Mark Schubert Is Back Stateside And Brinegar, Gallant, and Johnston Head His Way

Mark Schubert has returned stateside after a stint coaching in China and assembled an elite distance crew for his The Swim Team training group.

The headliner is Tokyo 2020 US Olympian Michael Brinegar. Brinegar trained with Schubert in high school, went to Indiana (where he trained for the Olympics), and after the 2021-2022 season turned pro to rejoin Schubert with his newly-formed The Swim Team group.

In spring 2022, Schubert took a 6 month “leave of absence” to coach in China, which wound up turning into almost a year away from his Southern California project. Brinegar left to train at Ohio State in the interim. But in mid-February, Schubert returned, and Brinegar has since resumed his training with the six-time US Olympic coach.

Brinegar finished 9th in the 1500 free (and didn’t swim the 800 free) at US Trials in late June in 15:18.14 before returning to California to train with Schubert. Then, at last week’s USA Swimming Pro Championships, he swam 7:54.88 in the 800 free and 14:59.54 in the 1500 free, the latter of which made him the top US finisher.

The swim in the 800 was close to his season-best, both of which were as fast as he’s been since the 2021 US Olympic Trials while the time in the 1500 was a new personal best and would have placed him 3rd at US Trials if he had done it in June.

Speaking of US Trials in June, among the swimmers who will be joining Schubert and TST going forward are the two guys who finished 3rd and 4th at Trials. Will Gallant from NC State and David Johnston from Texas are both heading to Southern California to train with Schubert, giving that group three of the five fastest Americans this year in the 1500. Those two are expected to start later this week.

Johnston has one season of collegiate eligibility remaining, plus the COVID year, after scoring 43 individual points for Texas at last year’s NCAA Championship meet. He finished 17th at last week’s World Championships in the men’s 400 free.

Gallant was the 2023 NCAA Champion in the 1650 free for NC State and also has one year of eligibility remaining, plus his optional COVID year.

Gallant, El Kamash, and Brinegar all swam at Indiana for at least part of their college careers.

Others joining The Swim Team going forward:

• Egyptian 29-year-old Marwan El Kamash, who spent some time this year training with the elite Italian distance crew while dealing with injuries. He finished 15th in the 400, 10th in the 800, and 9th in the 1500 at Worlds last week.
• Dylan Porges Avila from Mexico who will represent the country at the 2023 Pan American Games. He’s an Ivy League Champion and the Princeton record holder in the 500 free.

Tim Teeter, the Executive Director of The Swim Team, says that they are expecting more to join the group in August or September. Isaac Fleig, who is headed to Wisconsin for his freshman season in the fall, began training with Schubert shortly after his return, and Jamie Brennan, who is transferring out of Northwestern next fall, has also been training with him.