Michael Andrew, Reece Whitley Bromance? GMM presented by SwimOutlet.com

Gold Medal Minute presented by SwimOutlet.com

It seems some swim fans breakdown by Team Michael Andrew or Team Reece Whitley.  Andrew and Whitley battle in breaststroke, but outside of the pool they appear to be great friends. As co-captains of the 2017 U.S. Junior World Championship Team they became leaders of the next generation, roles they embodied with ease.

It’s a long way until 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha. Both should be a threat to make the team, but what will it take to secure a spot in 2020? In 100m breast, to be safe, I think it will take 58.5 or faster. What do you think?

For fun, should Reece go train with Michael? Should Reece commit to a USRPT training camp?  I’d like to see it (and capture video).  I’d also like to see Michael work through a week of Reece’s training. Something tells me they’d both learn a lot from the experience.

Follow Michael Andrew on Instagram here.  

Follow Reece Whitley on Instagram here.

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This is a Gold Medal Media production presented by SwimOutlet.com. Host Gold Medal Mel Stewart is a 3-time Olympic medalist and the co-founder of SwimSwam.com, a Swimming News website.

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Swimmer A
6 years ago

I think it’s kinda interesting that they both mentioned Carson Foster. Just watching him at the last junior nats meet and you can kinda see that something is the rise there. Him and Drew Kibbler have a really high ceiling.

Tom from Chicago
6 years ago

I think MA will be great at the 50 free and 100 breast. I think Whitley will be great at both breaststrokes and possibly an IM. Actually, I should re-phrase that; both those dudes are already great at those events, but may excel even more.

I am so fascinated by how they are exact opposite swimmers. MA crushes the front-end speed then drags his piano the last 25 meters. While Whitley seems to use the first half of his race as a warm-up, then comes charging home like he’s possessed.

I also like seeing them next to each other. I think MA will be 6’5 and Whitley will be 6’7.

The other interesting dynamic is how there are… Read more »

Admin
Reply to  Tom from Chicago
6 years ago

I think when Reece gets to Cal, he will actually wind up being a butterflier and IMer. I think there’s a strong possibility that his days remaining as a “breaststroker” are few.

sven
Reply to  Braden Keith
6 years ago

The crazy thing is, even if breaststroke remains his best stroke, he might legitimately have a better shot at the 200 IM for an Olympic spot, simply because of how densely packed US breaststroke is at the top. Don’t get me wrong, no one is unseating Kalisz, but depending on Lochte’s comeback and whether or not Devine’s 1:56 was a fluke (he went 1:58 at WCs), that 2nd spot might be easier to get than beating Cordes, Miller, Fink, Wilson, Andrew, Prenot, etc.

Noflykick
Reply to  sven
6 years ago

If Caleb decides that he is seriously interested in the 200 LCM IM, both spots are taken.

Aquajosh
Reply to  Noflykick
6 years ago

I said it before the 2016 OTs and I will say it again: Dressel will swim the 200 IM in Tokyo.

Caeleb Dressel Will Get 7 golds in Tokyo
Reply to  Aquajosh
6 years ago

Caeleb Dressel Tokyo
All 4 relays, gold.
50 free
100 free
100 fly
200 im. Wait… time to change my name lol.

Yabo
Reply to  sven
6 years ago

Idk I think Whitley will probably be able to beat out one of those guys in the 200 br come 2020

Bear Watcher
6 years ago

All eyes will be on Reece after he starts big boy training at Cal. We are pulling for him.

James
6 years ago

100 breast should be about 58.8 and watch out for Cody Miller, Kevin Cordes, Carson Foster, Andrew Wilson, Fink. Andrew and Whitley event
200 breast Pernot and Cordes and Licon. I say 2:07.4-2:08.2 for first and second. Reece whitley event

ex quaker
Reply to  James
6 years ago

Carson Foster in the 100 breast..? Jake in a couple years, maybe.

Rachel
6 years ago

About the training, it’s only a week or so. No one is asking/expecting them to change their training style completely (okay maybe Andrew). It’s just to experience a different style of training which I think is always valuable.

Caeleb Dressel Will Get 7 golds in Tokyo
6 years ago

To be safe you think it will be 58.5? Wait, I actually agree with this.

Goose
6 years ago

I didn’t realize this was BuzzFeed

Das Swimmer
Reply to  Goose
6 years ago

how can i give multiple thumbs down. people are interested. you only make these comments when it’s MA

Dudeman
Reply to  Goose
6 years ago

Well considering there was no misleading title or top 10 list i’d say it’s about as far from buzzfeed as you can get

Improving
6 years ago

Not much of a rivalry. One excels at longer distances, the other one maxes out at 50s….

Rachel
Reply to  Improving
6 years ago

They collide a lot in the 100 breast. Reece also does do the 50 sometimes. They don’t necessarily collide in their major events, though.

Improving
Reply to  Rachel
6 years ago

Been two years since Andew hit that 100 time….

sven
Reply to  Improving
6 years ago

And the sweet spot is in the middle, Andrew having a narrow 0.3s lead on the 100BR for now.

But they’re really not so disparate. For someone who maxes out at 50, MA is doing pretty well to be 3 seconds off Whitley’s 200BR. Other than that, the biggest differences I can see in their 200s are 4s in the 200BK (SCY) and 4s in the 200IM (LCM), both led by Andrew.

Meanwhile:
SCY 200 IM: 0.8s apart
SCY 200 fly: 1s apart
SCY 200 free: 0.02s apart.

Not seeing any LCM times for Whitley in the 2fly, 2bk, or 2fr

Their SCY 100BR times are within a tenth of eachother. Of the events they’re… Read more »

Michael
Reply to  sven
6 years ago

This will be the new Phelps V Lochte for the next generation of swimmers

PVSFree
Reply to  sven
6 years ago

Cal seems to be great for IMers, I think that’s where we’ll see Reece really develop in college. If he were going to Texas, I’d agree with you and say that his 200 free would be world class by his junior year.

About Gold Medal Mel Stewart

Gold Medal Mel Stewart

MEL STEWART Jr., aka Gold Medal Mel, won three Olympic medals at the 1992 Olympic Games. Mel's best event was the 200 butterfly. He is a former World, American, and NCAA Record holder in the 200 butterfly. As a writer/producer and sports columnist, Mel has contributed to Yahoo Sports, Universal Sports, …

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