Social Kick • Swim Culture & Stories

Ice in his veins! Olympic finalist Keaton Jones only needed one year at Cal to bridge the gap from being an elite junior to one of the world’s best, as he snagged the 2nd Olympic spot in the 200 backstroke at the USA Olympic Trials. At his first Olympic Games, Keaton put together solid performances through the rounds to finish 5th in the Olympic final in Paris, just shy of the podium. Not bad for...

The Olympic champion in the 200 backstroke, Hubert Kos, takes a break from his busy gaming schedule to hangout with us on Social Kick. For the second year in a row, the Hungarian superstar emerged from the biggest meet of the year with the gold medal around his neck, this time on swimming’s biggest stage at the Paris Olympic Games, adding to the storied legacy of Hungary as a swimming powerhouse....

In the midst of the 2024 World Cup season, we check in with the voice of the World Cup himself, broadcaster and former World Record holder Bobby Hurley. Bobby has commentated for the last 7 World Championships as well as myriad other swimming events such as the World Cup. As a swimmer, Bobby Hurley racked up a list of accolades. A World Champion and World Record Holder, Hurley represented Australi...

It’s shades of orange everywhere for Dutch Olympic breaststroker Caspar Corbeau. When representing The Netherlands, he wears a true orange and for Texas, it’s the burnt variety, but it was the medal he wore around his neck this summer in Paris that was a magical bronze. Already a many time NCAA finalist among the top breaststrokers and IMers in college swimming, the dual-citizen for the US and Net...

Ever frustrated with turns and just wish you could swim in a straight line? For USA Olympic swimmer Mariah Denigan that is the dream. While the majority of her training still takes place in a pool and she has represented the USA internationally in longer distance pool races, Mariah Denigan has established herself among the best in the world in open water races. Mariah has represented Team USA at t...

Irish goodbye? More like Irish hello! Ireland made its presence known in the pool at the Paris Olympics with a huge swim for a bronze medal in the 100 breaststroke from two-time Olympian Mona McSharry, delivering Ireland's first medal of the 2024 Olympic Games. Along with compatriot Daniel Wiffen, Mona McSharry and team Ireland had La Defense Arena rocking as Irish flags dominated the crowd at mom...

The NFL and swimming are not the same. In a world where coaches have a very short leash, a team that has a couple down years of performance along with some key high-profile athlete departures can be enough to sound the alarm. Thankfully, perhaps because its a sport based on longer term success over a 4-year period or greater, we were not robbed of the ultimate triumph we witnessed in Paris. For Gr...

Could you imagine having mononucleosis and COVID-19 at the biggest competitions of your life? What about missing the Olympic team by one spot in arguably your best event? How about missing the team by two spots in your next best event? With his back against the wall, David Johnston dropped over 10 seconds and finished second in the 1500 - meters to make his first Olympic team. David joins us to sh...

Two time Olympian, by the age of 18, Katie Grimes joins us in the latest episode of Social Kick. Katie talks us through the experience of swimming at the 2024 US Olympic Trials, having already qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the 10k. Was there less pressure? We talk Paris, from the river eels to the 1500 and 400 im swims in the pool. How did Sandpipers of Nevada Coach Ron Aitken prep...

2x Olympic Medalist Carson Foster returns to chat about making his first Olympic team, his performance in Paris, and how he’s adjusting to Bob Bowman workouts. Last time we spoke to Carson a couple years ago (Ep. 112), he was coming off a breakout meet winning individual silvers in the IMs at the 2022 World Championships and the stage was being set for his redemption after narrowly missing the Tok...

Ever wonder how fast someone could swim if some of the rules were lifted? Nike believed someone could run a marathon under 2 hours, which Eliud Kipchoge achieved with the help of pacers, drafting, and carbon plated shoes. A similar event took place in triathlon, with Olympic Champion Kristiaan Blumenfelt completing an Iron-distance triathlon in under 7 hours. In this episode, 2x 100 freestyle Swim...

While she was only 8 years old when she chose her Instagram handle @alexandrathebeast, it’s clear now how a young Alex Shackell foresaw a bright future. In this episode, teenage Olympian Alex Shackell tells us what it’s like to return home to high school as an Olympic Gold Medalist. Already a relay member of the World Championship team last year, Alex Shackell shared with us how her training chang...

In this episode, Michael Andrew joins us and reflects on the disappointment of not making the US Olympic team and explains what he feels led to that outcome - one of the best swimmers in the world for many years unexpectedly sitting at home instead of racing in Paris. Having given time to reflect on the necessary changes to get back on the right track to realizing his potential, Michael Andrew has...

In this episode, Regan Smith returns with her latest medal haul from the Paris Olympics, where she picked up her first Olympic golds, a few individual silvers, and came home with another World Record (Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay). Reflecting on her 2nd Olympics, her first under coach Bob Bowman, Regan Smith reflects on how proud she is of her performances, while also speaking to the juxtaposition...

In this episode, we chat with teenage swim phenomenon and Team USA Olympic swimmer Thomas Heilman after his first Olympics in Paris. At age 17, Thomas secured his Olympic berth with a decisive win in the 200 butterfly at the 2024 USA Olympic Trials, and put an exclamation point on the week in Indy when he finished 2nd in the 100 fly, earning him a 2nd individual event to swim in Paris with a new p...

In this episode, we are joined by French Olympic bronze medalist Clement Secchi following his experience at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Clem tells us what it was like to experience the support of the home crowd as a member of Team France, including seeing all the hype behind other French swim stars like Leon Marchand, Florent Manaudou, and Marie Wattel. Clem surprised no one when he disclosed it was...

In this episode, friend of the pod Cam McEvoy returns as the 50m freestyle Olympic Champion and reigning fastest man in the world. The last time Cam McEvoy raced an individual Olympic final, he was the hot favorite to win the 100 freestyle following his then world textile best 47.04 from the 2016 Australian Olympics Trials. But in 2016, McEvoy’s speed from Trials did not make the trip to the Games...

Kyle Chalmers is often called ‘King Kyle’ since he ascended to the top of the world at 18 years old to win 100 free gold in Rio, but we prefer the moniker ‘Classy Kyle.’ No disrespect to the King. That’s a fair description for someone who never misses a 100 free podium. But at the ripe age of 26 (yes, Kyle Chalmers is only 26), he speaks like a pro with decades of experience, always friendly and t...

In this episode of the Social Kick podcast, we sit down with legendary swimming coach Bob Bowman, renowned for his role in shaping the careers of many Olympic champions, most notably Michael Phelps, but more recently with the swimming star of the Paris Olympic Games, France’s Leon Marchand. Bob’s group had quite an Olympic Games - shocker. Beyond Leon’s medal haul in front of his home crowd, sever...

Aaron Shackell dominated the 400 freestyle to kick off an epic USA Olympic Trials, earning a trip to his first ever Olympic Games in Paris. Aaron joined us to chat following his experience in Paris, where he swam a personal best time in the prelims and qualified to race in his first Olympic final. This season has been a journey for Aaron, as he changed training programs a couple times while search...

We sit down with Luca Urlando, a 2024 US Olympian, for an in-depth discussion recorded before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Luca shares insights into his intense training regimen and his experiences at the US Olympic training camp. We also delve into his journey to recovery and ongoing shoulder health since his surgery, exploring how it has impacted his preparation and performance. Discover Luca’s...

Join Bryan Lundquist, Luke Paddington, and Dr. John Mullen, DPT, on this episode of Social Kick as they discuss into the most thrilling moments from the first half of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Our hosts break down the standout races, including the electrifying women's 100 backstroke, the intense men's 100 breaststroke, the competitive women's 100 breaststroke, and the gripping men's 200 freestyle....

Dive into an exclusive conversation with US Breaststroke swimmer Brian Benzing on our latest podcast episode! 🏊‍♂️ From his unique development journey in the world of swimming to finding high school success in Oslo, Norway, Brian shares insights into his athletic career and life. We explore his recent successes at Towson University finishing second at the 2024 NCAA Swimming Championships and look...

Join us on this episode of Social Kick as we welcome Olympic swimmer Shane Ryan! In an in-depth conversation, Shane opens up about his journey recovering from shoulder surgery and shares insights into how his unique 100 backstroke technique contributed to the stress on his shoulder. Discover the adjustments he's making in his current training, with a renewed focus on freestyle, and hear about his...

USA Swimming legend Brendan Hansen joins the Social Kick Podcast!. With multiple Olympic gold medals, world records, and a prestigious career both in and out of the pool, Brendan shares his insights on preparing for the 2024 US Olympic Swimming Trials. From his memorable rivalry with fellow swimmers to the electrifying atmosphere of major swimming events like the Olympic Trials, Brendan paints a v...