Big Ten Champion and five-time NCAA All-American Charlie Swanson has returned to Ann Arbor, Michigan to train for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials. Swanson spent five years at Michigan before spending the previous two years training down in Austin with the Texas Longhorns.
He made his return in August and has been training with the Wolverines since then. Of note, this is an entirely new Michigan coaching staff for Swanson, who spent his five years in the program under former head coach Mike Bottom and his staff. New Michigan head coach Matt Bowe retained only one member of the previous staff, Priscilla Barletta. Barletta joined the Michigan coaching staff for the fall of 2021 and Swanson moved to Texas in early 2022, however, he spent the fall of 2021 competing for Energy Standard in the ISL.
Swanson joins a Michigan pro group that also features former Wolverines Tommy Cope and Nikola Acin.
Swanson had a very successful collegiate career at Michigan, proving to be a dominant force in the Big Ten in the 400 IM in particular. He was the Big Ten champion in the 400 IM all four years (2017-2020), also helping the Wolverines win the Big Ten title in the 800 free relay in his senior season (2020). Swanson’s highest finish at NCAAs came in his sophomore season, when he took 6th in the 400 IM. He would go on to win the ‘B’ final of the 200 breast at the 2019 NCAAs. In his senior season, Swanson was swimming well, having won the Big Ten title in the 400 IM with a 3:40.26. Unfortunately, the NCAAs would end up being cancelled that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, Swanson finished that season with All-American honors in the 400 IM, 200 IM, 200 breast, and as a member of the 800 free relay.
Swanson, now 25, has had a successful career outside of the NCAA as well. In addition to competing for Energy Standard in the ISL season 3, Swanson was a member of the 2019 Pan American Games team, winning a gold medal on the men’s 4×100 medley relay.
His move back to Ann Arbor is in an effort to make his best run at making the 2024 Olympic Team. While Swanson hasn’t yet made an Olympic roster, he was on the 2022 World Champs team in the 200 breast. He clocked his career best 200 breast at the 2022 International Team Trials, tying Nic Fink for 1st with a 2:08.84, which also makes Swanson the 12th fastest American all-time in the event. He was about a second off that time at the World Championships in Budapest, and though he managed a 3rd-place finish in prelims, he ended up 11th in semifinals, just missing out on advancing to the final. It’s worth noting, however, that Swanson’s 2:08.84 from Trials would have safely qualified for the final and actually would have been enough for a 4th-place finish in finals at those Worlds.
At the U.S. Trials this past summer, Swanson was an ‘A’ finalist in all three breaststroke events, taking 7th in the 50 (27.79), 6th in the 100 (59.89), and 6th in the 200 (2:10.43). That 100 breast time stands as his career best in the event and he also clocked a 27.70 in prelims of the 50 breast, which was also a career best.
So, while Swanson hasn’t yet made an Olympic team, he certainly has shown he has what it takes in the 200 breast, and in the past year or so, his 100 breast has been coming down as well. One other interesting wrinkle: Swanson is an excellent 400 IMer, boasting a career best of 4:11.46. He clocked that time back in 2019, and it seems he’s been shifting away from the race in the last few years, so it will be interesting to see if he gets back into the 400 IM this year. Carson Foster is the top 400 IMer in the U.S. currently, but the field is pretty open for the second roster spot.
Swanson plans to retire following next summer and he was attracted to return to Ann Arbor because of the familiarity. Speaking on the move, Swanson said he “moved back because regardless of what happens next summer, I wanted to be somewhere familiar for what will be my last year of swimming.” He went on to say that he had left initially because he had been at Michigan for five years and towards the end, between going through COVID and all the subsequent COVID restrictions, he reached a point where he felt like he needed to do something new.
Whenever I came back to Ann Arbor, it truly felt like home and the new coaching staff was enticing as well. I know there’s a level of risk since it’s close to Trials and I’m swimming for new coaches, but sometimes those are good risks that can pay off. I loved my time in Austin and my teammates and coaches there. I’m thankful for all the experience I gained in my nearly two years there. – Charlie Swanson
Swanson’s Career Bests (LCM):
- 50 breast – 27.70 (2023)
- 100 breast – 59.89 (2023)
- 200 breast – 2:08.84 (2022)
- 200 IM – 2:00.53 (2022)
- 400 IM – 4:11.46 (2019)
His love for no Thai brought him back to Ann Arbor
a good early sign at the beginning of the Matt Bowe era… attracting swimmers back to the Pro group. Looking forward to recruiting (on the Men’s side especially) to pick up but most importantly, to see the majority of swimmers developing in the pool.
“The second spot is wide open” chase kalisz and jay litherland would like a word with you
That’s not what I said. I said it’s “pretty open” and I really didn’t expect it to set people off, so I didn’t expand on it. All I mean is that anyone who might be able to dip under 4:10 at Trials is going to be right there in the mix for second. Swanson hasn’t done that yet, but he’s swum best times in all the breast events in the last year and a half so it’s not like he hasn’t shown that he can still improve. Also, we don’t know if he’s going to focus on the 400 IM at all, so there’s not really any point in arguing over it.
And Tommy Cope went back after being in Indiana, right?
Looks like Texas’ pro group is Licon, Casas, and Foster^2, right?
thought he retired?
Who Cope? The article lists him as having gone back to Michigan’s pro group.
I think they mean Will living is retired
*Licon
The field is not open for the second spot in the 400 IM. I don’t think Chase has gone anywhere. I would have Carson and Chase as heavy favorites for the two spots.
I think 2breast is open, where he made the team for Budapest in 2022. Good luck Charlie!
Fallon, Matheny, Jake Foster. Two of these make it,
I would add Fink and maybe even Licon.
No way Fink in the 200 – he’s shifted his focus to the 100, I think. Licon – I wish, I’m just not sure he has another 2.07 in him.
I’d love for licon to make it. It’s hard watching him be so close.
Might be right but I think Fink has the fastest best in the field and he’s incredibly consistent. Swam the event for the 2019, 2021, and 2022 international teams.
I’d love to see Licon. Been one of my favorites for a long time now. I’ll continue to throw his hat into the ring for him even after he decides to retire. Everyone loves an underdog.
I’m picking Bobby Finke for the second spot. He’s dropped time in the 400 IM every year for the past 3 years, and has almost run down Chase twice. I think 2024 will be the year he expands his lineup
Really hope not – he doesn’t need to swim 2 4 IMS where he won’t medal before his distance races
If he drops time at olympic trials and then hits his taper as usual bronze medal isnt out of reach. Apart from Carson and Leon there is no guaranteed sub 4’09
Bobby keeps messing around with the 400 IM, but should be doing the 400 free, where everyone and their mother know that he’s a shoo-in.
It would be easier to qualify for the U.S. team in the 400 free since it’s such a weak event for us, but there’s less room for him there internationally. The 400 free is super deep, with 3:45 not being a lock to final and 3:41 being the likely benchmark for a medal. By contrast the 400IM is pretty wide open behind Foster and Marchand, with it looking like 4:12 to final and 4:08 to grab bronze. I know Finke has a 4:08 in him on a full taper, and I don’t think he has enough speed to go 3:41
Go Blue!