Grand Challenge, Mare Nostrum, and AUS Trials on the Horizon | SWIMSWAM BREAKDOWN

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we discuss a myriad of eye-catching swims over the last two weeks as many countries’ Olympic Trials draw near. See below for full list of topics:

  • 0:00 SwimSwam Breakdown Introduction
  • 1:09 Grand Challenge & NCAP Qualifier
  • 15:40 Mare Nostrum Overview
  • 29:42 AUS Trials Preview

SINK or SWIM

  • 35:43 Will Olivia Wunsch make the AUS Olympic Team?
  • 37:52 Will Kristof Milak go a best (butterfly) time in Paris?
  • 41:20 Will Lucao Urlando swim the 100 Back at 2025 NCAAs?
  • 43:13 Will Matt Gervers make a semi-final at 2024 Olympic Trials?
  • 46:19 Will Thomas Ceccon medal in the 200 back in Paris?
  • 50:35 Will Sun Yang swim times that could final in Paris?

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MadamButterfly20596
5 months ago

Agreed. Too many buildings, not enough yards in Milan.

commonwombat
5 months ago

Sink or Swims

  • Wunsch – top 6 looks strong chance – Swim
  • Milak – looking at where his best times sit -tricky call but leaning Sink
  • Grevers – not out of the question but lean Sink
  • Ceccon – this podium looks a lottery, coin toss but (fingers crossed) Swim
  • Sun Yang – not first meet back – Sink
Steve Nolan
5 months ago

I’m not sure I like that there’s someone on the pod that’s tuned into the comments.

On one hand it was good, because the “sub 52” for GWalsh was clarified – any non-paste eater would know what Coleman meant, but we get a lot of those down here – but I did not like that the doubling-down on the “no 3:39 in 400 free in Paris” was commented on.

That’s what I wanted to yell about! Boo! The rationale doesn’t make any sense! Boo that man, boo!

David Clossey
Reply to  Steve Nolan
5 months ago

👀

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
5 months ago

I certainly hope there will a SwimSwam Breakdown before the 2024 Olympic Team Trials, including a comprehensive review of the psych sheets.

Coleman Hodges
Reply to  Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
5 months ago

Just you wait🤫🥇😎

John26
5 months ago

I appreciated the detailed commentary on Popovici and Milak!!

Craig
5 months ago

Don’t sleep on Coetze in 2 Back.

John26
Reply to  Craig
5 months ago

Honestly there’s like 6 guys who’ve gone 1:55 the last year or so, you’d think one or two will drop into the 1:54s so we don’t have to see a medal handed out for a 1:55 for a third year 🙂

snailSpace
Reply to  John26
5 months ago

Praying that happens. Gonzalez and Mityukov are really close to a 1:54.

Wheeler Walker Jr.
5 months ago

Can we get link to Israeli trials?

Emily Se-Bom Lee
5 months ago

I looked at channel 9’s schedule and found this description of the australian trials:

“Host James Bracey is joined by Ian Thorpe, Giaan Rooney, Ellie Cole, Mathew Thompson, Brenton Speed and Roz Kelly.”

they’ve doubled down on their abysmal nationals coverage by bringing back the circus from fukuoka (but no tom decent, who was the shining light of that team) and by introducing a host of unknown quantities. this confirms my intention of watching trials on mute and removes what little hope I had for quality commentary in paris

Last edited 5 months ago by Emily Se-Bom Lee
Southerly Buster
Reply to  Emily Se-Bom Lee
5 months ago

Channel 9’s biggest stuff up was at the mixed medley relay at Fukuoka when Matt Thompson mistook a male Chinese swimmer in a yellow cap for Kaylee McKeown.

Unbelievably Ian Thorpe went along with this mistake and it wasn’t until three quarters of the way through that leg that they realised the yellow cap within a body length of Ryan Murphy wasn’t Kaylee.

Leoyu
Reply to  Southerly Buster
5 months ago

You mean Xu Jiayu?

Southerly Buster
Reply to  Leoyu
5 months ago

Yes, Xu Jiayu. He was close to Ryan Murphy all the way.

Joel
Reply to  Southerly Buster
5 months ago

The one I remember is when they all doubled down on mixing up Jacob Peters and Jacob Whittle. One caused the British DQ in the men’s relay and one did not. For days afterwards they mixed them up.

commonwombat
Reply to  Emily Se-Bom Lee
5 months ago

I’m certainly showing my age with this comment but old Kerry Packer (long time owner of the 9 network) would be spinning madly in his grave at what has become of sports coverage on 9. Back from the late 70s, through the 80s and even into the 90s; they were arguably groundbreakers in their coverage of a number of sports and whilst their commentary teams were mercilessly “sent up” by some comedians; they NEVER employed certified idiots who called completely different action to what was actually occuring on one’s screens.

Thankfully, I won’t be subjecting myself to their tripe this Olympics. It will be host English language feed or at worst NOS (NED public broadcaster). Trials ……. seems like 9Now… Read more »

Last edited 5 months ago by commonwombat
23/51/1:52
Reply to  commonwombat
5 months ago

Even if you have a poor commentary lineup, a good producer can make it work.
Bad producers have been a big issue across so many sports broadcasts over the last decade or so.

commonwombat
Reply to  23/51/1:52
5 months ago

With some sports, particularly those where camerawork clearly enhances what the viewer sees, I will most certainly agree ….. and indeed, this was very pertinant with reference to the 9 network “of old”.

However, with swimming, I’m actually not that demanding but what IS non-negotiable is that the commentary is not being blatantly contradicted by what is in front of one’s eyes !

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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