: 2:11.08 (890)

  • Satomi Suzuki (JPN) - 50 Breast: 30.56 (881)=

  • Natsuki Hiroshita (JPN) - 100 Fly: 57.87 (881)

This week on INSIDE with BRETT HAWKE...

#349 Revolutionizing Speed Training with Felipe Messias

Last month Brazilian swimmer Felipe Messias joined Cam McEvoy in Australia to train for the Paris Olympics.

Felipe has always believed in "Less is More". He swims 3x a week, less than 300 meters per practice.

At age 34, Felipe has been 22.2 in the 50 Free LCM and 21.4 in the 50 Free SCM.

In this conversation, Felipe and Brett discuss his revolutionary approach to speed training.

Felipe, a passionate swimmer, shares his journey and the inspiration behind his unique training methodology.

The #sprintrevolution continues…

inside with brett hawke banner logo transparent

CLIPS OF THE WEEK

📝 SWIM SET OF THE WEEK

Michael Bohl Sprint Set

Instead of us explaining the set, here is Bohly explaining the set.

🤡 SWIMMING MEME OF THE WEEK

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