WATCH: Race Videos From The 2021 January Pro Swim Series
Check out select race videos from this weekend’s Pro Swim Series meets in San Antonio and Richmond.
Cal Training Helping Isabelle Stadden “Regain my touch with the water” (Video)
Stadden, currently in her freshman year at Cal, dipped under her swim from Knoxville last January by .01, a positive sign as we reset the Olympic year.
How Focusing on Fly/Breast Has Improved Kathleen Baker’s 200 IM (Video)
This was Baker’s third-fastest performance ever, having been 2:08.32 in the summer of 2018 and 2:08.75 in February of last year.
Abbey Weitzeil Describes the Mental Struggles of Getting Back In Shape (Video)
Weitzeil’s last long course 50 prior to this weekend came in December of 2019, where she went 24.70 at a time trial in Minnesota.
Ally McHugh Talks Racing all Stroke 200s, Taking Mile Out Fast (Video)
16:12.87 is the 23-year-old’s third-fastest swim ever, and quickest since August of 2019. It also makes McHugh the second-fastest American in 2020-21.
Nic Fink Explains Why Georgia Swimmers Finish Races Well By Design (Video)
Nic Fink home like a freight train down the stretch to sneak by Will Licon for the 200 breast win in 2:11.28, with Licon just .02 back. Fink’s final 50: 33.20
Zane Grothe on Training: “I’ve really focused on having a better 1500” (Video)
Grothe, 28, finished in a time of 15:10.29, stacking up as his fastest swim since July of 2019 while also making him the second-fastest American this season
Kieran Smith Breaks Down the Approach That Led to Lifetime Best 200 IM (Video)
Smith’s 1:59.38 showing lowers his previous PB of 1:59.56, set way back at the 2017 World Juniors, and ranks him 13th in the world this season.
Kathleen Baker: “First time in a hot second that my freestyle leg was faster than my backstroke” (Video)
Baker finished in 2:10.30, moving past Cox to become the 2nd-fastest swimmer in the world this year, with only Kaylee McKeown (2:08.23) ahead of her
Changing Short Course to LCM Racing Mindset is Key for Abbey Weitzeil (Video)
Abbey Weitzeil put up solid performances in San Antonio, taking a win in the 50 free and claiming 2nd behind Olivia Smoliga in the 100 free
The 5 Biggest Stories From the January 2021 Pro Swim Series
Class of 2013 Texas alumnus Austin Surhoff (above) posted 2 new lifetime bests to place 2nd in the 50 free (22.54) and 3rd in the 100 free (49.76).
Zach Apple Breaks Down Mixed Bag Results at First LCM Meet of 2021 (Video)
Zach Apple began to close on him down the stretch and employed his patented straight arm technique over the closing meters.
Ryan Murphy Breaks Down The Pain You Need to Feel in a 200 Back (Video)
Murphy becomes the 6th-fastest man in the world with a 1:56.82. The fastest Murphy has ever been in January came in 2016 at 1:55.99.
Olivia Smoliga Breaks Down Prelims/Swim Off/Finals 200 Free Triple (Video)
Smoliga admits she expected to break 2:00 in the 200 free in San Antonio, and that swimming 3 of them in 1 day was more of a mental challenge than anything
2021 January Pro Swim Series: Day 4 Combined Results
The top 4 finishers in the men’s 100 free from Richmond were faster than the San Antonio final. Meanwhile, Kathleen Baker’s 200 IM is now #2 in the world.