PODCAST

Freestyle Media

Joe Malone

Weekly podcasts, all for the sport we love.

sports swimming

All Episodes

53:05

#180: From Tradition to 20.88: A New Way to Train?

Freestyle Media ·

2026/04/06

We discuss the radical training behind the fastest man in the world. Sonny Trigg shares what he learned from spending time in Brisbane with Cameron McEvoy. Fresh from witnessing the build-up to McEvoy’s world record-breaking 50m freestyle (20.88), Sonny gives a unique behind-the-scenes look at a programme that’s turning traditional swim training on its head. We explore the relentless focus on marginal gains, the team and environment that support it, and the mindset shift that allowed McEvoy t...

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45:49

#179: Siân Clement and the Art of Extreme Swimming

Freestyle Media ·

2026/03/30

Meet Siân Clement, an intrepid open water and ice swimmer dividing her time between South Wales and Orkney and rarely choosing the easy path. In this episode, we learn about her remarkable journey from swimming alongside penguins in Antarctica to taking on the iconic Manhattan Island Marathon Swim and becoming the first woman to complete the Original Triple Crown of open water swimming: the English Channel, Bristol Channel, and the formidable North Channel between Ireland and Scotland. Siân s...

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44:16

#178: The Art of the Taper

Freestyle Media ·

2026/03/24

Jamie Ingram joins us Helen Gorman to discuss his tapering strategy ahead of the Aquatics GB Swimming Championships this April. He’s one of Britain’s top butterfly swimmers and a Commonwealth Games medallist from 2022. Jamie explains what goes into preparation for a major event, what changes in the final weeks before competition, and the signs swimmers look for to know they’re ready to perform. He breaks down his 100m butterfly, from kick counts, pacing and strategy to handling pressure...

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43:29

#177: Can Baking Soda Make You Faster?

Freestyle Media ·

2026/03/17

This week we dive into the science of lactate, that familiar burning sensation you feel in the closing stages of a hard race, and explore why bicarbonate of soda – baking powder – is being used by elite athletes to slow down lactate acid production. We look at how athletes can train to improve lactate tolerance, considering diet, lifestyle and age as a factor. We consider why elite athletes across different sports have experimented with taking bicarb supplements and whether it can genuinely h...

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41:23

#176: From Olympic Heartbreak to King of the Channel

Freestyle Media ·

2026/03/10

Michael Read MBE is a legend of British swimming. He has spent more than six decades pushing the limits of endurance in the water. Selected for the 1960 Olympic team before an accident ended that dream, he went on to carve out an extraordinary career in marathon swimming — including 33 crossings of the English Channel, earning him the title of "King of the Channel.” Now in his 80s, Michael is still competing at the highest level in masters swimming, recently winning multiple gold medals at th...

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45:18

#175: New age group. Same obsession.

Freestyle Media ·

2026/03/03

David Bryant is competing more than anyone we know right now - chasing records and rolling back the clock to his youth. From international racing in the 80s to masters globe trotting (with a possible side hustle in espionage), he’s proof that ambition doesn’t retire. We discuss the privilege and the challenges of reaching age 65 and having world record aspirations. This isn’t a story about slowing down. It’s about speeding up - at 65.

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46:25

174: From Sequins to Swimscape

Freestyle Media ·

2026/02/24

Mel Bardsley has never just “gone for a swim.” From representing her country in artistic swimming to winning BUCS university water polo championships and competing in National League Division 1, she’s spent a lifetime pushing limits in the water. She’s swum the English Channel in a relay, claimed Masters surf lifesaving titles, and now coaches open water swimmers from her base in Bude, North Cornwall after leaving school teaching to launch Swimscape Cornwall. In this fun episode, we div...

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38:28

#173: I Used AI to Break a British Masters Record

Freestyle Media ·

2026/02/17

In December, Dom Wooldridge broke the British Masters 100m butterfly record in the 30–34 age group - with an unexpected training partner: AI. Unable to attend all his training sessions with City of Cardiff Swimming Club, Dom turned to AI-generated sessions to supplement his preparation. In this episode, he joins host Helen Gorman to share his firsthand experience of using AI to support his performance. Together, they explore how well this real-life experiment worked… and reveal some of the do...

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26:56

#172: Brad Price's 3,100 Pull-Up Challenge

Freestyle Media ·

2026/02/10

We catch up with masters swimmer Brad Price after he’s just wrapped up an epic January challenge: 100 pull-ups every single day - 3,100 in total - in support of a charity that helps retired military and police dogs live out their well-earned retirements. Brad discusses the methods that kept him going, the moments that nearly broke him, and how grinding through thousands of pull-ups could translate into faster, stronger swimming in the pool. He also shares practical tips for anyone wanti...

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50:36

#171: Two Swimmers, One English Channel, Very...

Freestyle Media ·

2026/02/03

Rebecca Lennon and Sarah Fitzgerald-Smith join Helen Gorman on the Master Swimming Podcast for a powerful conversation about the realities of attempting to swim the English Channel - where preparation meets uncertainty, and outcomes are never guaranteed. With significantly fewer people having swum the Channel than have climbed Mount Everest, they explore what draws swimmers to one of the world’s most demanding endurance challenges. The discussion covers the months of training, the mental and ...

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42:37

#170: Can AI Make You A Faster Swimmer?

Freestyle Media ·

2026/01/27

Is AI the ultimate assistant coach or a step too far? Matt Gray, assistant head coach at City of Peterborough Swimming Club, joins us to unpack how artificial intelligence is shaking up swimming. From free apps and instant feedback to race-winning pacing strategies, we explore whether AI could transform the way we train, and what we might lose if we lean on it too heavily. We also tackle the ethical questions and look ahead to a future where data, coaching, and human instinct collide.

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55:37

#169: Should Masters Swimmers be Allowed to Wear Full...

Freestyle Media ·

2026/01/20

Do you wish you could race in one of those shiny rubber full body suits from 2009? Do you think you could smash your personal best times and look like a superhero in the process? Or are you glad that those days are gone? Helen Gorman and Conor Osborough, discuss bodysuits and there's a special guest opinion by Dean Milwain, 2008 Olympian, who is keen to dust off his old bodysuits and enjoy the extra buoyancy and speed they provided! Tapping into Conor's PhD knowledge, we explore the reasons w...

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47:22

#168: From Elite Swimming to Firefighting: Lauren...

Freestyle Media ·

2026/01/13

Backstroke ace, Lauren Quigley joins us at the start of a Commonwealth Games year to reflect on the medals she won at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and during an illustrious career at saw her crack the 60 second mark for 100m backstroke (long course). Hailing from a swimming family, we discuss the intense pressure she felt leading into the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Trials, and how her experiences as an elite swimmer have shaped her new career as a firefighter. Lauren talks about the sense ...

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45:10

#167: Lessons from Lublin & Training Smart for the...

Freestyle Media ·

2026/01/06

John Wood joins Helen Gorman to reflect on the European Masters Short Course Championships held in Lublin, Poland. We discuss everything from John's impressive gold medal and lifetime best performance in the 100m butterfly to the size of pizza slices available at the pool cafe. We review the world record breaking performances and highlight a few star performances by British swimmers. We also cover the organisation of the championships and the value of having a major international short ...

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39:59

#166: Surrey vs Hants: Inter County Christmas Cup &...

Freestyle Media ·

2025/12/16

Rival Inter County team managers from Surrey (Laura Kerrigan) and Hampshire (James MacTavish) take on the 'Inter County Christmas Cup', a new podcast game show devised without any rules or a scoring system. Helen Gorman asks the questions and Joe Malone is called in work out who wins. This Christmas special covers training traditions as well as a review of what happened in 2025. We put forward nominations for the Freestyle Media masters swimmer of the year and look ahead to 2026. See yo...

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27:04

#165: History Maker Jane Asher Enters Swim Hall of...

Freestyle Media ·

2025/12/09

Hear from Jane Asher following her induction into the Swim England Hall of Fame. Jane has broken over 100 master’s swimming world records and won numerous world titles. Now she’s preparing for the next age group with a laser focus on the record books! Even in her 90s, her swims are a master class in technique and pacing and her approach to training is a lesson in longevity (assuming no one gets in her way!) Hear stories from Jane’s childhood, including moving from Zambia to South ...

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48:49

#164: From Olympic Heartbreak to Masters Hall of Fame

Freestyle Media ·

2025/12/02

This week, we meet Glen Christiansen, a Swedish Olympian and Masters World Record holder. We discuss Glen's journey from elite swimmer to coach, his heart breaking experience at the 1980 Olympics, why he attended the first ever World Masters Championships in Tokyo, and his recovery from a serious accident that resulted in him needing to relearn how to walk, talk and eat. Glen shares insights on the evolution of Masters swimming, his coaching philosophy, and the significance of his recen...

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56:35

#163: From zero to 49 second 100m freestyle hero!

Freestyle Media ·

2025/11/25

Imagine doing just five months of training and breaking 50 seconds for the 100m freestyle? That’s exactly what Arran Francis did and he’s now one of the most exciting new faces on the masters swimming scene. Helen Gorman tracked him down to find out more. Arran talks through why joining Trafford Swimming Club was the best decision he’s made this year and what he hopes to achieve from here. He’s also a high achiever in the business world, managing three YouTube channels and commentating daily ...

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52:30

#162: Finding Love for Swimming Beyond Diabetes...

Freestyle Media ·

2025/11/18

This week, we meet Reg Lloyd, who shares his journey from elite swimming to managing type 1 diabetes and finding unexpected joy in masters swimming. He discusses the highs that earned him a stunning personal best time of 1 minute 46.1 for the 200m freestyle and securing a place at the National Performance Centre in Stirling to the significant health challenges that ended his elite swimming career. He discusses the training methods that have shaped his mindset and underlines the importance of ...

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44:55

#161: Together in the Fast Lane

Freestyle Media ·

2025/11/11

Host Helen Gorman chats to Fleur and Spencer Turner, a well-known and very high achieving couple in the British Masters swimming community. They discuss their experiences at the US Masters Championships in Federal Way this summer, their achievements (including world record breaking relays), and the dynamics of being a competitive family. We also look at the structure of their Basingstoke Bluefins club, and Spencer’s role as a coach and administrator. They share insights on training, the...

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Freestyle Media

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