Commentary

Ryan Lochte and Kayla Rae Reid Announce Divorce; Focus on Family and Respectful Co-Parenting Couple prioritizes their children and mutual respect in heartfelt decision. Olympic great Ryan Lochte and his wife Kayla Rae Reid have announced they are amicably ending their marriage after seven years. T.....

Opening of U.S. Nationals Has Provided Reminder of Classic American Depth This year’s U.S. Nationals stand in stark contrast to the Olympic selection meet contested a full blocks away at Lucas Oil Stadium 12 months ago. Rather than record-breaking crowds in a football stadium, only the western grand...

Backstroke to Breaststroke: Which Turn is Right For You? The transition from backstroke to breaststroke in the individual medley has become a major topic of discussion in the swimming world over the past decade. The crossover turn has largely dominated the competitive scene, favored almost unanimous...

Reset Like a Champion: Why the Best Swimmers Know When to Take a Break As the swimming world gears up for the upcoming World Championship Trials, some of the biggest names in American swimming are choosing not to compete and take a step back - for now. To the untrained eye, their absence may raise e...

10 Things You Learn as a Swim Parent By Dr. Donald Lee Aivalotis, II – Guest Editorial newswimmer.com I once told my wife that we would NEVER become a swim family! I was serious. My son was playing basketball, a sport with a clear season. "Those swim families are crazy," I told her. "They don't slee...

Memorial Day Rewind: How World War II Impacted Yale Great Bob Kiphuth Editor’s note: We are reposting this great feature by Chuck Warner, originally written as part of a series of articles about the great Yale coach Bob Kiphuth, highlighting a moment in Kiphuth’s career that intersected with the ris...

Swimmers are renowned for their dedication to their sport. We train long hours at ridiculous times and spend all day at meets only to spend a few minutes actually racing in the pool. However, all swimmers reach a point in their careers when they question why they're still doing it. Although many rel...

Guest Editorial: A Lane for Every Woman By Jennifer Rines (Guest Editorial) I’m a transgender woman writing in response to Angie Griffin’s recent editorial. Like Angie, I swam in the women’s 45-49 100 breaststroke in San Antonio. Like Angie, I believe that every swimmer deserves a lane — and that th...

5 Reasons Why Summer Swimming is a Beautiful Part of the Sport With the summer swimming season right around the corner for most of the United States, here's a look at some of the reasons why this aspect of the sport is so enjoyable. Experiences at USA Swimming meets, high school competitions and col...

Marchand Mania Will Not Subside: Frenchman Issues First Reminders of 2025 For a brief stretch, Leon Marchand needed a break from his record-smashing ways. For three years, he was the undisputed star of the sport from March through the summer, with record-breaking performances at the NCAA Championshi...

The Science Behind Specialization: When Should Young Swimmers Focus on Specific Events? By Dr. Donald Lee Aivalotis, II - Guest Editorial newswimmer.com As young swimmers progress through their training, a common question arises: when  should they begin specializing in specific strokes or events? Wh...

By Taylor Padington (From the Archive) In the course of a swimmer's career, it is inevitable that they will be directed by more than one coach. This change could be due to a coach switching to a different team, the transition from high school swimming to collegiate swimming, or even retirement. What...

By Zach Breeding, Swimming World College Intern (From the Archive) There is no place quite as meditative as the water. Any swimmer can attest to this. When you're swimming alone, in the middle of the set, one can often get lost in their own head and become some sort of athlete philosopher hybrid. Th...

Mother's Day Celebration: An Ode to Swim Moms (Includes Team USA Videos) Here's an ode to Swim Moms, among the unsung heroes of the world. It's race day. The team cheer was energizing, yet you still feel like something is missing. You scan the densely packed stands: it is full of familiar faces, tho...

By Katie Lively, Swimming World College Intern There are a small handful of swimmers who truly dream of a career in coaching. The majority of us cringe slightly when we find out we need to figure out a way to teach our sport to an outsider. However, my own experience has shown me just how powerful t...

Who Are You? 4 Swimmer Personalities Found on the Pool Deck Swim meets are pretty much the ideal place to people watch. Every swimmer prepares to race fast completely differently. This can all depend on your personality, your meet lineup, or even what kind of day you’re having. Yet every swimmer has...

Gretchen Walsh Tracking to Bring Individual Dominance to Long Course Worlds While she wracked up NCAA titles and American records in short course yards, Gretchen Walsh took a little longer to find her footing in long course. And even while representing the United States and winning medals at the 202...

The Importance of Sleep for Recovery: Make Sure You Follow These Steps Mac Robertson, Swimming World College Intern. Going to swim practice each day can become extremely tiresome to even the world’s best. The rest and recovery that occurs out of the pool can be just as essential to fast swimming as ...

Amid Historic Career, Katie Ledecky Just Had Her Greatest Achievement With Latest World Record Two main factors have made Katie Ledecky the consensus greatest female swimmer in history. The first is an unflinching consistency in the distance freestyle events, leading to a streak of dominance unparal...

It Takes a Village: The Support System of a Swimmer When I look back on my swimming career, the milestones and medals are clear—but what stands out even more is the incredible network of support that helped get me there. My parents volunteered as officials, drove countless miles to early morning pra...