By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

We’ve already done a deep dive into our recruiting archives, looking at how the top 20 recruits from the high school class of 2021 did after four NCAA seasons. Now it’s time to look back at a more recent recruit ranking: the current year’s freshmen:

Relevant links:

• Way-Too-Early Sophomore Ranks, Class of 2024 Boys
• Junior Ranks, Class of 2024 Boys
• Senior Re-Ranks, Class of 2024 Boys

Naturally, this analysis has a far smaller sample size than the lookback of how the class of 2021 fared over their entire career, so it’s much more difficult to read too much into these numbers. Still, it’s useful to look at which first-year NCAA swimmers had the best performances relative to their recruiting ranks.

As always, our notes on this data:

• The data included is only individual scoring at NCAAs. That’s not an exact measure of an athlete’s contribution to a program: many of these swimmers (and others not listed) were relay scorers at NCAAs, scored significant points at conference meets and provided great leadership and culture-building for their programs. This data isn’t a perfect analysis of the best recruits – it’s merely a quick look at the data we can compile.
• A college swimming career includes four years of eligibility, and sometimes more. Revisiting scoring after one year is an incomplete analysis of a swimmer’s career – this is not the final word on any of these prospects, and we will revisit this data over the next three seasons to get a more complete evaluation.

The ranks listed below are from our re-rank last summer – they are not current ranks of NCAA athletes. We also do not rank international athletes as recruits, as it’s hard to predict if and when they’ll come to the U.S., and which class with which to include them.

TOP 20 RANKED RECRUITS

HM=Honorable mention

We’ve traditionally female swimmers have much more success in their freshman seasons of college relative to their male counterparts, and that held true again this past season. We only saw four of our ranked male recruits score individually in their first year of NCAA competition, compared to 12 of the female top 20 (and two Honorable Mentions compared to one male).

The Hits:

• Leading the way in freshmen scoring was Texas’ Cooper Lucas, who potted 13 points after setting back-to-back best times on Friday in the 400 IM, clocking 3:38.21 in the prelims to advance to the ‘A’ final where he placed 6th (3:38.18). He added another point (for 14 total) in the 200 fly, hitting a PB of 1:40.86 in the heats before finishing 16th. Lucas came into the season as the fastest recruit in the class in the 400 IM (3:41.15).
• Louisville’s Jake Eccleston was the surprise second-highest point scorer among ranked recruits, landing an ‘A’ final spot in the 200 breast after a blistering prelim swim PB of 1:50.19. He finished 7th in the final in 1:50.27, and nearly added to his point total one day earlier, placing 17th in the 100 breast (51.48).
• Also hitting double-digit points in his freshman year was Johnny Crush, who brought the Army school record in the 100 back down by nearly three seconds over the course of the season, culminating with his 44.52 in the prelims at NCAAs to make the ‘A’ final where he finished 8th. Prior to Crush’s Army debut, the program record stood at 47.22.
• Minnesota’s Jacob Johnson came into the season as the fastest swimmer in the class in the 200 fly (1:42.29), and consistently improved throughout the campaign, cracking 1:40 for the first time in the NCAA consolation final (1:39.96) to place 10th and score seven points.
• Honorable Mention recruit Daniel Li entered his freshman year at Stanford with a PB of 1:55.02 in the 200 breast, and produced a pair of 1:51.8s at NCAAs to place 15th and score a pair of points, making him one of just five ranked domestic recruits to hit the board.
• Georgia’s Drew Hitchcock didn’t score any points as a freshman, but that doesn’t tell the full story of his debut NCAAs. Hitchock qualified for the ‘B’ final of the 400 IM after setting a best time of 3:39.55 in the prelims, but was disqualified in the evening session.
• Several other top-ranked recruits had impressive seasons despite not scoring individual points at the NCAA Championships. #1 Kaii Winkler set best times in the 100 and 200 free to place 5th in both at the ACC Championships, #6 Spencer Nicholas ripped a 44.41 100 fly at the Tennessee Invite which was faster than the ‘A’ final cut-off at NCAAs, his Virginia teammate #8 David King led off the 800 free relay at NCAAs in 1:31.83 (and didn’t swim the 200 free individually), and #11 Kyle Peck was on fire for Texas at the Eddie Reese Showdown in January, clocking times of 45.02/1:39.36/44.74 in the 100/200 back and 100 fly, all of which would’ve scored at NCAAs.

The Misses:

With three more seasons of eligibility, there are no real misses, but we’re simply looking at swimmers who may have not performed as expected as freshmen.

• Our #3 and #4 ranked recruits, Lucca Battaglini and Adriano Arioti, were the only two recruits in the top 15 (who competed through the full season) to not earn an NCAA invite.
• Cal’s Battaglini came in as the fastest swimmer in the class in the 50 free (19.04), and had his quickest swim come at ACCs in 19.15, 13 one-hundredths shy of the NCAA cutline (19.02).
• Arioti, who came in as an incredibly versatile recruit with elite times across fly, back, free and IM, didn’t quite hit his PBs with Harvard, posting his best finish at the Ivy League Championships (3rd) in the 200 back (1:41.37 in prelims, just over a second shy of the 1:40.13 cutline).
• The other top-10 recruit we’ve yet to mention is Luke Whitlock, who committed to Florida and shortly after our last edition of the recruit rankings, made the U.S. Olympic team in the 800 free. Whitlock last raced for the Gators at the UGA Fall Invite in November, and announced he was heading home for the second semester in December. His 1650 free time of 14:49.90 in the UGA Fall Invite was just over a second shy of the NCAA cutline. He’s now entered the transfer portal.
• Among the recruits ranked 16-20 and the rest of the Honorable Mentions outside of Daniel Li, four swimmers attended NCAAs as relay-only swimmers, while five missed out on earning an invite.

UNRANKED RECRUITS

And of course, we’ll include which unranked recruits earned NCAA invites and scored points this season – both domestic up-and-comers and international pickups.

DOMESTIC:

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has finalized the athlete quotas for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, declaring the upcoming Games the first that will feature more female athletes than male.

The IOC outlined the record 36-sport Olympic program and announced that the 2028 Games will feature 11,198 athletes, the most in history, with 5,333 female athletes and 5,167 male.

The athlete quota in the core 31 sports sits at 10,500, matching the total from Paris 2024, and the additional 698 spots come by way of the five new sports that will be contested in LA.

OLYMPIC ATHLETE QUOTAS: 2024 VS 2028

Changes To Core Sports:

• For the first time in history, all team sports will have at least the same number of women’s teams as men’s teams.
• Water polo adds two women’s teams, making it 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams. However, the quota for aquatics remains the same at 1,370 athletes. The male quota drops from 648 in 2024 to 637 in 2028, while the women’s increases from 722 to 733. (Specific aquatic sports quotas for LA 28 aren’t yet available.)
• The athlete quota for aquatics notably stays the same despite swimming adding six new events (three men’s and three women’s) with the addition of the stroke 50s.
• There will be more women’s teams (16) than men’s (12) in football (soccer) for the first time ever.
• There has been an extra weight class added in women’s boxing to “ensure full gender parity across events,” though quotas will remain the same as 2024.
• Archery, athletics, golf, gymnastics, rowing coastal beach sprint and table tennis will all see the addition of a new mixed team event.
• The 3×3 basketball event has been expanded from eight teams per gender to 12 teams per gender, resutling in basketball’s total quota increasing from 352 to 384 athletes.
• Sport climbing’s quota increased by eight athletes after the boulder and lead events were announced to be contested as separate medal events in 2028 after they were previously combined.
• Besides basketball and sport climbing, the only other core sport to have a quota chance from Paris was modern pentathlon, which decreases from 72 to 64. It was almost left off the program for 2028, but will be included after it waas confirmed that the horse riding portion is being replaced with obstacle racing in Los Angeles.

New Sports:

• Five new sports will be added to the Olympic schedule in Los Angeles, resulting in the increase from 10,500 athletes in Paris to 11,198 in Los Angeles.
• Baseball/softball will include 234 total athletes, making its return to the Games after last being contested in Tokyo.
• Cricket, which will appear at the Olympics for just the second time ever after debuting in 1900, brings 180 athletes.
• Lacrosse, previously on the Olympic program in 1904 and 1908, brings 132 athletes.
• Making their Olympic debuts, flag football (120) and squash (32) bring 152 athletes combined.
• Breaking, which had 32 athletes in its Olympic debut last year, is the only sport that won’t be contested in Los Angeles after it was in Paris.

You can find the full 2028 quotas here.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: IOC Approves Record Athlete Quota For 2028 Olympics, First Time With More Women Than Men

By SwimSwam Contributors on SwimSwam

Courtesy: Ryan Choong

Water can host a multitude of harmful germs such as E. coli, Hepatitis A, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium, all of which can be killed by chlorine within minutes [1]. Although chlorine can save lives, it can also harm the human body.

A popular saying among swimmers is, “Chlorine is my perfume,” showing chlorine is integral to every swimmer’s life. However, this is misleading; the signature smell of “chlorine” in pools is not chlorine; it is the trichloramine particles resulting from chlorine binding with urine and sweat wafting through the air. As chlorinated pool water is disturbed during swim sessions, trichloramine particles can be released into the air, irritating the respiratory system.

This phenomenon—sometimes called “chlorine cough”—is especially common in indoor swimming pools, where ventilation is limited [2]. Poor airflow combined with intense workouts can lead to short- and long-term effects on swimmers’ lung function, potentially hindering performance. These studies beg the question: should one avoid urinating in the pool for optimal swimming performance?

Why are trichloramines bad for a swimmer’s lungs? There are three types of chloramines, and they originate from combining chlorine to nitrogen-carrying compounds like ammonia and urea, which come from urine and sweat [3]. Trichloramine is the most volatile type of chloramine, and can quickly travel from the water into the air. Trichloramines can build up in indoor pool areas when there is a lack of proper ventilation, leading to irritation in the respiratory system. Furthermore, trichloramine particles are denser than air, so they sink to the lowest point: the water’s surface, where most swimmers breathe [4]. As a result of heavy breathing after swimming, and the build-up of trichloramine particles at the surface of the water, these particles are inhaled in high concentrations causing irritation to the respiratory system.

How do trichloramine particles affect athletic performance? A peer-reviewed study by Swinarew et al. examined 16 male competitive swimmers. Researchers collected breath samples before, right after, and two hours after training. They found noticeable changes in the composition of exhaled air over time, suggesting chlorine exposure in indoor pools affects the lungs and airway lining. This exposure can cause irritation and inflammation, potentially leading to long-term health issues for swimmers [5].

One of these long-term health issues is occupational asthma. Thickett et al. studied two lifeguards and one swimming teacher working in three indoor pools to assess occupational asthma and its correlation with trichloramine particles. Thickett et al. found that trichloramine particles were a cause of occupational asthma and short-term respiratory symptoms such as sneezing, breathing difficulty, coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and chest congestion [6].

This is supported by a study by Nemery et al., claiming that although swimming can help asthma, it can also trigger bronchial hyperresponsiveness due to exposure to trichloramine particles. This study also suggests that frequently swimming in chlorinated pools can be linked to lung damage and a rise in asthma in children [7]. These respiratory symptoms can significantly limit a swimmer’s endurance and performance in the short- and long-term.

So, does urinating in the pool impact swimming performance? The answer is yes. After reviewing these studies, it is clear that a build-up of chlorine and body waste byproducts is dangerous for swimmers’ respiratory systems and can subsequently hinder athletic performance. However, chlorine can benefit swimming pools as it kills harmful microbes. The best way to avoid these risks is to limit the body waste that interacts with chlorine, and one can do this by avoiding urinating in the pool.

REFERENCES

• [1] CDC. “Home Pool and Hot Tub Water Treatment and Testing.” Healthy Swimming, 10 May 2024, www.cdc.gov/healthy-swimming/about/home-pool-and-hot-tub-water-treatment-and-testing.html.
• [2] Elham Ahmadpour & Maximilien Debia (2024) Estimating airborne trichloramine levels in indoor swimming pools using the well-mixed box model, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 21:6, 397-408, DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2024.2327370
• [3] Nemery, B., et al. “Indoor Swimming Pools, Water Chlorination and Respiratory Health.” European Respiratory Journal, vol. 19, no. 5, 1 May 2002, pp. 790–793, https://doi.org/10.1183/09031936.02.00308602. Accessed 22 Feb. 2020.
• [4] “Are Indoor Pools Causing Chlorine Cough?” Cleveland Clinic, health.clevelandclinic.org/is-the-chlorine-in-indoor-swimming-pools-hard-on-your-lungs.
• [5] Swinarew, Andrzej S., et al. “The Influence of Chlorine in Indoor Swimming Pools on the Composition of Breathing Phase of Professional Swimmers.” Respiratory Research, vol. 21, no. 1, 15 Apr. 2020, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12931-020-01350-y.
• [6] Thickett, K M., et al. “Occupational Asthma Caused by Chloramines in Indoor Swimming-pool Air.” European Respiratory Journal, vol. 19, no. 5, 2002, pp. 827-832, https://doi.org/10.1183/09031936.02.00232802. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
• [7] Hoyle, Gary W., and Erik R. Svendsen. “Persistent Effects of Chlorine Inhalation on Respiratory Health.” The New York Academy of Sciences, vol. 1378, no. 1, 2015, pp. 33-40, https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13139. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Can Urinating In The Pool Affect Your Swimming Performance?

By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam

2025 AQUATICS GB SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, April 15th – Sunday, April 20th
• Prelims at 9:30am local (4:30am ET)/Finals at 7pm local (2pm ET)
• London Aquatics Centre
• LCM (50m)
• Meet Central
• Aquatics GB World Championships Selection Criteria
• SwimSwam Preview
• Draft Entries
• Live Results
• Livestream

Hello, everyone and welcome to the first finals session at the 2025 Aquatics GB Swimming Championships! This is the sole qualifying opportunity for British swimmers to qualify for the many international rosters for this year’s championships, including the World Championships in Singapore.

The action at the London Aquatic Centre starts with a quick flight of ‘B’ finals at 6pm local time; our live recap will begin with the main session at 7pm with the junior, multi-class para, and open finals of the women’s 50 breaststroke, men’s 400 freestyle, women’s 200 butterfly, men’s 100 breaststroke, and women’s 200 freestyle.

Top Seeds for the Open Finals: 

• Women’s 50 breaststroke: Kara Hanlon, Edinburgh Uni — 31.10
• Men’s 400 freestyle: James Guy, Manchester PC — 3:50.28
• Women’s 200 butterfly: Keanna Macinnes, Stirling — 2:10.15
• Men’s 100 breaststroke: Gregory Butler, Loughborough PC — 1:00.23
• Women’s 200 freestyle: Freya Colbert, Loughborough PC — 1:58.68

After swearing off the 400 freestyle more than five years ago, the 29-year-old James Guy has returned to the event this season. He owns the British record with a 3:43.75, which he swam for silver at the 2015 World Championships. Guy was the only man to crack 3:51 in this morning’s heats, with fellow Olympian Jack McMillian from Stirling (3:51.19) and Kieran Bird (3:51.50) following behind him. He’s also the only one in this field that’s been under Aquatics GB’s tough 3:45.73 standard for Worlds consideration.

The women’s 200 butterfly projects as one of the closest races of the session, as three women cruised into the Open final with a 2:10. Keanna MacInnes, another Stirling Olympian, leads the way in 2:10.15, which is about three seconds off her lifetime best 2:07.24. MacInnes swam this event at the Paris Olympics, just missing the final and placing 9th.

Laura Stephensdid make that Paris final and took 8th. She’ll swim next to MacInnes tonight after clocking a 2:10.69. Emily Richards (nee Large) will be on MacInnes’ other side after swimming a 2:10.27 in the heats. Edinburgh’s Ciara Scholsshan was the final swimmer under 2:11 this morning, clocking 2:10.87 for fourth heading into the final.

The men’s 100 breaststroke should be another close race. Four men are separated by .63 seconds after the heats. Gregory Butler earned lane four for the final with a 1:00.23, but Archie Goodburn (1:00.56) and Filip Nowacki (1:00.68) are lurking.

Women’s 50-Meter Breaststroke

Junior Final

• British Record: 30.02 — Imogen Clark (2022)
• British Junior Record: 30.21 — Imogen Clark (2017)

Multi-Class Para Final

British Open Final

• British Record: 30.02 — Imogen Clark (2022)
• 2025 Worlds Consideration Time: —

Men’s 400-Meter Freestyle

Junior Final

• British Record: 3:43.75 — James Guy (2015)
• British Junior Record: 3:44.58 — James Guy (2014)

Multi-Class Para Final

British Open Final

• British Record: 3:43.75 — James Guy (2015)
• 2025 Worlds Consideration Time: 3:45.43

Women’s 200-Meter Butterfly

Junior Final

• British Record: 2:04.83 — Ellen Gandy (2009)
• British Junior Record: 2:04.83 — Ellen Gandy (2009)

Multi-Class Para Final

British Open Final

• British Record: 2:04.83 — Ellen Gandy (2009)
• 2025 Worlds Consideration Time: 2:07.96

Men’s 100-Meter Breaststroke

Junior Final

• British Record: 56.88 — Adam Pety (2019)
• British Junior Record: 59.92 — Adam Peaty (2013)

Multi-Class Para Final

British Open Final

• British Record: 56.88 — Adam Pety (2019)
• 2025 Worlds Consideration Time: 59.65

Women’s 200-Meter Freestyle

Junior Final

• British Record: 1:55.54 — Joanne Jackson (2009)
• British Junior Record: 1:55.82 — Siobhan-Marie O’Connor (2014)

Multi-Class Para Final

British Open Final

• British Record: 1:55.54 — Joanne Jackson (2009)
• 2025 Worlds Consideration Time: 1:56.65

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2025 Aquatics GB Swimming Championships: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

By Sean Griffin on SwimSwam

2025 RUSSIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• April 13-18, 2025
• Kazan, Russia
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Live Results
• Livestream

The 2025 Russian Swimming Championships continued today in Kazan, Russia, serving as the sole qualifying opportunity for Russians aiming to compete at the World Championships in Singapore this July. The men’s 100 butterfly final was a highlight of the session, where we saw a national record bite the dust.

After notching his fastest 100 fly performance since the Tokyo Olympics at this meet last year, Andrei Minakov did one better this year. The 23-year-old stopped the clock in 50.82 to win the event, not only clearing the 51.51 Russian qualifying time for Singapore this July, but also clipping his own national record from 2019 by 0.01.

All of Minakov’s improvement stemmed from the back half of tonight’s swim, as he opened the race 0.31 seconds slower through the first 50m but closed 0.32 faster than his previous record pace.

While he’s typically been known as a front-half swimmer dating back to his junior years in 2017, his recent focus on the 200 fly—both in the NCAA system and at the recent Short Course Worlds this past December, where he swam it internationally for the first time and finished 4th in 1:50.39—has seemed to shift his 100 approach.

See a full split comparison between his new record and his previous mark below.

Splits Comparison:

Minakov now also moves up to 4th in the world so far this season, tying Shaine Casas’ time of 50.82 from the Pro Swim Series in Westmont in early March. He sits behind Noe Ponti’s world-leading 50.27, Hubert Kos’ 50.55, and Kristof Milak’s 50.67.

Current World Rankings:

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 50.27 (04/05)
2. Hubert Kos (HUN) – 50.55 (04/13)
3. Kristof Milak (HUN) – 50.67 (04/13)
4. Andrei Minakov (RUS) – 50.82 (04/16) & Shaine Casas (USA) – 50.82 (03/08)
5. N/A

For reference, here is a list of Minakov’s fastest-ever performances in the 100 fly.

Minakov’s Top 5 Fastest 100 Butterfly Performances:

1. 50.82 — April 2025, Russian Championships*
2. 50.83 — July 2019, Gwangju World Championships
3. 50.86 — April 2024, Russian Championships
4. 50.88 — July 2021, Tokyo Olympic Games
5. 50.94 — July 2019, Gwangju World Championships

At just 19, Minakov burst onto the senior international stage by winning silver in the 100 fly at the 2019 World Championships, which is where his former Russian record was set. He added a bronze in the men’s 4×100 medley relay at that same competition.

Later that summer, he dominated the World Junior Championships with seven total medals, including golds in the 100 free, 100 fly, and 4×100 medley relay. He followed that success by placing 4th in both the 100 fly and 4×100 medley relay at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and helped Russia to 7th in the 4×100 free relay while also reaching the semifinals of the 100 free.

Following the Tokyo Olympics, Minakov made the decision to train full-time in the United States and represent the Stanford Cardinal collegiately. He claimed the 2022 NCAA title in the 100 fly.

Minakov did not compete at the Paris Olympics last July due to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Only 15 Russians competed as neutrals across all sports at the Paris Games.

However, the country’s stance on this status has shifted, with a recent presidential press release encouraging athletes to compete as neutrals where allowed. Following this, Russia sent 28 swimmers to compete at the 2024 World Short Course Swimming Championships in Budapest under a neutral flag, and they plan to do the same for the World Championships this July. As a result, we should see Minakov back in action on the long-course international stage.

Race Video:

Courtesy: SC PlayZ ROBLOX

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Andrei Minakov Clocks 50.82 100 Butterfly To Break Own Russian Record From 2019

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

2025 SWISS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS

• April 12 & April 13th
• Uster, Switzerland
• SCM (25m)
• Results

While World Championships qualifying meets are taking place around the world, several key Swiss swimmers were doing their thing in short course meters at their nation’s Club Championships.

Among them was world record holder Noe Ponti and teammate and Roman Mityukov, with all wreaking havoc on their domestic podium.

As for Ponti, the 23-year-old captured victories across the 100m free, 50m fly, 100m fly and 100m IM to make his presence known on a big-time scale.

Ponti produced a new Swiss national record en route to grabbing the 100m free gold, firing off a new lifetime best of 46.49.

Ponti opened in 22.46 and closed in 24.03 to take the event by over 2 seconds ahead of his competitors.

The previous Swiss benchmark stood at the 47.30 Mityukov established last year so Ponti put quite a dent in putting the record on the books.

The 50m fly saw Ponti punch a result of 21.65, not terribly far off his world record of 21.32 set en route to winning the event at last year’s Short Course World Championships. It checks in as the 8th-swiftest performance of all time.

His winning effort of 47.98 in the 100m fly was also within range of the world record of 47.71 he notched last year in Budapest, falling just .27 outside it to establish the 3rd-quickest swim ever produced. It also represents just the 3rd swim ever to delve under the 48-second barrier.

Top 5 Men’s SCM 100 Butterfly Performances All-Time

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 47.71, 2024
2. Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 47.78, 2020
3. Noe Ponti– 47.98, 2025
4. Chad le Clos (RSA) – 48.08, 2016
5. Noe Ponti– 48.40, 2024

Finally, the men’s 100m IM fell victim to Ponti with his tie of 50.64, a result only .31 outside his career-best 50.33 from last year.

As for Mityukov, the Olympic bronze medalist lowered his own Swiss record in the men’s 200m backstroke, breaking the 1:51 barrier for his first time ever.

Mityukov stopped the clock at 1:50.95 to slice just over half a second off the former benchmark of 1:51.46 from 2 years ago.

Mityukov split 25.95/28.25/28.56/28.19 to win the event by over 8 seconds in essentially a one-man race.

Both Ponti & Mityukov have been on fire so far this year, having put up some eye-popping times at both the City of Livorno Meet and the Swiss Championships.

• Ponti & Mityukov Grab Gold to Close Swiss Championships
• Noe Ponti Impresses With 50.27 100 Fly Outing at Swiss Championships
• Mityukov & Ponti Put Up Wins on Day Two of Swiss Championships
• Noe Ponti Kicks Off 2025 Swiss Championships with 22.77 50 Fly
• Ponti Powers Way to 22.91 50 Fly on Day Two of City of Livorno Meet

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Noe Ponti Blasts 47.98 SCM 100 Fly As Third-Best Performance In History

By Sean Griffin on SwimSwam

2025 RUSSIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• April 13-18, 2025
• Kazan, Russia
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Live Results
• Livestream

The 2025 Russian Swimming Championships continued in Kazan on Tuesday with the men’s 50 freestyle. Although it was just the semifinals, with the finals scheduled for tomorrow, a new world-leading mark was set by 21-year-old Egor Kornev.

Kornev clocked a time of 21.54, surpassing Leonardo Deplano‘s 21.62 from just two days ago at the Italian National Championships.

For reference, 21.56 was the bronze medal-winning time at the recent Paris Olympics, where Florent Manaudou earned his third consecutive Olympic medal in the event. Kornev is well-positioned heading into this July’s World Championships, with tomorrow’s final offering a chance to improve on his mark.

Current World Rankings:

1. Egor Kornev (RUS) – 21.54 (4/15)*
2. Leonardo Deplano (ITA) – 21.62 (4/13)
3. Jamie Jack (AUS) – 21.66 (12/17)
4. Cameron McEvoy (AUS) – 21.70 (12/1)
5. Ben Proud (GBR) – 21.73 (3/15)

Kornev is best known for his standout performance at the 2024 World Short Course Championships in Budapest, where he anchored Russia to gold and a new world record in the men’s 4×100 medley relay (3:18.68). Diving in with the lead, Kornev (45.42) held off a charge from Olympic gold medalist Jack Alexy, who posted a blistering 44.53 split for Team USA.

The rising sprinter made waves in long course last July, becoming the 4th fastest performer in Russian history with his 21.70 clocking at the Russian Cup. His time tonight leapfrogs him all the way up to 2nd, sitting only behind Vladimir Morozov‘s 2019 Russian record of 21.27, and just ahead of legend Aleksandr Popov, who clocked 21.67 in 2000.

Kornev holds a personal best of 47.74 in the 100 free and is set to compete in the event later this week, with heats and semifinals scheduled for April 17th and the final on April 18th.

Top 5 Russian Men’s 50 Freestyle Performers All-Time

1. Vladimir Morozov– 21.27, 2019
2. Egor Kornev— 21.54, 2025
3. Aleksandr Popov– 21.64, 2000
4. Kliment Kolesnikov – 21.69, 2022
5. Evgeny Sedov -21.74, 2017

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 21-Year-Old Egor Kornev Posts 21.54 World-Leading 50 Free, Now #2 In Russian All-Time Rankings

By Sean Griffin on SwimSwam

2025 RUSSIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• April 13-18, 2025
• Kazan, Russia
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Live Results
• Livestream

The 2025 Russian Swimming Championships continued today in Kazan, Russia, serving as the sole qualifying opportunity for Russians aiming to compete at the World Championships in Singapore this July. The men’s 100 butterfly final was a highlight of the session, where we saw a national record bite the dust.

After notching his fastest 100 fly performance since the Tokyo Olympics at this meet last year, Andrei Minakov did one better this year. The 23-year-old stopped the clock in 50.82 to win the event, not only clearing the 51.51 Russian qualifying time for Singapore this July, but also clipping his own national record from 2019 by 0.01.

All of Minakov’s improvement stemmed from the back half of tonight’s swim, as he opened the race 0.31 seconds slower through the first 50m but closed 0.32 faster than his previous record pace.

While he’s typically been known as a front-half swimmer dating back to his junior years in 2017, his recent focus on the 200 fly—both in the NCAA system and at the recent Short Course Worlds this past December, where he swam it internationally for the first time and finished 4th in 1:50.39—has seemed to shift his 100 approach.

See a full split comparison between his new record and his previous mark below.

Splits Comparison:

Minakov now also moves up to 4th in the world so far this season, tying Shaine Casas’ time of 50.82 from the Pro Swim Series in Westmont in early March. He sits behind Noe Ponti’s world-leading 50.27, Hubert Kos’ 50.55, and Kristof Milak’s 50.67.

Current World Rankings:

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 50.27 (04/05)
2. Hubert Kos (HUN) – 50.55 (04/13)
3. Kristof Milak (HUN) – 50.67 (04/13)
4. Andrei Minakov (RUS) – 50.82 (04/16) & Shaine Casas (USA) – 50.82 (03/08)
5. N/A

For reference, here is a list of Minakov’s fastest-ever performances in the 100 fly.

Minakov’s Top 5 Fastest 100 Butterfly Performances:

1. 50.82 — April 2025, Russian Championships*
2. 50.83 — July 2019, Gwangju World Championships
3. 50.86 — April 2024, Russian Championships
4. 50.88 — July 2021, Tokyo Olympic Games
5. 50.94 — July 2019, Gwangju World Championships

At just 19, Minakov burst onto the senior international stage by winning silver in the 100 fly at the 2019 World Championships, which is where his former Russian record was set. He added a bronze in the men’s 4×100 medley relay at that same competition.

Later that summer, he dominated the World Junior Championships with seven total medals, including golds in the 100 free, 100 fly, and 4×100 medley relay. He followed that success by placing 4th in both the 100 fly and 4×100 medley relay at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and helped Russia to 7th in the 4×100 free relay while also reaching the semifinals of the 100 free.

Following the Tokyo Olympics, Minakov made the decision to train full-time in the United States and represent the Stanford Cardinal collegiately. He claimed the 2022 NCAA title in the 100 fly.

Minakov did not compete at the Paris Olympics last July due to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Only 15 Russians competed as neutrals across all sports at the Paris Games.

However, the country’s stance on this status has shifted, with a recent presidential press release encouraging athletes to compete as neutrals where allowed. Following this, Russia sent 28 swimmers to compete at the 2024 World Short Course Swimming Championships in Budapest under a neutral flag, and they plan to do the same for the World Championships this July. As a result, we should see Minakov back in action on the long-course international stage.

Race Video:

Courtesy: SC PlayZ ROBLOX

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Andrei Minakov Clocks 50.82 100 Butterfly To Break Own Russian Record From 2019

By Sean Griffin on SwimSwam

2025 RUSSIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• April 13-18, 2025
• Kazan, Russia
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Live Results
• Livestream

The 2025 Russian Swimming Championships continued in Kazan on Tuesday with the men’s 50 freestyle. Although it was just the semifinals, with the finals scheduled for tomorrow, a new world-leading mark was set by 21-year-old Egor Kornev.

Kornev clocked a time of 21.54, surpassing Leonardo Deplano‘s 21.62 from just two days ago at the Italian National Championships.

For reference, 21.56 was the bronze medal-winning time at the recent Paris Olympics, where Florent Manaudou earned his third consecutive Olympic medal in the event. Kornev is well-positioned heading into this July’s World Championships, with tomorrow’s final offering a chance to improve on his mark.

Current World Rankings:

1. Egor Kornev (RUS) – 21.54 (4/15)*
2. Leonardo Deplano (ITA) – 21.62 (4/13)
3. Jamie Jack (AUS) – 21.66 (12/17)
4. Cameron McEvoy (AUS) – 21.70 (12/1)
5. Ben Proud (GBR) – 21.73 (3/15)

Kornev is best known for his standout performance at the 2024 World Short Course Championships in Budapest, where he anchored Russia to gold and a new world record in the men’s 4×100 medley relay (3:18.68). Diving in with the lead, Kornev (45.42) held off a charge from Olympic gold medalist Jack Alexy, who posted a blistering 44.53 split for Team USA.

The rising sprinter made waves in long course last July, becoming the 4th fastest performer in Russian history with his 21.70 clocking at the Russian Cup. His time tonight leapfrogs him all the way up to 2nd, sitting only behind Vladimir Morozov‘s 2019 Russian record of 21.27, and just ahead of legend Aleksandr Popov, who clocked 21.67 in 2000.

Kornev holds a personal best of 47.74 in the 100 free and is set to compete in the event later this week, with heats and semifinals scheduled for April 17th and the final on April 18th.

Top 5 Russian Men’s 50 Freestyle Performers All-Time:

1. Vladimir Morozov– 21.27, 2019
2. Egor Kornev— 21.54, 2025
3. Aleksandr Popov– 21.64, 2000
4. Kliment Kolesnikov – 21.69, 2022
5. Evgeny Sedov -21.74, 2017

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Egor Kornev Posts 21.54 World-Leading 50 Free, Now #2 In Russian All-Time Rankings

By Sean Griffin on SwimSwam

2025 RUSSIAN SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• April 13-18, 2025
• Kazan, Russia
• LCM (50 meters)
• Meet Central
• Live Results
• Livestream

The 2025 Russian Swimming Championships continued in Kazan on Tuesday, and the third day of racing was action-packed. Finals of the men’s 100 butterfly, women’s 100 freestyle, women’s 200 backstroke, and men’s 800 freestyle were on the schedule of events along with semifinals of the women’s 50 butterfly, men’s 50 freestyle, women’s 100 breaststroke, and men’s 50 backstroke.

This meet serves as the sole selection opportunity for the Russian team for the World Championships in Singapore this July. Swimmers must place 1st or 2nd in the ‘A’ final and achieve a qualifying time to be considered for selection.

The team will then be formed based on the head coach’s recommendation, taking into account the athletes’ performances. The final decision will be made by the Presidium of the Russian Federation of Aquatic Sports.

In the men’s 50 free semifinals, Egor Kornev claimed the top spot with a time of 21.54. Pavel Samusenko qualified 2nd with a time of 22.01, while Kliment Kolesnikov advanced 3rd with a 22.02. Kornev’s time of 21.54 is now the world-leading mark, surpassing Italy’s Leonardo Deplano’s 21.62 set just two days ago. Kornev also torched his previous best time of 21.70 from the Russian Cup last July.

Samusenko scraped under his previous best of 22.08 as well, which was set back in July of 2023. Kolesnikov has been as swift as 21.69 in this event back in 2022.

Kolesnikov and Samusenko returned to the pool later in the session for the 50 back, where they logged the 2nd and 3rd fastest times in the world this year. Samusenko punched a time of 24.25, following a best-time 24.26 in prelims, positioning himself just behind Shaine Casas‘ world-leading 24.23 from early March.

Kolesnikov logged 24.33 to qualify 2nd for tomorrow’s final, where he may be targeting a sub-24 performance after his 52.04 world-leading time in yesterday’s 100 back final. Kolesnikov holds the world record in this event at 23.55, set in July 2023.

18-year-old Miron Lifintsev also inserted himself into the top five world rankings, punching 24.40 for 4th.

Current World Rankings, Men’s 50 Back:

1. Shaine Casas (USA) – 24.23 (3/06)
2. Pavel Samusenko (RUS) – 24.25 (4/13)*
3. Kliment Kolesnikov (RUS) – 24.33 (4/13)*
4. Miron Lifintsev (RUS) – 24.40 (4/13)*
5. Ji-hwan Yoon (KOR) – 24.48 (3/27)

A national record was broken by 23-year-oldAndrei Minakov in the men’s 100 fly, where he won with a time of 50.82, shaving 0.01 seconds off his previous record of 50.83 set in 2019. His performance also secured him a spot under the Russian qualifying time of 51.51 for the World Championships.

Splits Comparison:

Current World Rankings:

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 50.27 (4/5)
2. Hubert Kos (HUN) – 50.55 (4/13)
3. Kristof Milak (HUN) – 50.67 (4/13)
4. Andrei Minakov (RUS) – 50.82 (4/16)*& Shaine Casas (USA) – 50.82 (3/8)
5. N/A

In a hotly contested women’s 200 back final, Daria Zarubenkova touched 1st by just 0.02, finishing in 2:10.44 over defending champion Milana Stepanova‘s 2:10.46.

Stepanova, just 16, led for most of the way, hitting the 100-meter turn over half a second ahead of Zarubenkova and increasing that margin to 0.64 at the final turn. However, Zarubenkova roared home in 33.01 to Stepanova’s 33.67 to clip her at the wall. Both swimmers dipped under the benchmark time (2:11.08) required for the World Championships this summer.

Neither Darya Trofimova nor Alexandra Kuznetsova were able to match their best times from yesterday’s semis, with both regressing to 54 second swims. Trofimova, who qualified 1st in the semis with 53.75, finished 2nd in 54.17. Kuznetsova, who advanced 2nd in the semis with 53.82, placed 3rd with 54.28.

Darya Klepikova took full advantage, timing her rounds correctly, notching a career-best 53.53 to take gold, way under her 54.61 from last night. Both Klepikova and Trofimova cleared the 54.25 required Russian qualifying time for the World Championships.

In the women’s 100 breast semis, Evgeniia Chikunova advanced 1st to the final with a time of 1:06.45. Veteran Yulia Efimova was over a second back at 1:07.44. Efimova holds the Russian record for the event with a time of 1:04.36, set in 2017, while Chikunova, who is the 2nd-fastest Russian of all time, has a personal best of 1:04.92. Yesterday, Chikunova won the 50 breast in 30.72, just ahead of Efimova’s 30.83.

Only two swimmers broke the 26-second barrier in the women’s 50 fly semis: 17-year-old Maria Osetrova and 26-year-old Arina Surkova. Osetrova claimed the top spot in 25.81, setting a new Russian Youth Record, surpassing Darya Klepikova‘s previous mark of 25.98 from 2021. Surkova, who holds the Russian record in this event with a 25.30 from the same meet in 2023, qualified 2nd for tomorrow’s final at 25.92.

Russian record holder Alexander Stepanov, 21, won the men’s 800 free with a time of 7:49.36, missing the World Championships qualifying time of 7:47.02. Stepanov has a lifetime best of 7:42.47 from the 2023 edition of these championships. You can view all of his splits from tonight’s swim below.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Samusenko, Kolesnikov, & Lifintsev Move Into Top 5 World Rankings In Men’s 50 Back

By Keith Dunlap on SwimSwam

Penny Oleksiak is enjoying her new adopted hometown of Los Angeles, and even had more fun at a recent Seattle Kraken-Los Angeles Kings game in the National Hockey League.

Oleskiak and a friend sat front row at the game, mainly to watch Oleksiak’s older brother Jamie, a 32-year-old defenseman for the Kraken.

Penny was mic’d up for the game, which was shown on Instagram in this video.

Attending the game with a friend named Hanna, Oleksiak is heard pointing out why sticks break and how the Kraken are the first team in NHL history to have a female assistant coach (Jessica Campbell).

She also cheered a Kraken goal, tried on some sunglasses while observing the game, and answered a question from a fan wondering if Jamie liked the nickname “Big Rig.” Oh and of course, her and Hanna enjoyed some concession stand food.

It was all in good fun for Oleksiak, who seems to be enjoying life in Los Angeles after moving there from Toronto in the summer of 2023.

Oleksiak has said she plans on vying for a spot on the Canadian Olympic team for the 2028 Los Angeles Games after making an appearance at the Paris Olympics. Oleksiak swam in preliminaries for Canada’s 400 free relay team, but was left off for the final.

She burst on to the international scene at the 2016 Rio Games, winning four medals and tying Simone Manuel of the U.S. for the gold in the 100 freestyle.

In the process, Oleksiak became the first Canadian to win four medals at the same Summer Olympics, and was Canada’s youngest ever Olympic champion.

Oleskiak then won three medals at the Tokyo Games — an individual bronze medal in the 200 freestyle, a bronze medal as part of the 400 medley relay team and a silver medal as a member of the 400 free relay team — before injuries started slowing her down.

Oleksiak suffered a torn meniscus in her knee in 2022 and also had shoulder issues.

She won the 100 freestyle at the Canadian Olympic Trials before Paris, but was a half-second off the Olympic qualifying time.

Now training in California with a group run by coach Jeff Jullian, Oleksiak feels there is more in the tank.

“It didn’t feel right to retire now,” she said in an article on Olympic.com. “I’ve felt that for the last couple of years. I have more within more. I’m coming at it from a totally different angle.”

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Watch A Mic’d Up Penny Oleksiak Attend Brother’s NHL Game In Seattle

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

Olivia Stewart has announced on Instagram she will transfer to Kentucky after spending her freshman season at Auburn. Stewart was a Best of the Rest (BOTR) ranked recruit in the high school class of 2024.

Stewart arrived last fall as one of two BOTR recruits for a huge class of 15 women at Auburn. She was off her lifetime bests as a freshman and did not swim at SECs. She instead finished her season at the Auburn last chance meet swimming times of a 1:02.15 in the 100 breast and a 2:17.89 in the 200 breast.

Stewart’s Time Progression:

The Kentucky women finished 11th out of 13 teams at the 2025 SEC Championships, two spots below Auburn. The Wildcats were led by breaststroker Bridget Engel who scored 39 points. She finished 9th in the 100 breast (59.33) and 6th in the 200 breast (2:08.72). Engel went on to swim both events at 2025 NCAAs.

Engel led the team in both breaststroke events but just finished her fifth year. This means that the team will be in search of another breaststroker to lead the way. Based on her best times, Stewart would have been the #2 swimmer behind Engel in the 100 breast this season. The team also graduates their #2 200 breaststroker (2:11.65) Olivia Mendenhall as she just finished her senior season.

Stewart will arrive this fall with three years of NCAA eligibility remaining. She is originally from Statesboro, Georgia.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2024 BOTR Recruit Olivia Stewart Transfers To Kentucky After One Season With Auburn

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

2025 SWIM OPEN STOCKHOLM

• Saturday, April 12th – Tuesday, April 15th
• Stockholm, Sweden
• LCM (50m)
• SwimSwam Preview
• Day 1 Recap/Day 2 Recap/Day 3 Recap
• Entries/Live Results

The 2025 Swim Open Stockholm concluded tonight with Germany’s Lukas Märtens following up his astounding 400m freestyle World Record with another huge swim, this time in the 800m free.

23-year-old Märtens blasted a winning effort of 7:39.10 to beat the field by 2 seconds en route to registering a new lifetime best and lowering his own former national benchmark.

His teammate and 1500m freestyle victor here Florian Wellbrock snagged the silver medal in 7:41.10 while Oliver Klemet made it a German sweep with a time of 7:44.92 for bronze.

Entering this competition, Märtens’ career-swiftest performance checked in at the 7:39.48 produced for bronze at the 2023 World Championships.

Although he was just .38 ahead of that previous result, the man negative-split his race by a large amount this time around.

Märtens opened in 3:51.07 on the front half but sped his way to 3:48.03 on the back 400m, nearly 3 seconds faster.

Splits by 200:

• 1:53.42
• 1:57.65
• 1:55.91
• 1:52.12 (!!!!!)

Of note, China’s Zhang Lin also negatively split his race when setting the longstanding World Record of 7:32.12 in 2009 – 3:46.79/3:45.33 – including an other-worldly final 200m of 1:51.76.

Märtens bumped himself up to now rank as the 9th-best performer in history.

Top 10 Men’s LCM 800 Freestyle Performers All-Time

1. Zhang Lin (CHN) – 7:32.12, 2009
2. Ous Mellouli (TUN) – 7:35.27, 2009
3. Ahmed Hafnaoui (TUN) – 7:37.00, 2023
4. Sam Short (AUS) – 7:37.76, 2023
5. Daniel Wiffen (IRL) – 7:38.19, 2024
6. Sun Yang (CHN) – 7:38.57, 2011
7. Grant Hackett (AUS) – 7:38.65, 2005
8. Bobby Finke (USA) – 7:38.67, 2023
9. Lukas Märtens (GER) – 7:39.10, 2025
10. Ian Thorpe (AUS) – 7:39.16, 2001

He also now dethrones Irish Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen to rank #1 in the world this season and the only swimmer on the planet to have a sub-7:40 time thus far.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Lukas Märtens Negative Splits 7:39.10 800 Free Performance At Swim Open Stockholm

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

Aislyn Barnett has announced she will transfer to Florida Gulf Coast University after spending her freshman and sophomore seasons at Auburn. Barnett is originally from Colorado.

Barnett arrived at Auburn in fall 2023 but finished her freshman season at the team’s first and last chance meets. She swam a lifetime best 2:12.95 in the 200 breast her freshman season. As a sophomore, she did not swim at SECs again, instead finishing her season at the first and last chance meets. She swam to a lifetime best 2:12.12 at the Auburn invite.

Barnett’s best SCY Times:

• 100 breast: 1:02.34 (high school)
• 200 breast: 2:12.12 (sophomore season)

The FGCU women finished 2nd at the 2025 ASUN Championships with 690 points. Liberty captured the conference title with 858.5 points. Izzy Ackley led the way for FGCU with 54.5 points, winning the 100 and 200 backstrokes as well as finishing 3rd in the 100 fly.

Based on her best times, Barnett is a huge boost for the team’s breaststroke group. Barnett’s best 200 breast time would have been 2nd at the ASUN Championships while her 100 breast would have been 4th. FGCU had three women in the ‘A’ final of the 200 breast and two women in the ‘A’ final of the 100 breast.

Cassie Bauer led the team in both events with a 1:01.92 in the 100 breast and a 2:16.10 in the 200 breast. Bauer and Barnett will overlap for two years as Bauer just finished her freshman season while Barnett has two years of eligibility remaining.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Aislyn Barnett Transferring To FGCU After Two Seasons With Auburn

By Sean Griffin on SwimSwam

2025 ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Riccione – Swimming Stadium Pool
• April 13–17, 2025
• Prelims at 10am local (4am ET)/Senior Finals at 6pm local (12pm ET)
• World Championships Qualification
• SwimSwam Italia Event Page
• Entries
• Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 3 Prelims Recap
• Day 1 Finals Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
• Live Results
• Livestream

During the third finals session of the 2025 Italian Championships, phenom Sara Curtis broke the national record in the women’s 100 freestyle.

The 18-year-old touched in 53.01 to win the event, taking down Federica Pellegrini’s nine-year-old Italian record of 53.18 by 0.17 in the process. Curtis was out fast with a 25.16 opening split before charging home in 27.85.

Curtis’ time also ranks her as the fastest swimmer in the world so far this season, moving ahead of the Netherlands’ Milou Van Wijk, who posted a time of 53.18 in late March.

Current World Rankings:

1. Sara Curtis (ITA) – 53.01 (4/15)*
2. Milou Van Wijk (NED) – 53.18 (3/30)
3. Simone Manuel (USA) – 53.23 (3/6)
4. Marrit Steenbergen (NED) – 53.44 (4/15)
5. Darya Klepikova (RUS) – 53.53 (4/15)

Curtis has been on a tear this week in Riccione. She first broke the 54-second barrier last night with a 53.72 lead-off leg on the 4×100 free relay, then lowered her best again to 53.57 during this morning’s prelims. Altogether, she’s dropped 1.21 seconds off her previous best over the course of the meet and now sits within striking distance of a sub-53 swim.

Earlier in the meet, Curtis lowered her personal best in the 50 backstroke from 27.94 to 27.90, earning gold in that event as well. She narrowly missed the World Championships qualifying standard of 27.79 for Singapore but was comfortably under the World Aquatics ‘A’ cut of 28.22. Given that she obliterated the 53.89 qualifying time in the aforementioned 100 free, she’ll likely earn the opportunity to add the 50 back to her Worlds schedule.

Curtis has been making waves on the junior international scene for a while. She won four medals at the 2022 World Junior Championships in Lima, including individual silver in the 50 free and bronze in the 50 back, and she is a six-time gold medalist at the European Junior Championships, including winning three individual golds this past summer in the 50 free, 100 free and 50 back.

She made her Olympic debut this past summer in Paris, placing 14th in the 50 free and swimming on the Italian women’s 4×100 free relay that finished eighth.

Most recently, Curtis anchored Italy’s gold medal-winning mixed 4×50 freestyle relay at the 2024 Short Course World Championships in Budapest. Curtis closed in 23.34, joining Leonardo Deplano(20.80), Alessandro Miressi(21.01), and Silvia Di Pietro(23.35) on a squad that edged out Canada by 0.10 to claim the title.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Sara Curtis Clocks 53.01 100 Free To Take Down Federica Pellegrini’s 2016 Italian Record

By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam

Audrey Olen has announced her transfer to Iowa after spending her freshman season at Auburn. Olen returns to Big Ten territory after growing up in the suburbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Olen arrived at Auburn last fall as a member of the 15-women class of 2028. She did not swim at SECs as she instead finished her season at the first and last chance meets. She swam a lifetime best of a 22.87 in the 50 free at the last chance meet. That marked her first time under 23-seconds as she previously swam a 23.00 at midseason in November.

Olen’s SCY Progression:

The Iowa women finished 14th out of 14 teams this past season at the Big Ten Championships. Olivia Swalley led the team with 15 individual points as she was 12th in the 400 IM (4:10.91).

Olen is a huge pick up for the Hawkeyes as the women still battle back from being cut in fall 2020 and then reinstated in February 2021. The men’s team was not reinstated. Prior to being cut, the women’s team was 9th out of 13 teams at the 2020 Big Ten Championships.

Based on her best times, Olen would have been #2 on the team in the 50 free this past season, only 0.01 behind Rachel Dildine who led the team off in a 22.86 in the 200 free relay at Big Tens. Dildine also led the team in the 100 free this season with a 49.90. Nora Kemp was the team’s top 200 freestyler with a 1:48.46. All three of Olen’s best times give her relay potential.

In addition to her relay impact, Olen is just off making finals at Big Tens as it took a 22.55 in the 50 free, 49.60 in the 100 free, and 1:47.11 in the 200 free.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Sprint Freestyler Audrey Olen Transferring From Auburn To Iowa

By SwimSwam Contributors on SwimSwam

Courtesy: Ryan Choong

Water can host a multitude of harmful germs such as E. coli, Hepatitis A, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium, all of which can be killed by chlorine within minutes [1]. Although chlorine can save lives, it can also harm the human body.

A popular saying among swimmers is, “Chlorine is my perfume,” showing chlorine is integral to every swimmer’s life. However, this is misleading; the signature smell of “chlorine” in pools is not chlorine; it is the trichloramine particles resulting from chlorine binding with urine and sweat wafting through the air. As chlorinated pool water is disturbed during swim sessions, trichloramine particles can be released into the air, irritating the respiratory system.

This phenomenon—sometimes called “chlorine cough”—is especially common in indoor swimming pools, where ventilation is limited [2]. Poor airflow combined with intense workouts can lead to short- and long-term effects on swimmers’ lung function, potentially hindering performance. These studies beg the question: should one avoid urinating in the pool for optimal swimming performance?

Why are trichloramines bad for a swimmer’s lungs? There are three types of chloramines, and they originate from combining chlorine to nitrogen-carrying compounds like ammonia and urea, which come from urine and sweat [3]. Trichloramine is the most volatile type of chloramine, and can quickly travel from the water into the air. Trichloramines can build up in indoor pool areas when there is a lack of proper ventilation, leading to irritation in the respiratory system. Furthermore, trichloramine particles are denser than air, so they sink to the lowest point: the water’s surface, where most swimmers breathe [4]. As a result of heavy breathing after swimming, and the build-up of trichloramine particles at the surface of the water, these particles are inhaled in high concentrations causing irritation to the respiratory system.

How do trichloramine particles affect athletic performance? A peer-reviewed study by Swinarew et al. examined 16 male competitive swimmers. Researchers collected breath samples before, right after, and two hours after training. They found noticeable changes in the composition of exhaled air over time, suggesting chlorine exposure in indoor pools affects the lungs and airway lining. This exposure can cause irritation and inflammation, potentially leading to long-term health issues for swimmers [5].

One of these long-term health issues is occupational asthma. Thickett et al. studied two lifeguards and one swimming teacher working in three indoor pools to assess occupational asthma and its correlation with trichloramine particles. Thickett et al. found that trichloramine particles were a cause of occupational asthma and short-term respiratory symptoms such as sneezing, breathing difficulty, coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and chest congestion [6].

This is supported by a study by Nemery et al., claiming that although swimming can help asthma, it can also trigger bronchial hyperresponsiveness due to exposure to trichloramine particles. This study also suggests that frequently swimming in chlorinated pools can be linked to lung damage and a rise in asthma in children [7]. These respiratory symptoms can significantly limit a swimmer’s endurance and performance in the short- and long-term.

So, does urinating in the pool impact swimming performance? The answer is yes. After reviewing these studies, it is clear that a build-up of chlorine and body waste byproducts is dangerous for swimmers’ respiratory systems and can subsequently hinder athletic performance. However, chlorine can benefit swimming pools as it kills harmful microbes. The best way to avoid these risks is to limit the body waste that interacts with chlorine, and one can do this by avoiding urinating in the pool.

REFERENCES

• [1] CDC. “Home Pool and Hot Tub Water Treatment and Testing.” Healthy Swimming, 10 May 2024, www.cdc.gov/healthy-swimming/about/home-pool-and-hot-tub-water-treatment-and-testing.html.
• [2] Elham Ahmadpour & Maximilien Debia (2024) Estimating airborne trichloramine levels in indoor swimming pools using the well-mixed box model, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 21:6, 397-408, DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2024.2327370
• [3] Nemery, B., et al. “Indoor Swimming Pools, Water Chlorination and Respiratory Health.” European Respiratory Journal, vol. 19, no. 5, 1 May 2002, pp. 790–793, https://doi.org/10.1183/09031936.02.00308602. Accessed 22 Feb. 2020.
• [4] “Are Indoor Pools Causing Chlorine Cough?” Cleveland Clinic, health.clevelandclinic.org/is-the-chlorine-in-indoor-swimming-pools-hard-on-your-lungs.
• [5] Swinarew, Andrzej S., et al. “The Influence of Chlorine in Indoor Swimming Pools on the Composition of Breathing Phase of Professional Swimmers.” Respiratory Research, vol. 21, no. 1, 15 Apr. 2020, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12931-020-01350-y.
• [6] Thickett, K M., et al. “Occupational Asthma Caused by Chloramines in Indoor Swimming-pool Air.” European Respiratory Journal, vol. 19, no. 5, 2002, pp. 827-832, https://doi.org/10.1183/09031936.02.00232802. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
• [7] Hoyle, Gary W., and Erik R. Svendsen. “Persistent Effects of Chlorine Inhalation on Respiratory Health.” The New York Academy of Sciences, vol. 1378, no. 1, 2015, pp. 33-40, https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13139. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Can Urinating In The Pool Affect Your Swimming Performance?

By Keith Dunlap on SwimSwam

Penny Oleksiak is enjoying her new adopted hometown of Los Angeles, and even had more fun at a recent Seattle Kraken-Los Angeles Kings game in the National Hockey League.

Oleskiak and a friend sat front row at the game, mainly to watch Oleksiak’s older brother Jamie, a 32-year-old defenseman for the Kraken.

Penny was mic’d up for the game, which was shown on Instagram in this video.

Attending the game with a friend named Hanna, Oleksiak is heard pointing out why sticks break and how the Kraken are the first team in NHL history to have a female assistant coach (Jessica Campbell).

She also cheered a Kraken goal, tried on some sunglasses while observing the game, and answered a question from a fan wondering if Jamie liked the nickname “Big Rig.” Oh and of course, her and Hanna enjoyed some concession stand food.

It was all in good fun for Oleksiak, who seems to be enjoying life in Los Angeles after moving there from Toronto in the summer of 2023.

Oleksiak has said she plans on vying for a spot on the Canadian Olympic team for the 2028 Los Angeles Games after making an appearance at the Paris Olympics. Oleksiak swam the lead-off leg in preliminaries for Canada’s 400 free relay team before being swapped to the anchor for finals. All three of Canada’s rolling starts, including Oleksiak’s anchor, in that relay split 53.2’s as they placed 4th behind Australia, the USA, and China.

She also swam a prelims leg of the 400 medley relay before being left off the finals squad. She swam no individual events in Paris.

She burst on to the international scene at the 2016 Rio Games, winning four medals and tying Simone Manuel of the U.S. for the gold in the 100 freestyle.

In the process, Oleksiak became the first Canadian to win four medals at the same Summer Olympics, and was Canada’s youngest ever Olympic champion.

Oleskiak then won three medals at the Tokyo Games — an individual bronze medal in the 200 freestyle, a bronze medal as part of the 400 medley relay team and a silver medal as a member of the 400 free relay team — before injuries started slowing her down.

Oleksiak suffered a torn meniscus in her knee in 2022 and also had shoulder issues.

She won the 100 freestyle at the Canadian Olympic Trials before Paris, but was a half-second off the Olympic qualifying time.

Now training in California with a group run by coach Jeff Jullian, Oleksiak feels there is more in the tank.

“It didn’t feel right to retire now,” she said in an article on Olympic.com. “I’ve felt that for the last couple of years. I have more within more. I’m coming at it from a totally different angle.”

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Watch A Mic’d Up Penny Oleksiak Attend Brother’s NHL Game In Seattle

By SwimSwam Contributors on SwimSwam

Courtesy: Doug Cornish, the founder of Swimpler. Follow Swimpler on Substack here.

Introduction: Swim coaches are incredible problem solvers. However, they struggle to overcome obstacles due to a lack of accessible, actionable information.

In my 23-year coaching career, I’ve had many questions to which the answer required some research. In my post-coaching career, I simplify complex swimming concepts for delivery to the masses through my business, Swimpler.

This is the first installment.

HOW THE ELITE RACE THE SCY 200 FR – A SERIES

THE DATA, THE ART, THE SCIENCE – Volume 1

That night I woke up in a panic and shot straight up in bed. My first meet as a coach was the next day: a swimmer was going to ask me how to swim a 200 Freestyle. After 20 minutes, a yellow notepad contained 12 different ways that I recalled coaches instructing me to swim the race. I wasn’t confident in any of the suggested race strategies, and I coached my first meet feeling like a fraud not “knowing” the answer.

I wanted to know the truth, not regurgitate what a coach told me once. My solution was to study the fastest SCY 200 freestylers. Over several years in the early 2000s I charted the splits of the top-8 swimmers at NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Championships. What I found was a distinct and repeated pattern of splits – revealing a strategy aligned with what we know about energy systems.

Our Covid downtime allowed me to replicate the data set, which currently holds all A-Final splits from 2015-2025.

THE DATA

1. The data is only from the A-Final at the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Championships
2. To determine the Best/First 50 ratio, I only included best 50s that occurred either at conference or NCAA championships of the same season.
3. The data is the average of all splits from 2015-2025 NCAA A-Final Swims.

Women 200 FR

• 1st 50 = 1.92 seconds slower than best 50
• 2nd 50 = 1.85 seconds slower than 1st 50
• 3rd 50 = 0.30 slower than 2nd 50
• 4th 50 = 0.14 slower than 3rd 50
• Worst-First 50 = 2.42

Men 200 FR

• 1st 50 = 2.04 seconds slower than best 50
• 2nd 50 = 1.91 seconds slower than 1st 50
• 3rd 50 = 0.41 slower than 2nd 50
• 4th 50 = 0.26 slower than 3rd 50
• Worst-First 50 = 2.61

• CLICK HERE to access the data set.

THE ART

During a myriad of conversations with other coaches on this data set, one coach gave me what has held up to be the most accurate and helpful acronyms for race strategy – CBAR.

I apologize for not recalling who gave it to me. I would give a major shout-out if I did.

• C – Control
• B – Build
• A – Attack
• R – Race

1st 50 = CONTROL

Control your emotions, technique, and speed such that your first 50 is approximately 2 seconds slower than your best 50. Avoid speed-limiting mistakes, and do not sprint the first 50.

2nd 50 = BUILD

Begin to build your speed over the second 50 such that your split is within 2 seconds of your first 50. The effort to build should be spread out over the whole 50. Two of the most taxing mistakes in swimming include a sudden decrease or a sudden increase of speed.

3rd 50 = ATTACK

After you’ve patiently built to “attack speed” you reach the most pivotal moment of the race. Understanding this moment is critical, and it is explained in more depth below. The details of your swimmer’s “attack” should be specific to their needs, strengths, and weaknesses and include helpful cues. While some swimmers may shorten their stroke, others may decrease their kick involvement as a response to the fatigue stimuli.

ATTACK CUE EXAMPLES:

• Increase kick tempo during the 3rd 50 to support your desired higher stroke rate on the last 50.
• Keep head low, enabling the hips to remain in contact with the surface, minimizing the drag.

4th 50 = RACE

Everyone is hurting in the 4th 50. It’s time to shut off the strategy and race. If you cut corners when you hurt in practice, it will show here in the form of poor technique response to fatigue stimuli.

THE SCIENCE

SIMPLIFIED ENERGY SYSTEM PHASES OF THE 200 FR

Phase 1: 0-6 Seconds (1st 50)

• ATP-PCr fuels the first 6-8 seconds of a race.

Phase 2: 6-10 Seconds (1st 50)

• ATP-PCr system depletes.
• Anaerobic glycolysis up-regulates to replace the diminishing energy production of the ATP-PCr system.

Phase 3: 10-40 Seconds (1st-2nd 50)

• Anaerobic glycolysis is the primary energy system.

Phase 4: 40-60 Seconds (2nd-3r 50)

• Between 30 and 40 seconds of the 200 FR the output of the anaerobic system begins to diminish.
• The aerobic energy system up-regulates to meet the demand amidst diminishing returns from the anaerobic system.

Phase 5: 60 Seconds to the end of the race (3rd-4th 50)

• Though the aerobic energy system is the primary energy system during the final phase, it’s critical to note the presence and impact of the endocrine system.

ALL PHASES: ENDOCRINE SYSTEM INTERACTION

At all points of a race, the endocrine system can boost or suppress the energy being produced. It plays a big role during races, especially the end, but it is RARELY discussed and seldom factors into race strategy design.

If you are passing someone who is fatiguing, your body will release energy-boosting neurotransmitters. If you are fatiguing and getting passed, your negative thoughts will trigger the release of energy-sucking neurotransmitters.

DEEPER EXAMINATION OF THE THIRD 50

During the 3rd 50 the aerobic energy system is attempting to replace the declining output of the anaerobic energy system. There are three important and related points to be made here:

1. Going out too hard will hasten the depletion of the anaerobic energy system, making the transition incredibly difficult. The larger the energy need that you establish early, the larger the void to be filled by the aerobic energy system during this phase. The aerobic energy system has limitations of which swimmers become painfully aware during the 3rd 50.
2. Failing to accurately target the transition from anaerobic to aerobic energy system in training is a major factor in the difficulty that swimmers experience in this race. The transition is specific to the duration and intensity of the effort, which needs to be practiced. If you are not training race strategy and execution at the EXACT duration and intensity that will be experienced in the race, you are failing to program the energy system transfer and delivery, leaving your swimmer inadequately prepared for the race.
3. The “bonk” that swimmers feel is the aerobic energy system failing to up-regulate sufficiently to replace the energy that had been provided by anaerobic glycolysis. It is most often due to a combination of poor strategy and ineffective training.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The 200 freestyle isn’t a mystery. It’s a puzzle—one that the best swimmers solve through smart strategy, intentional training, a deep understanding of how the body fuels performance, and elite technique. By studying patterns, energy systems, and the art of racing, we can move beyond guesswork and toward consistent, replicable excellence.

This was Volume 1 in an ongoing series on how the best swim the SCY 200 FR. In future installments, I’ll dive deeper into:

• A teachable system for race strategy
• Gender-based trends and split differences
• What separates the sub-1:30s from the rest
• And a breakdown of Luke Hobson’s 7 x sub-1:30 swims

Read the full story on SwimSwam: How The Elite Race The SCY 200 Free Volume 1: The Data, The Art, The Science

By Retta Race on SwimSwam

2025 SWISS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS

• April 12 & April 13th
• Uster, Switzerland
• SCM (25m)
• Results

While World Championships qualifying meets are taking place around the world, several key Swiss swimmers were doing their thing in short course meters at their nation’s Club Championships.

Among them was world record holder Noe Ponti and teammate and Roman Mityukov, with all wreaking havoc on their domestic podium.

As for Ponti, the 23-year-old captured victories across the 100m free, 50m fly, 100m fly and 100m IM to make his presence known on a big-time scale.

Ponti produced a new Swiss national record en route to grabbing the 100m free gold, firing off a new lifetime best of 46.49.

Ponti opened in 22.46 and closed in 24.03 to take the event by over 2 seconds ahead of his competitors.

The previous Swiss benchmark stood at the 47.30 Mityukov established last year so Ponti put quite a dent in putting the record on the books.

The 50m fly saw Ponti punch a result of 21.65, not terribly far off his world record of 21.32 set en route to winning the event at last year’s Short Course World Championships. It checks in as the 8th-swiftest performance of all time.

His winning effort of 47.98 in the 100m fly was also within range of the world record of 47.71 he notched last year in Budapest, falling just .27 outside it to establish the 3rd-quickest swim ever produced. It also represents just the 3rd swim ever to delve under the 48-second barrier.

Top 5 Men’s SCM 100 Butterfly Performances All-Time

1. Noe Ponti (SUI) – 47.71, 2024
2. Caeleb Dressel (USA) – 47.78, 2020
3. Noe Ponti– 47.98, 2025
4. Chad le Clos (RSA) – 48.08, 2016
5. Noe Ponti– 48.40, 2024

Finally, the men’s 100m IM fell victim to Ponti with his tie of 50.64, a result only .31 outside his career-best 50.33 from last year.

As for Mityukov, the Olympic bronze medalist lowered his own Swiss record in the men’s 200m backstroke, breaking the 1:51 barrier for his first time ever.

Mityukov stopped the clock at 1:50.95 to slice just over half a second off the former benchmark of 1:51.46 from 2 years ago.

Mityukov split 25.95/28.25/28.56/28.19 to win the event by over 8 seconds in essentially a one-man race.

Both Ponti & Mityukov have been on fire so far this year, having put up some eye-popping times at both the City of Livorno Meet and the Swiss Championships.

• Ponti & Mityukov Grab Gold to Close Swiss Championships
• Noe Ponti Impresses With 50.27 100 Fly Outing at Swiss Championships
• Mityukov & Ponti Put Up Wins on Day Two of Swiss Championships
• Noe Ponti Kicks Off 2025 Swiss Championships with 22.77 50 Fly
• Ponti Powers Way to 22.91 50 Fly on Day Two of City of Livorno Meet

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Noe Ponti Blasts 47.98 SCM 100 Fly As Third-Best Performance In History