Morning, Nerd.

Welcome to the Swimnerd Newsletter, where we catch you up on all the cool stuff going on in swimming each week. We are 11 days out from Fina World Championships. Are you pumped yet?

• 📰 Swimming Headlines: Titmus not swimming Duel in the Pool? Maggie MacNeil to LSU. Chris Fydler breaks Rowdy's 50 Free World Record.

• 🏊‍♂️ TYR Pro Swim Series

• 🤡 Swimming Meme & 📜Swimming Set of the Week

 📰 SWIMMING HEADLINES

Titmus not swimming Duel in the Pool?

In an article with Reuters, Titmus said she is still undecided if she is swimming Duel in the Pool.

I think this is all around just good PR. Hyping up the Titmus vs. Ledecky prize fight. Duel in the Pool is a tremendous undertaking. I highly doubt that Swimming Australia would let the world's #1 female swimmer skip "swimming's ultimate rivalry".

One half of swimming's ultimate rivalry skipping swimming's ultimate rivalry. Talk about how lame that would be for swimming.

Then again, I also understand Dean Boxall's main focus: Paris.

Nothing else matters.

Kelsi Dahlia retires, becomes a coach.

I meant to put this in the last newsletter. Kelsi Dahlia, formerly Worrell, has retired. The American Olympian has made the podium in every major meet in the world: NCAA's, Pac Ams, Pac Pacs, SC World Champs, LC World Champs, and the Olympics.

Most recently, she set the World Record in the 100 SCM Butterfly in 54.59 just last year. Perhaps she continues to train while transitioning into a coach at Notre Dame.

Notre Dame -- Louisville 2.0 -- just announced that she will be an Associate Coach this year under Chris Lindauer. Also joining them will be Kam Chastain.

Need a job? Call Arthur Albiero.

TYR Pro Swim Series

The TYR Pro Swim Series was this weekend in Mission Viejo.

The swim of the meet was David Curtiss' new personal best: 21.76 in the Men's 50 Free. That ranks him #11 fastest American ALL-TIME tied with the great Gary Hall Jr.

Sandpiper's Katie Grimes cleaned up winning the 400 Free (4:05), 400 IM (4:36), 200 Back (2:09), and 800 Free (8:27).

Some other speedy swims from Mission Viejo included Trenton Julian's 51.7 100 Fly.

Arizona State was at this meet in force. Ryan Held & Justin Ress both dipped under 49 in the 100 Free. 1:56.5 in the 200 Fly for Leon Marchand.

Chris Fydler 23.36 breaks Rowdy Gaines' 50-54 SC 50 Free Masters World Record

Chris Fydler is a 20x Australian National Champion, 3x Olympian, and Olympic Champion. He might remember him as one of the four Australians strumming guitars after beating Team USA's 4x100 Free Relay at the 2000 Sydney Games...

Brett interviewed his old buddy last year on the pod. Check it out here:

Maggie MacNeil signs with LSU

World and Olympic Champion Maggie MacNeil has decided that the University of California might not be the best place for her 5th year of eligibility. Soon after the Teri McKeever allegations came to light, she changed her mind. She will now be reunited with Coach Rick Bishop at LSU who coached her at Michigan.

Duncan Scott Tests Positive

COVID didn't stop Tom Dean and I don't expect it to stop Duncan Scott, who just popped positive 17 days before the start of World Championships.

BRETT HAWKE CLIPS OF THE WEEK

• What Caeleb Dressel has learned from Katie Ledecky

• Katie Hoff & the Athens Rock

• Most Impressive Men's Swimming World Record

• Who has the most beautiful stroke technique?

Today on INSIDE with BRETT HAWKE...

Dr. Brian Cunningham, USA Swimming's Physical Therapist

Dr. Brian Cunningham has been USA Swimming's Physical Therapist for the last 12 years. As an experienced physical therapist and swimmer, he understands and maximizes the mind-body connection. His job is to relax the athlete and to help them unlock their highest potential.

📝 SET OF THE WEEK

Dan Kowalski's Most Memorable Swim Sets

In 1994, Australian distance stud Dan Kowalski was in peak form. Famous Australian Coach Denis Cotterell gave him this set...

10x400 Free @ 4:20

Dan held them all under 4:05.

"That was so easy." - Dan Kowalski

Six weeks out from the Olympics, Coach Bill Nelson gave him this set...

1x500 under 5:05Dan went: 5:041x1000 under 10:10Dan went: 10:091x1500 under 15:15Dan went: 15:15

Dan would go on to win Silver in the Men's 1500 at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics behind Kieran Perkins.

🤡 SWIMMING MEME OF THE WEEK