Commentary

Are You Kidding? The Ridiculous Finishing Speed of the All-Time Top-Two Performances in the Men's 200 Backstroke As we await the start of the collegiate campaign and next month's World Cup action in North America, Swimming World will run a series titled, "Are You Kidding?" This mini project of short...

A Look at Swimmer Muscles by Stroke By Bri Groves, Swimming World College Intern, in collaboration with the creator of Swim Science, Dr. G. John Mullen It’s no surprise that swimmers keep their bodies in peak shape and their commitment comes with an added benefit for fans. Not only can we watch them...

By Chandler Brandes (From the Archive) Swimmers spend the majority of our time with our faces in the water staring at a black line lap after lap. Although we don’t get the opportunity to speak too often during practice, when we do get the chance to talk, we have a lot to say. In the rare instance wh...

Men’s 100 Backstroke: Pieter Coetze Leads Deepest Event in Men's Swimming For almost a decade, Ryan Murphy was an international stalwart in the men’s 100 backstroke, winning Olympic gold in 2016 and a world title six years later. He missed an international podium exactly once, by one hundredth of a ...

Hanging Up Your Goggles: The Ins and Outs of Retirement The only inevitability that comes attached with each part of life is that everything must come to an end. For a swimmer, this is no different. The number of considerations applicable to this point in a career are infinite. Some lose passion ext...

5 Hidden Reasons Athletes Stay Tired ... and What You Can Do About It Ever hear this at home? “Mom, I’m exhausted." "Dad, I can’t keep up at practice.” Or maybe you’ve seen your athlete dragging, moody, or battling one injury after another. You’re not alone. Fatigue is one of the top issues I hear f...

5 Reasons to Appreciate Your Coaches A new season is set to dawn for many swimmers around the country. Some have taken a summer break. Others have eased off the pedal over the past couple months. But the time to go full blast is once again on the horizon. A chance to set new goal times. The opportun...

Women’s Sprint Freestyle: Meg Harris and Marrit Steenbergen Won Gold in 2025 But American Looming The results from the women's sprint freestyle events at this year's World Championships show a pair of veterans claiming deserved, long-awaited gold medals. Marrit Steenbergen was world champion in the ...

Making the Jump: Tips for Student-Athletes Entering College  Starting college can be an overwhelming change. Starting college as a student-athlete can be even more overwhelming. As a freshman swimmer, you are about to juggle harder practices, tougher competition, and a brand-new lifestyle. It can fe...

What Makes a Pool Fast? By Devin Javens Only swimmers know and understand the feeling of a fast pool. Something about the feeling can resemble that of euphoria, leaving you feeling as if you possess the swimming capabilities of Michael Phelps or Katie Ledecky. Swimmers constantly refer to pools as e...

If Swimming Were Easy....5 Things Swimmers Face to Be Their Best By Chandler Brandes, Swimming World College Intern Spoiler alert: It’s not. We can all agree that swimming is not an easy sport. But choosing the easy route has never been the swimmer way. Here are five things which make swimming one o...

Will USRPT Grow Through Group Training? Coach Peter Andrew Begins Hawaii Experiment In sports, evolution is essential. New science and research lead to constant growth, as we find new methods to create greater performance. It’s a movement that has touched swimming time and time again, from the emerg...

3 Fast Snacks Your Athlete Can Use Before and During Practice Why This Matters Parents often tell me: “We leave school and go straight to practice—no time.” “My athlete gets stomach aches before games.” “They crash halfway through.” The hidden issue? It’s not just what they eat, but wh...

An Open Letter to My Support System Note: Swimming World is running this article from its archive because many swimmerd will be able to relate with its content. By Ashlee Weingarten Playing any sport at a competitive level is a hard thing to do. Without a support system, it's difficult to continuall...

6 Reasons Your Swim Team Becomes Your Family By Emma Foster, Swimming World College Intern Swimmers are a special breed. Even most non-chlorinated people understand that. On college campuses around the country, swimmers are the ones known for bringing that squeaky-clean chlorine smell into the class...

Thank You Swimming! A Letter of Appreciation From an Outsider I’ve been covering this sport for 20-plus years, most of that time for Swimming World. It’s been a pleasure, and I feel beyond fortunate to have attended five Olympic Games, multiple editions of the World Championships and numerous events...

3 Easy Breakfasts to Fuel You Through Morning Practice By Tasija Karosas, Swimming World College Intern “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” – That phrase has been ingrained in your head since you first learned how to speak. Well, it’s the truth! Breakfast gives you energy to power thro...

Defensive Pessimism: How Negative Thinking Can Have a Positive Impact The most common approach heading into a big competition is to think positively–visualize the best-case scenario, focus on improving times or beating opponents, and avoid worrying about negative outcomes. For years, athletes and co...

Despite Singapore Silvers, American Women Have Promising Future in Freestyle Relays The results in the women’s freestyle relays at this year’s World Championships showed a continuation of generational Australian dominance, even if both events came down to the closing legs in tight finishes against t...

4 Things To Do When You Don't Drop Time By Tori Caudill, Swimming World College Intern One of the best parts of swimming is competing. For many swimmers, competition can become more intense over time, just as anything else that you devote much of your life to. As an 8-and-under, dropping time was al...