Michael Andrew beat Karol Ostrowski in a head-to-head showdown in the 50 free last week in Hawaii. Andrew won a $500 prize at the spectacle event designed to give local Hawaii club swimmers a real taste of professional racing.
The event was put on by the head coaches of two prominent Hawaiian clubs: Ivan Batsanov from ‘Iolani Swim Club and Joseph Glenn from Aulea Swim Club.
Race Video:
There were a few big takeaways from the event, which was in large part geared toward fun and racing:
Times
Andrew swam 22.10 and Ostrowski swam 22.20. For Ostrowski, who represents Poland internationally, that’s just .14 seconds shy of his best time.
Ostrowski had the better start of the two, though Andrew caught up above the water.
There was an additional $500 bonus if either swimmer went faster than 22.00, but neither did, so Michael Andrew received a $500 prize for his efforts. Still, both times were encouraging given a warm pool (84 degrees).
Changes Coming to Michael Andrew‘s Start?
Michael Andrew is more transparent with his tinkering, and probably does more of it, than any elite swimmer in history, and his dad and coach Peter gave a tease of what’s to come.
An eagle-eyed follower Ryan Kim noticed that Michael Andrew‘s start looked different, and his dad Peter confirmed it and said he’d share a video of the changes soon (that video has not yet dropped).
A model that addresses a lot of challenges in the sport?
Hawaii swimming right now is fortunate to have two world class swimmers training there as professionals. For $500, the coaches of the two participating clubs got something that you can’t put a price tag on: up close and personal inspiration for their athletes.
While $500 isn’t enough to really professionalize swimming, it all adds up. This is a fun racing opportunity, a good way for these swimmers to build their brands locally, make a little cash on a Friday or Saturday night, and test out something new in a low-pressure environment.
About the Swimmers
Michael Andrew is a 27-year-old American swimmer who represented the U.S. at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. There, he won gold and set a World Record as part of the 400 medley relay.
He also has 20 total World Championship medals across long course and short course meters.
After missing the U.S. team for the 2024 Olympic Games, Andrew made a change. To that point of his career, he had only trained with his father Peter Andrew using non-traditional, sprint-based USRPT training.
The switch was to another sprint-oriented program at Arizona State University, where he spent about a year.
After no great turnaround there, he returned to Peter Andrew, this time reconnecting in Hawaii.
Ostrowski, 26, was an NCAA Division II National Champion in the 100 and 200 yard freestyles in 2021 and 2022 at Drury University before transferring to the University of Hawaii.
He and Andrew have some parallels in their paths: Ostrowski represented Poland at the 2020 Olympic Games, but missed the 2024 team. He ultimately wound up in a relay-only role at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships.
His focus has really been on the 50 and 100 freestyles of late, though without any best times in long course in either primary event since 2021.
His swim at this meet in the 50 was the second-best of his career.
meanwhile Mikel just vanished from the MA Swim Academy. MA and TA probably did him dirty. they can’t handle focusing on anyone but MA!
84 degrees would affect longer races because the water doesn’t cool you down, but I can’t imagine it matters in a 50.
Every Michael Andrew article is a treat.
New start, 84 degrees makes a huge difference, what’s next?
Innovating with the start. Another MA way of avoiding actually training
Massive difference? What would be the conversion time to a normal temperature competition pool. I would think sprinter muscle would like the lukewarm water
Dang I knew that division 2 let old guys compete but Ostrowski racing at the Sydney Olympics in the year 2000 is crazy
I wonder how far ahead of Hoogenband he would have surfaced after the dive
He must be 44 years old,
He went under masters world record, and swimswam failed to acknowledge this fact.
Current world record for 40-44 group is 23.14 by Andrei Kurnosov (RUS)
Go Michael, love to watch the swimswam woke lefties comment in vile hate 😀
I bet I am a bigger Shane Tusup fan
Spare us!!!!
“84 degree pool” has good meme potential.
You think this is the next 75 with fins?
Yes, swimming in a pool that is too hot isn’t good. But at what distance/race duration does it actually have a negative effect? Would it actually negatively affect a 50?
84 isn’t even that hot. It’s less than 29 degrees Celsius.
Outdoor pools here in Australia run hotter than that all the time in summer, imagine that’s pretty normal for US also.