Suspended American swimmer Michael Brinegar competed for the Indiana University Swim Club on Sunday at a collegiate club meet at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, results show.
Brinegar, whose name is misspelled in the results, swam six events:
- 200 medley relay (6th) – freestyle anchor leg, 21.50
- 200 free (1st) – 1:42.44
- 500 free (1st) – 4:32.69
- 200 free relay (5th) – freestyle anchor leg, 21.99
- 50 free (5th) – 22.40
- 400 IM (1st) – 4:09.54
Brinegar is currently serving a four year suspension from all Olympic-umbrella competition after the US Anti-Doping Agency found evidence of blood doping, which Brinegar has denied.
While the suspension extends to most professional level competition, U.S. Masters Swimming sanctioned events (see: Lance Armstrong), and USA Swimming events, other organizations that aren’t WADA signatories are not bound by those suspensions, though the suspension could trigger corollary rules for some of those organizations.
He also isn’t allowed to compete in any other Olympic or WADA-umbrella competitions, including in other sports, nor train with Olympic-umbrella coaches or teams.
This leaves suspended athletes able to participate in competitions at the NCAA level, collegiate club level, summer league level (some have adult divisions), the Enhanced Games, or even Grown Up Swimming, none of which are World Anti-Doping Code signatories.
This was Brinegar’s first swimming competition since being suspended, based on available records.
The Indiana club swimming team was only 17th at last year’s Collegiate Club National Championships, and it appears that by Collegiate Club Swimming rules he is likely ineligible for this year’s meet. Collegiate club powerhouse Purdue, which won the Hoosier Invitational on Sunday with 928.5 points, are the defending men’s champions. Indiana was 3rd at this meet with 394 points, and Ohio State was 2nd with 483 points.
Brinegar is a two-time World Junior Championship medalist, winning silver in the 1500 free and bronze in the 800 free in 2017. He also won a bronze medal in the team open water event at the 2019 World Championships.
He represented the U.S. at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in the pool while training as an undergraduate at Indiana. In 2023, he moved to California to resume training with former U.S. National Team Director Mark Schubert, the same man who coached his mother Jennifer to the 1976 Olympic Games.
The 2025 Collegiate Club National Championships will be held from March 28-30 at the Skyline Aquatic Center in Mesa, Arizona.
Cheaters need to go away from the sport. Move to China and swim for them if doping is your thing. Bye, Michael.
This is a pathetic post. Michael is moving on with his life trying to wrap up his degree. The College Club scene is just people getting together to enjoy the sport at a social level. This was a low stakes meet and Michael was invited to join so he and his friends could enjoy swimming at the Nat.
Leave him alone. This did not warrant a swim swam article.
College Club Swimming: cries when nobody pays attention.
College Club Swimming: cries when somebody pays attention.
I’m dying rn.
The article was about a former Olympian competing again, which is relevant to fans and followers who also enjoy the sport. What you don’t like is that a)Michael’s suspension was brought up and b)not everyone commenting is taking his side.
The hypocrisy of USADA is appalling. Lance, who didn’t cheat in swimming and wasn’t trying to compete internationally in swimming, tries to compete in a masters meet and USADA gets WADA and FINA involved, threatening to not confirm US delegates to FINA and not allowing US athletes to compete at world masters championships. The logic they used was that they didn’t want world caliber swimmers to hide out in masters swimming to train and compete while serving a ban. Then Lochte is allowed to compete while serving a ban, and now Brinegar. Not saying Armstrong should have been able to swim, or that Lochte and Brinegar shouldn’t. I’m saying that there shouldn’t be two sets of rules. And the fact… Read more »
It’s in his blood
Brinegar… I remember watching that boy swim to a 14:37 in the 2017 junior winter meet… 16 strokes a length or so until those legs came in the last 50 and BAM 23 comin home! Lapped the whole field! Real impressed with that young Guns grit.
As a college junior, I raced a 1650 next to high schooler Michael. He beat me by a cool 42 seconds! lol 14:35 as an 18-yr old, I believe.
Results are here, in case anyone is interested. https://www.swimclubiu.com/meets/2025-hoosier-invite
Known powerhouse Purdue Swim Club mentioned 🥹
And to think when I was on it we were the hot tub club 🤣
Who’s his coach currently?
He’s been swimming by himself at iu
and also not by himself with his mom’s club team
and also not by himself with his mother’s club team
….
lie
His mother.
He is doing what all retired swimmers do, swim to stay in shape. This is a nothing article.
Except for the pictures floating around of him doing open water training with a USA Swimming club in violation of his suspension….
But Imma let you finish.
Please share the pictures … he hasn’t swum or trained open water since Feb 2024 in Qatar as part of the U.S. Open Water team.
Officially retired? Haven’t seen an announcement stating such a thing.