American speedster Michael Andrew confirmed in an interview to SwimSwam that he is planning to compete in 5 individual events at the World Championships this summer in South Korea. These will be the 50 butterfly, 50 backstroke, 50 freestyle and 50/100 breaststroke plus the 4×100 medley relay.
Andrew, who just turned 20 in April, is swimming this weekend in Budapest at the second stop of the FINA Champions Swim Series. The 2018 Pan Pacific champion raced on Saturday in the 50 butterfly, finishing 3rd in a time of 23.19. The winner of this race was Nicholas Santos from Brazil, who set a new South American record of 22.60. Andrew managed to lower his time of 23.27 from the last stop of the series that took place in Guangzhou (China).
When asked about how will he deal with the fatigue triggered by his busy schedule during the World Championships, Andrew replied: “We train for it, so I think the best way for me to prepare for this is mentally and then we will hold on physically, (…) it is a bunch of 50s, so I do well sprinting back to back“.
To qualify for the World Championships team 2019, american swimmers had to finish among the 2 best times of the country in the olympic events, made at either the 2018 Phillips 66 National Championships or the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships. In case of the non-olympic 50s, the winner of the event at the 2018 Nationals qualified automatically for worlds, while the 2nd spot would be for the pre-qualified swimmer with the best time in the event done before the World Championships. Andrew had in 2018 the best year of his career so far, breaking a fair amount of personal best times:
| Event | Time | Meet |
| 50 freestyle | 21.46 | 2018 Pan Pacific Championships |
| 50 butterfly | 22.93 | 2018 Phillips 66 National Championships |
| 50 breaststroke | 26.84 | 2018 Phillips 66 National Championships |
| 100 breaststroke | 59.38 | 2018 Phillips 66 National Championships |
| 50 backstroke | 24.49 | 2018 FINA World Cup |
Today, Andrew competed also in the 50 breaststroke, finishing 3rd in a time of 27.10. At the end of the month he will be present again in the last stop of the FINA Champions Swim Series in Indianapolis.
MA announcing he plans to swim 50s?
Shocking….
People who says don’t think swimming two 50s back to back are stupid. My LCM 50Breast record is 27,5 and I’m as tired after 50 than after 100m breast. Because 50starts all out so last 15m is HARD. 100m starts easier so also last 15m there is hard
I raced 12 races in three days in college (prelims/finals in relays too) never got tired after 50’s and was able to handle it because I had the base. And I was a drop dead sprinter. Over a five day trial event with prelims, semis (that in some events will be as fast as finals!), and finals one had better be FIT and fast. No one will care what you swam in prelims if you can’t repeat it and make the team.
Every four years we see people with great pedigree fail to make the team because they failed to put in the work needed to race ALOT under stress. It would be a shame if Michael got caught… Read more »
He showed up at last Olympic Trials, at SCM Worlds in 2016 for a gold medal, at Pan-Pac trials, and at Pan-Pacs. I doubt he’s going to have any problems. Compare to say, Dressel: great 100 free, disappointing 50 free at OTs; great 2017 Worlds; terrible Pan-Pac Trials and Pan-Pacs. And that’s a guy who killed 13-14 races at NCAAs.
He’s posted in his vlogs that his 50 free goal is to go a 20.80… his best time before? 21.46… and that was a big drop from his best time previous, seems a little out of reach. At least at this time, maybe in the future but I don’t think he’ll be able to drop .66 in one year with as fast as his time already is.
I want to know whether I understand it correctly. The first spot in 50 back was already taken by Murphy because he won the race at last year’s trials. Andrew is currently the fastest among all other swimmers on the roster in this event, but his spot hasn’t been secured. If Grevers went faster than 24.49 before June, he would take the second spot in 50 back. (Although the chance is very small).
So why all there Michael Andrew hate? What do you think the 50s are there for? Is he supposed to feel shame because he isn’t swimming anything above a 100? Anthony Ervin swims only the 50 and 100 free. So why not the same hate heaped on him? Seriously, cut out the armchair arrogance and let him race in the distances that suit his talent. Also, where do you get off judging him when he is one of the best in the world and the rest of you aren’t.
Oh my, now I can’t wait to get all the down votes. So where are the rest of you who are brave enough to go against these people who are so… Read more »
I wish we could see him race the 200im after that 1:57 he cranked out last month. He could potentially be 1:55 or better if he trained for that specifically IMO
Yes, he potentially could be. And I’d be willing to bet Sarah Sjostrom could potentially be 4:01-02 in the 400 free if she trained specifically for it. Does that mean she should? I doubt anyone would say so. Some swimmers are lucky enough to be talented at so many events that they are forced to make choices betweeen them. Maybe someday he will choose 200 im to be a focus race, who knows. But until then people need to realize he can’t swim everything at once and that he is going to focus on the events that he thinks are best for himself.
“Wish we could see him race…” is not the same as “should.” All Foreign Embassy was saying was that it would be nice to see what Andrew could go in the IM. I wish I could have seen Phelps race the backstrokes at his peak, though I don’t think he should have done that.
But Sjostrom does compete in events besides 50’s and if I recall correctly swims the 50-200 free and 100 fly in world class/record times.
And Ben Proud only manages 50 free and 50 fly! Why bother if that’s all you’re going to do?
I don’t know. “Fastest swimmer on the planet” has a nice ring to it. So does an Olympic gold.
Because his talent would have allowed him to be much more than a 50 swimmer. He has generational talent. He is lucky the world is embracing 50’s of stroke at his peak. His talent would’ve allowed him to be at least a world class 100 swimmer in more than one 100. And an even better 200 IM. A great 200 free for sure.
At least that’s where my distaste for him comes from. What could have been, not “wow 4 50’s and a 100 breast”
He’s 20. Think he has some time to prove his generational talent.
I don’t think there is any debate he has generational talent after his assault on the 13-14 record books. Not saying every great 13-14 year old turns out perfect but ones with that many records usually do more than he is with it
Again, he’s 20. Long career ahead of him. Be patient.
All over his vlog, you see signs around his house for 2080. I guess you’ll see him try to get the 2:08 in the 200 breast next 😉
he wants to break phepls’ gold medal record at the 2080 games obviously, duh
“let him race in the distances that suit his talent.” Best ever comment I’ve heard about MA’s choice to be an all-around sprinter.
I’m a big fan of Michael. That being said, it was his family that came in and said he could be world class in 200s and 400s by swimming only 50s in practice. He hasn’t exactly lived up to that.
Because there is only ONE 50 in 2020 and at trials anyone who wants to make the team needs to swim fast three times not once. That’s what makes this 50’s regimen silly. If I were Michael’s coach I’d be pushing him to do multiple 100’s and the 200 IM so that he’s ready for trials and 2020. Doing a bunch of 50’s over 8 days is not a recipe for 2020 success IMO. And believe me, I have more than “armchair arrogance” to back it up. 😘
Least not forget he won the 100 Breast at US Nationals last year and will be swimming that as well, which usually comes with a prelim relay spot at least. Potential for at least 3 Olympic swims, which is more than most that qualify for US team.
And Dressel swimming 400 IMs in local meets is not a recipe for success in the the 50/100 free, 100 fly.
Ooooo. 50’s.
It does sound funny- I think my 94 year old mother could do 12 50s in 8 days….the relays might get her though.
“the fatigue” lol, I mean I know they are hard races but its literally one length of the pool for 80% of his races
One length at 100%. In two of them no-breathers. You really need to read up on energy systems and what races deplete which energy systems and how long it takes them to be restored. Muscle fatigue occurs most acutely with creatine phosphate breakdown (which happens first and foremost in short sprints), not lactic acid accumulation. https://www.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiologyonline.2002.17.1.17
Funny how you actually have dislikes . People are actually disliking facts and scientific data?!? There is no hope for some people.
People in the government do that all the time
My guess is that people aren’t disliking “facts and scientific data.” They are probably disliking the patronizing tone and gratuitous explanation of how creatine phosphate causes muscle fatigue, “not lactic acid accumulation.”
You had to do it em
12 x 50s hopefully
Yes and his races are spread out over several days
Spread out over multiple days, but he’ll still be racing people who are focusing on just one or two events at the most and maybe a relay. All told, that would be anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 the schedule he has. It’s going to be tough, but he’s shown an amazing ability to swim well under fatigue. The biggest part, as he said, will be the mental challenge. I know he’s been to Pan Pacs and Short Course Worlds, but Long Course World’s is a different animal and how he reacts and adapts mentally will determine how he performs.
As a side note, I’d be interested to see if he alters his diet in any significant way. I know… Read more »