ISL Season 3: Free Agency Period Closed July 30th, Season Begins August 24th

July 30th was the final day of the free agency period for the International Swimming League’s (ISL) 2021 season. The free agency period was a 30-day window following the conclusion of the ISL draft, where teams could bolster their rosters by signing undrafted athletes. According to the ISL rules for this season, this is the end of the free agency period, therefore additional swimmer may not be added to rosters from this point forward.

Although there won’t be any new additions to ISL teams this season, we may still see some swimmers decide to pull out. The ISL has seen its first Olympian withdraw from the 2021 season, with Adam Peaty announcing today he will be taking a break from swimming “for at least a month.” This seemingly indicates the breaststroke powerhouse will not be taking part in this ISL season, which is slated to begin on August 24th, before his one-month-minimum break is over.

We’ve already seen one post-Olympic withdrawal from the ISL and expect more in the coming days as athletes digest their summer schedules and develop fall plans. For any Olympians, this will be the best opportunity for a break before jumping into a hectic three-year -period before Paris has been condensed from the usual four by the Tokyo delay.

Free agent signings for the 2021 ISL season:

Out of the 10 ISL teams, the Tokyo Frog Kings had the busiest free agency period, signing 13 athletes to the team. Some notable additions include Gabby DeLoof, who will be joining her sister Catie on the team, and Zac Stubblety-Cook who recently won Gold in the men’s 200 breast at the Tokyo Olympics.

Tokyo Frog Kings:

• Tomomi Aoki
• Gabby DeLoof
• Harriet Jones
• Keanna Macinnes
• Miranda Tucker
• Leah Gingrich
• Julie Meynen
• Pedro Spajari
• Richard Bohus
• Daniil Pasynkov
• Maarten Brzoskowski
• Federico Poggio
• Zac Stubblety-Cook

Iron also had a big free agency period, adding 8 athletes to the team, which gives them the largest current roster in the league. Among the free agents is 30-year-old Alys Thomas, the defending Commonwealth Games Gold medalist in the women’s 200 fly.

Iron:

• Alys Thomas
• Luiz Altamir Melo
• Silvia Scalia
• Danielle Hill
• Sasha Touretski
• Lorenzo Mora
• Maxim Lobanovszkij
• Erik Persson

London Roar added 6 swimmers in the free agency period, including Dutch SCM specialist Valerie Van Roon. Van Roon is a 3x SC European Champion, and a 3x SC World Championships Silver medalist. Fellow Netherlands native, Kim Busch, is also a SC force. Busch is a 6x Silver medalist at SC World Champs, and a 2x SC World Champs Bronze medalist. Van Roon and Busch are just 22 and 23 years old respectively.

London Roar:

• Valerie Van Roon
• Katie Shanahan
• Sam Williamson
• Kim Busch
• Laura Lahtinen
• Ed Mildred

NY Breakers picked up 4 athletes during free agency. British sprinter Elliot Clogg is a 2x Commonwealth Games medalist and a Short Course junior British Record-holder. Stan Pijnenburg is a SC World Championships relay Silver medalist.

New York Breakers:

• Elliot Clogg
• Paulina Peda
• Jakub Kraska
• Stan Pijnenburg

The Cali Condors picked up 5 free agents, including Katerine Savard, an Olympic Bronze medalist for Canada, and a 2x SC Worlds medalist. Also in the list of free agents was Tom Peribonio, who holds 9 Ecuadorian national records.

Cali Condors:

• Katerine Savard
• Marie Pietruschka
• Tom Peribonio
• Anastasiia Sorokina
• Angel Martinez

DC Trident signed 3 more athletes to the team following the draft. Among them was 2020-2021 NCAA All-American butterflier Camden Murphy. The UGA graduate will be making his ISL debut this fall. The Trident also signed veteran sprinter Madison Kennedy, a 7x SC World Champs medalist, including 4 Gold medals.

DC Trident:

• Bella Hindley
• Camden Murphy
• Mark Nikoalev
• Madison Kennedy
• Joanna Evans

Current 2021 ISL rosters for Aqua Centurions, Cali Condors, DC Trident, Energy Standard, and Iron:

Current 2021 ISL rosters for LA Current, London Roar, NY Breakers, Tokyo Frog Kings, and Toronto Titans: