Social Kick

In this episode we’re joined by Swiss swimming sensation and butterfly specialist Noe Ponti. Noe just completed a short course season for the ages where he pummeled the 50m Butterfly World Record throughout the World Cup en route to the World Title and he also took down the record that meant the most to him - Caeleb Dressel’s 100m Butterfly World Record. This season is just what Noe needed to call 2024 a success, after 4th and 5th place finishes in Paris denied him medals at back to back Olympics. In this chat, Noe takes us behind the scenes of his swimming career from his start as a natural butterflier, to the details of his training regimen, which includes very little sprinting despite Noe now being the fastest 50 butterflier in history. 

Sneakily one of the fastest men to ever sprint, Canadian and Florida Gator Josh Liendo is coming off a career year in 2024. His sophomore campaign at UF included 3 individual event wins at NCAAs, along with leading the Gators to 2 relay wins, building on the already solid freshman year (100 free + 3 relay wins). Somehow that wasn’t enough to earn him a Swimmer of the Year, only topped by Leon Marchand with his record performances. Josh continued the momentum in Paris, earning a silver medal with his statement 100 butterfly that nearly won gold, dipping under 50 seconds with a 49.99, only the 5th to ever do that, and at the same time making him the first black Canadian swimmer to win an Olympic medal. Josh nearly had 2 medals, with an under the radar 4th place in the 50 just missing the podium. The perfect Olympic results to feel major accomplishment, while still wanting more. Taught to swim in Trinidad and Tobago til age 11 before moving north, Josh automatically ascended to the exclusive list of Luke’s favorite pod guests before we started, but cemented that place during this fun conversation.

The man, the myth, the legend: Jonny Kulow. We sat down with the ASU super sprinter and dug into his journey from a small town in Wyoming to become a freestyle rocket. We discuss his training secrets (or lack thereof!), his signature gym moves, and his favorite Wyoming State record. Plus, we get the inside scoop on the ASU-UofA rivalry, relive the thrilling double swim-off against Adam Cheney at Olympic Trials, and hear Jonny's predictions for the upcoming ASU season, including which underclassmen are poised to make a splash. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

In this episode of Social Kick, we welcome IU standout swimmer Owen McDonald. We delve into his journey from Atlanta to Arizona State, and finally to Indiana University. Owen shares his training secrets, including his favorite event to watch (the 200 IM!), and reveals some hilarious stories about his teammates and coaches. We also discuss his eating habits (hint: it involves a lot of food!), and his intense training regimen with his brother and legendary coach Ray Looze. Plus, Owen gives his predictions for the upcoming NCAA Championships, where he believes it will be a tight race between IU and Texas. Don't miss this insightful and entertaining conversation with one of the brightest young stars in college swimming! Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

In this special year-end episode, the Social Kick crew recaps the most memorable moments of 2024 in swimming. We discuss the best individual swims (including Jordan Crooks's historic sub-20 50 free and Leon Marchand's 4:02 500 free), the most thrilling relays (like the US Women's Medley and the Great Britain Men's 4x200 free), and the most exciting meets (including the NCAA Championships and the Paris Olympics). We also delve into breakout performances from swimmers like Gretchen Walsh and discuss the impact of records like Pan Zhanle's 46.40 100 free. Join us for a lively and insightful discussion as we reflect on a year filled with incredible swims and unforgettable moments. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

So that’s a thing now. Rex Maurer has shown the world that even college-aged swimmers can drop nearly 7 seconds in their best event as if he hit a growth spurt. Maybe he did. The Texas sophomore is only a summer and fall semester into his time in Austin following his transfer from Stanford where he had a solid freshman year. But this Longhorn mid-distance crew is different. It is stacked with hitters, as demonstrated with Carson Foster breaking the American Record in the 500 about an hour before Rex decided he’d like that title on his CV. Maybe this reset the 500 freestyle has seen in recent years (see also Leon Marchand’s otherworldly underwater freak show 4:02 from 2023) will translate to the long course 400 and finally deliver the much-awaited sub 3:40 that has eluded the world’s greatest swimmers since Thorpee. Rex Maurer, the son of an Olympic swimmer and head USC coach Lea Maurer, swam lifetime bests in the 400IM, 1650, and 200 freestyle, all at a mid-season invite, and he is now expected to haul in points for Texas at the 2025 NCAAs as one of THE swimmers to watch in March.

Make Swimming Fun! Premier League Swimming is shaking things up down under, with a new type of fast-paced swimming competition in a league format that maximizes the fun and eliminates the boring. Established in 2018, this independent swim league created a swimming product to bring swimming communities together from all around the world to enjoy a pool swimming experience like no other, which includes world-class swimmers like Linnea Mack and Mark Nikolaev, who join us for a fun, laughter filled episode sharing how the PLS works and some brainstorming ideas, including how to improve our draft stock if the Social Kick team elects to make a comeback that no one wants to see. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

That’s what we love about these high school swimmers. We keep getting older. They keep getting faster. Record smasher Rylee Erisman, at only 15, is a national record holder, Olympic Trials finalist, and has already donned the sought after black American flag finals cap to collect some gold medals for Team USA. Shortly after the Olympic Trials, she swam a time that would have put her on the Paris Olympic team, and she’s only a couple tenths away from surpassing World Record holder Gretchen Walsh as the fastest high schooler ever. We put on our best GenZ impression to relate to this one who absolutely slays. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

They say ‘the game slows down’ for the best athletes in sport. Maybe that’s why Ryan Murphy always seems to bring out his best swims in the biggest moments, which have made him one of the best swimmers in the world over the last decade. Team USA’s stalwart backstroke ace, Ryan Murphy became a superstar in Rio where he swept gold medals in the backstrokes and broke the 100m World Record leading off Team USA’s gold medal winning relay, helping to deliver Michael Phelps his final Olympic gold medal. Since then, the young star has become the elder statesman, a perennial captain of the US squad and always adding to his trophy case with more medals collected this summer in Paris. But as time goes by, life evolves, and so it has for Ryan Murphy. A soon to be dad, Ryan joins us for a chat during a period where his other life pursuits are taking priority, although he is still in touch with the water a few times a week. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

There’s enough space on this planet for everyone. Syrian refugee and 2x Olympic swimmer Yusra Mardini had some of her life’s defining moments depicted in the Netflix film The Swimmers. A member of the inaugural IOC Refugee team, Yusra has become a global figure advocating on behalf of refugees and displaced communities, and through her Yusra Mardini Foundation, helps advance access to sports and education for refugee communities around the world while also helping them excel as they rebuild their lives. Yusra is now enrolled in film school at USC and while competitive swimming has taken a back seat to the many other priorities on her plate, she still makes time to stay fit and enjoy a conversation with some laughs talking about swimming and about life.

Five Olympics and counting! Sprint master Kasia Wilk Wasick returns for another episode to catch us up on the World Cup, where she took the crown for winning the 50m Freestyle at all 3 stops and in the process dialed in her short course race execution that she will carry in the upcoming Short Course World Championships in Budapest. Kasia also shares her experience at the Paris Olympics, where she hoped to win a medal following her bronze medal performance and first time under 24 seconds at the World Championships earlier in the year. The disappointment of not achieving the goal is one many athletes and all humans can relate to, and Kasia provides a great example of how to use those times and benefit from them, as it forced her to reflect on why she swims and to realize the results are only one part of the joy she gets from being an elite competitive swimmer. Kasia is yet another example of elite athletes peaking into their 30s and has no plans to slow down, telling us maybe she has 8 total Olympics to her name when all is said and done. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

Friend of the pod and now 2-time Olympic medalist Ilya Kharun returns to catch us up on his massive summer. Last time we spoke with Ilya a year ago he was making waves in his first college dual meets and training with Bob Bowman at Arizona State. A lot has happened since then. The Sun Devils won their first NCAA team championship, Ilya became an individual NCAA champ in the 200 fly, then Bob Bowman left ASU for Texas, leaving Ilya among some of the prominent athletes that had to make a decision about their future during critical months ahead of the Paris Olympics. Ilya decided to remain at ASU and train with now-Head Coach Herbie Behm, and he went on to realize his potential in a huge way at the Olympics, winning matching bronze medals in both the 100 and 200 fly in Paris, both in personal best times in the Olympic finals. Now Ilya is back on campus with the boys and the face of ASU swimming. With some major losses in the transfer portal (Hubert Kos, Owen McDonald, Zalan Sarkany) and the loss of Leon Marchand, many people are counting this year’s Sun Devils out, but Ilya and the squad are motivated and are out to prove the doubters wrong. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

Mary-Sophie Harvey is a Canadian Olympian and one of the world’s most versatile swimmers. A two-time Olympian, Mary-Sophie has accomplished a feat that few swimmers do - swimming her best time in the Olympic final. However, for Mary-Sophie it was somewhat bittersweet because she left the Paris Olympics having finished in 4th place in 4 different events. On the positive side, being 4th in the world is amazing, but Mary-Sophie will be hungry for a taste of her first Olympic medal as she looks ahead to Los Angeles 2028. Mary-Sophie has just completed a strong World Cup season with some key wins while showcasing the rare versatility that puts her among the world’s best swimmers in every stroke. Up next are the Short Course World Championships where Mary-Sophie is a threat in so many events, she asked for our opinion on which events she should swim. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

Do you ever get bored swimming? He doesn’t. Do you ever get tired swimming? He doesn’t. Do your shoulders hurt swimming? His don’t. This man has swam 358.2km (222.6 mi) in a single week, earning him the Guinness World Record for most meters swum in a week in a 50m pool. No stranger to ultra endurance mega efforts, Spyros Chrysikopoulos has also taken on gnarly open water marathon challenges that require him to swim for 30+ hours straight across the open ocean, and he has also once swum over 90km in a single day!! So what have you accomplished today?

John Mason is a much sought after TV host and correspondent. His natural on-screen energy and versatility have established him as a regular personality in the European & international markets, particularly in Olympic aquatic sports. John has been the face of the FINA Swimming World Cup Series for the last four years. In addition, he has covered some of the biggest events in the world for Eurosport, BBC Sport, Channel 5 and FINA TV including, the European Championships, World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Diving World Series. John was born in Australia and after graduating from Charles Sturt University, he moved to London and started his career as a model. Shortly after, he served as the host of the Elite Model Look Competition – a worldwide search for the next fashion superstar. He is an avid competitive Crossfitter and enjoys being creative in the culinary art world. John prides himself on staying connected to the trends in pop culture, music, and travel – he has been to thirty-two countries and counting. As an out gay man, he is also an activist for LGBTQI visibility and human rights.

In this episode, we sit down with South African breaststroke sensation Tatjana Schoenmaker Smith, one of the most accomplished swimmers of her generation. At just 27 years old, Tatjana has already etched her name in swimming history, from breaking the world record in the 200m breaststroke at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics to becoming a two-time Olympic gold medalist, a world champion, and the most decorated South African Olympic athlete of all time. We dive into Tatjana’s incredible journey, from her roots in Johannesburg to representing South Africa on the global stage at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics. Tatjana shares insights into her breakthrough moment in Tokyo when she shattered the 200m breaststroke world record with a 2:18.95, a feat that cemented her legacy. She talks about the highs and lows of competing at the top level, including her record-breaking gold at the 2023 World Championships—making history as the first South African woman to claim gold in swimming at the World Swimming Championships. We also discuss how Tatjana continued to evolve through the quad—balancing her focus between Olympics, World Championships, and Commonwealth Games. From her stellar performances in 2022 to her return to form in 2024, Tatjana provides a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to stay at the top of the sport. Plus, we talk about the unique challenges and rewards of representing South Africa on the world stage. Tatjana's journey is one of resilience, determination, and immense success. Listen for insights from arguably the best breaststroker of all-time.

Going best times is all a swimmer can ask for right? Well, it may make a bittersweet Olympics, if you go best time at an Olympics (where few go best times) but you fall in your place from semi-finals to finals. Pieter Coetzé had a bittersweet Olympics, but his young career has been far from bittersweet. Coetzé made the South African Olympic team at the age of 17, rising through the ranks and recently winning the 100 and 200 short course meters backstroke at the 2024 World Cups, earning him $56,500, not bad for 3 weeks of work. Although Coetzé may make it seem easy, wearing his golden necklace while racing and not knowing his stroke count, he has worked hard to achieve the success he had at his young age. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

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 a college freshman. Keaton Jones is also a pioneer in the sport of Ice Swimming! He’s a multi-time world champion in this niche sport that Keaton believes has a real chance at becoming a winter Olympic sport. So much so that he will take time out of his upcoming college season schedule in January to travel to the World Ice Swimming Championships where he is projected to haul in a slew of more medals to add to his frozen hardware collection. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

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. The move to train under renowned coach Bob Bowman continues to pay dividends for Hubert Kos, who alongside training partner Leon Marchand, makes the move to Austin following their coach’s departure from Arizona to lead the Texas Longhorns. In this episode, we unpack the mentality Hubi Kos used to calm his nerves, swim free, and win Olympic gold. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!

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 Australia from 2008-2017, becoming one of the world's most versatile swimmers. He won 24 national titles in events ranging from the 50m Backstroke all the way up to the 1500m Freestyle, a rare combination of aerobic engine and sprint power. Bobby raced at many World Cups himself, but the format and schedule were quite different then. Sadly, the money hasn’t changed much since he swam. In this episode, we get Bobby’s thoughts on the World Cup action so far and how the series could evolve and grow. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe for weekly podcasts and daily shorts!