Practice + Pancakes: Walsh Sisters + Madden Pace, Brownstead + King Power

We took a trip down to Charlottesville to bring you a couple of practices from the defending women’s NCAA champions. On this Monday afternoon, head coach Todd DeSorbo was running a 50 free group which included Matt Brownstead (2021 ACC champion, 50 & 100 free) and Matt King (2021 SEC champion, 100 free & Runner up, 50 free). They were doing sprints on the racks: each time you swam an effort, you would add weight if you went 5.5 or faster. If you went 6.0 or slower, you would lose weight.

Over on the dive well end, associate head coach Blaire Bachman was running a 200 pace group, including the likes of Gretchen Walsh (backstroke), Alex Walsh (breaststroke), and Paige Madden (fly/back). Here is their main set:

3X            2X50@50/1:00/1:10       PACE -1; MIMIC THE FIRST 100 OF YOUR 200 RACE

                :40SR

2X75@1:30                        RACE

1X50@1:00                        BLAST KICK!

50@2:00                             EZ SWIM

– RESET – 

3X            4X50@55/1:05/1:15       P-1/P/P/P

                :40SR

100@2:00                          BACKEND 100

1X25@30                           BLAST KICK!

75@2:00                             EZ SWIM

100 EZ

1X175 RACE – ALL OUT – BEAT YOUR 200 PB!  

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Victorian
2 years ago

Great swimming, elite stopwatch twirling

neffry
2 years ago

Really impressed that UVA can attract so much talent in one pool. I’ve been lucky enough to see Matt King train and compete in person and that was an incredible experience in and of itself. Knowing theres a whole stable of elite athletes there is nuts. Awesome to see that sprint group grow stronger. UVA will be bringing some energy to NCAAs!

Steve Nolan
2 years ago

Gonna have to add one of these bad boys to those stacks, really get that weight up

comment image

Steve Nolan
Reply to  Steve Nolan
2 years ago

And also a mini gimbal.

Drake
2 years ago

Alex Walsh is so fine omg

Greg
2 years ago

Coleman – love the shoutout to Fry’s Spring Station! Delicious pizza and where I met my future wife on our first date! Whoever is giving you food recommendations when you visit Cville is doing a good job 👍

Chuggy Wuggy
2 years ago

Wow David Curtiss’ son can really pull a lot of racks!

Wolfpups
Reply to  Chuggy Wuggy
2 years ago

He would be Matt Brownstead’s father if he could do anything else other than the 50 freestyle.

Lizard King
Reply to  Chuggy Wuggy
2 years ago

Rumor has it that Brownie beat David’s Season Best by .01 on Friday… Hoos your daddy?

Lizard Queen
Reply to  Lizard King
2 years ago

Oh and babe, you forgot to mention we heard about David’s fortnite skills…rumor has it the poor chap never made it out of Tilted

Breezeway
Reply to  Lizard King
2 years ago

Rumor? 🤣
David has video from that 50 free in Charlottesville a couple weeks ago. Facts!

walrus
Reply to  Breezeway
2 years ago

SwimSwam wrote an article about this already, video included, https://swimswam.com/uva-men-grab-200-free-relay-a-cut-on-first-night-of-cavalier-invite/ , check urself b4 u wreck urself, Breezeway

NCStateScholar
Reply to  walrus
2 years ago

Breezeway let me guess, Exploratory Studies major?

Breezeway
Reply to  walrus
2 years ago

I was referring to the straightup 50 free in Charlottesville, not some relay split
You remember this, https://swimswam.com/watch-8-pool-records-go-down-at-uva-g-walsh-swim-23-04-50-back/

Last edited 2 years ago by Breezeway
Swimfan76
Reply to  Breezeway
2 years ago

Ah yes, breezeway, you’re correct. I forgot “some relay split” i.e. Brownstead leading off, doesn’t count for a “straightup 50 in Charlottesville”

Chuggy Wuggy
Reply to  Swimfan76
2 years ago

I mean they were head to head, the best way to race possible. We will see at ACCs.

PVSFree
2 years ago

Gretchen Walsh’s best 200 back time is a 1:54.67 from a dual meet like 3 weeks ago. She was 26.49/28.69/29.60/29.89 (26.49/55.18/1:24.78/1:54.67) in that race.

She was 1:37.3 at the 175 wall, so I think she’d be around a 1:51.high if she finishes that last 25. She did that. In practice. Without a suit. Insane. Absolutely would not be surprised to see her swim the 200 back at NCAAs/ACCs

swimfan27
Reply to  PVSFree
2 years ago

She did what in practice?

swimgeek
Reply to  swimfan27
2 years ago

She went 1:37 in a 175 backstroke in practice.

Grant Drukker
Reply to  PVSFree
2 years ago

But also with the power of the coach’s watch

PVSFree
Reply to  Grant Drukker
2 years ago

Even if you are SUPER lenient with the coach’s watch and add a second to the 175 time, that’s a 1:52.high/1:53.low. Which is still a best time by a second and a half and would’ve finaled at NCAAs. Ridiculous practice time either way

Last edited 2 years ago by PVSFree
Greg
Reply to  Grant Drukker
2 years ago

I timed it in 137.6. Coach’s watch was pretty accurate this time.

swimgeek
Reply to  Greg
2 years ago

It wasn’t Todd’s watch 🙂

Autoplay
2 years ago

Off topic – how do you disable YouTube autoplay???

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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