Latest news with #GretchenWalsh
Forbes
5 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
NBC Sports Announces Deal To Air Swimming Beyond Olympics Through 2028
NBC Sports and USA Swimming announced that NBC Sports will continue to cover the sport's top domestic events every year through 2028 on NBC, Peacock and CNBC. This includes the TYR Pro Swim Series, Toyota National Championships and the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. The partnership aims to make competitive swimming more accessible to fans nationwide, not just during the Olympic Trials or Olympic Games, but throughout the entire year. The most recent 2025 TYR Pro Swim Series was held in Fort Lauderdale in April, where Katie Ledecky broke her own world record in the 800 freestyle. The meet ran from April 30 to May 3, and Ledecky also posted her fastest 400 freestyle time since the 2016 Rio Olympics. The 28-year-old clocked her second-fastest 1500 freestyle ever as well—a time that would have been faster than the one that won her gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Two nights of finals were streamed live on Peacock, and all sessions were also available on the USA Swimming Network. The series featured several other Olympic gold medalists, including Bobby Finke, Caeleb Dressel, Gretchen Walsh and more. Walsh, fresh off helping the Virginia Cavaliers win their fifth consecutive NCAA championship, also broke the world record in the 100 butterfly and became the first woman to swim the event in under 55 seconds. The 2025 Toyota National Championships, set for June 3–7, will be held at the Indiana University Natatorium. It's a major meet for swimmers, including Ledecky and Walsh, and fans, especially since it will decide the U.S. team for the World Championships in Singapore this July and August. All sessions will stream on the USA Swimming Network, with finals airing on Peacock. Looking ahead, the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships will return in August 2026 in Irvine, California, marking the event's first appearance on NBC Sports in eight years. Typically held every four years, the meet rotates among the U.S., Canada, Japan and Australia. The U.S. roster will include up to 26 men and 26 women, selected based on results from key 2025 meets, including the National Championships, World Aquatics Championships, World University Games, World Aquatics Junior Championships and the TYR Pro Summer Championships. According to USA Swimming, the full Pan Pacs roster will be announced on or before September 8, 2025. In addition to the new swimming deal, NBC will also broadcast the 2028 U.S. Olympic Trials and the Los Angeles Olympic Games. NBCUniversal holds U.S. media rights to the Olympic Games through 2036, including Milan Cortina (2026), Los Angeles (2028), French Alps (2030), Brisbane (2032), Salt Lake City (2034) and the 2036 Summer Olympics. NBC has been broadcasting the Olympics for decades. It first aired the Summer Games in 1964 and has covered every Summer Olympics since 1988. Over the years, NBC has introduced innovations in swimming and diving coverage, such as the debut of the Moby-Cam underwater camera at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and the Emmy-winning Dive-Cam at the 1996 Atlanta Games. With rights secured through 2036, NBCUniversal will have broadcast a total of 24 Olympic Games by that year.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Lilly King, flinty US swim star, sets retirement for end of 2025 season
American three-time Olympic swimming star and world record holder Lilly King has announced the upcoming Toyota National Championships in Indianapolis will be her final meet on US soil as she prepares to call it a career at the conclusion of the 2025 season. The meet will run Tuesday through Saturday. A longtime breaststroke stalwart, King announced her plans Saturday on Instagram and said swimming her final race in the US in her home state and a pool she's known since her youth 'has always been important to me'. 'Well, folks, my time has come. This will be my final season competing,' she wrote. 'I'm fortunate heading into retirement being able to say I have accomplished everything I have ever wanted in this sport. I feel fulfilled.' This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'. The 28-year-old King holds the world record in the 100m breaststroke with a time of 1:04.13, set at the 2017 world championships. She won an Olympic gold medal in the 100 breast at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and also captured Olympic titles on relays in Rio and at her final Olympics last year in Paris. The US women's 4x100 medley relay set a world record in 3:49.63. Regan Smith, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske were her teammates in the Americans' victory over defending Olympic champion Australia. 'Just an awesome way to cap off the meet,' King said afterward. At the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, King earned silver medals in the 200 breaststroke and 4x100 medley relay and a bronze in the 100 breast. She narrowly missed the medal stand in the 100 breast in Paris, with one-hundredth of a second separating bronze medalist Mona McSharry of Ireland and the fourth-place tie between King and Italy's Benedetta Pilato in 1:05.60. For King, being home in Indiana next week will mean so much. It was also in Indianapolis last June during the US Olympic swimming trials that boyfriend and former Indiana University swimmer James Wells proposed to her just off the pool deck – and she said yes. 'I have been racing in the IU Natatorium since I was 10 years old,' she wrote. 'From state meets, to NCAAs, Nationals, and anything in between, this pool has been my home. I didn't quite make it 20 years (only 18) of racing in Indy, but this is as close as I'm gonna get! I look forward to racing in front of a home crowd one last time.'
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
American swimming star Lilly King announces farewell season, final US competition
American three-time Olympic swimming star Lilly King has announced the upcoming Toyota National Championships in Indianapolis will be her final meet on U.S. soil as she prepares to call it a career at the conclusion of the 2025 season. The meet will run Tuesday through Saturday. A longtime breaststroke stalwart, King announced her plans Saturday on Instagram and said swimming her final race in the U.S. in her home state and a pool she's known since her youth 'has always been important to me.' 'Well, folks, my time has come. This will be my final season competing,' she wrote. 'I'm fortunate heading into retirement being able to say I have accomplished everything I have ever wanted in this sport. I feel fulfilled.' The 28-year-old King won a gold medal in the 100-meter breaststroke at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and also captured Olympic titles on relays in Rio and at her final Olympics last year in Paris. The U.S. women's 4x100 medley relay set a world record in 3:49.63. Regan Smith, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske were her teammates in the Americans' victory over defending Olympic champion Australia. 'Just an awesome way to cap off the meet,' King said afterward. At the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, King earned silver medals in the 200 breaststroke and 4x100 medley relay and a bronze in the 100 breast. She narrowly missed the medal stand in the 100 breast in Paris, with one-hundredth of a second separating bronze medalist Mona McSharry of Ireland and the fourth-place tie between King and Italy's Benedetta Pilato in 1:05.60. For King, being home in Indiana next week will mean so much. It was also in Indianapolis last June during the U.S. Olympic swimming trials that boyfriend and former Indiana University swimmer James Wells proposed to her just off the pool deck — and she said yes. 'I have been racing in the IU Natatorium since I was 10 years old,' she wrote. 'From state meets, to NCAAs, Nationals, and anything in between, this pool has been my home. I didn't quite make it 20 years (only 18) of racing in Indy, but this is as close as I'm gonna get! I look forward to racing in front of a home crowd one last time.' ___ AP Summer Olympics:
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
U.S. women's swimming rankings going into 2025 Toyota National Championships
In yet another sign of Gretchen Walsh's progression, she goes into next week's Toyota U.S. Swimming Championships ranked No. 1 in the country in four different events. The top two finishers per event — plus up to the top six in the 100m and 200m freestyles for relay purposes — make the team for the World Championships in Singapore in July and August, should they meet a minimum qualifying time and the total roster not exceed 26 swimmers per gender. Advertisement Walsh followed her first Olympics and first world record in 2024 by again breaking the 100m butterfly world record at her most recent meet — twice in one day at the Tyr Pro Series stop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is the fastest woman in the world this year in the 50m and 100m freestyle and 50m and 100m butterfly, according to World Aquatics rankings. Katie Ledecky is the only American woman to win four events at a single spring or summer nationals in the last decade — taking the 200m through 1500m frees at the last two Olympic Trials. The 50m butterfly, which makes its Olympic debut in 2028, hasn't been contested at all of those nationals, though. USA Swimming National Championships 2025 Toyota U.S. Swimming Championships TV, live stream schedule Advertisement The U.S. Championships determine the team for this summer's World Championships in Singapore. Ledecky again tops the seeds in the 400m, 800 and 1500m frees. She hasn't lost any of those three events at nationals since 2012. She's also expected to swim the 200m free to earn a place on the 4x200m free relay at worlds. Regan Smith, an eight-time Olympic medalist, is the No. 1 seed in the 100m and 200m backstrokes and the 200m butterfly and No. 2 in the 50m back and 200m individual medley. 2025 U.S. Women's Swimming Rankings Times taken from USA Swimming's database. Not all swimmers are entered in the U.S. Championships. The late entry deadline is the end of Sunday. Advertisement 50m Freestyle 1. Gretchen Walsh -- 24.33 2. Torri Huske -- 24.47 3. Simone Manuel -- 24.54 4. Kate Douglass -- 24.62 5. Julia Dennis -- 24.79 100m Freestyle 1. Gretchen Walsh — 52.90 2. Torri Huske -- 52.95 3. Simone Manuel -- 53.11 4. Kate Douglass -- 53.61 5. Rylee Erisman -- 53.78 200m Freestyle 1. Claire Weinstein -- 1:54.93 2. Katie Ledecky -- 1:55.51 3. Erin Gemmell -- 1:56.41 4. Simone Manuel -- 1:57.34 5. Torri Huske -- 1:57.71 400m Freestyle 1. Katie Ledecky — 3:56.81 2. Claire Weinstein -- 4:01.26 3. Jillian Cox -- 4:07.34 4. Erin Gemmell -- 4:09.31 5. Emma Weyant -- 4:09.75 Advertisement 800m Freestyle 1. Katie Ledecky — 8:04.12 2. Jillian Cox -- 8:23.58 3. Claire Weinstein -- 8:26.06 4. Kate Hurst -- 8:30.35 5. Michaela Mattes -- 8:34.76 1500m Freestyle 1. Katie Ledecky — 15:24.51 2. Jillian Cox -- 16:04.13 3. Kate Hurst -- 16:14.26 4. Michaela Mattes -- 16:21.06 5. Kayla Han -- 16:28.92 TYR Pro Swim Series Westmont - Day 2 U.S. men's swimming rankings going into 2025 Toyota National Championships Shaine Casas is ranked No. 1 in the U.S. in five different events going into nationals. 50m Backstroke 1. Katharine Berkoff -- 27.34 2. Regan Smith -- 27.43 3. Rhyan White -- 27.75 4. Claire Curzan -- 27.86 5. Leah Shackley -- 28.24 Advertisement 100m Backstroke 1. Regan Smith — 57.46 2. Leah Shackley -- 58.53 3. Katharine Berkoff -- 58.79 4. Claire Curzan -- 59.46 5. Kennedy Noble -- 59.63 200m Backstroke 1. Regan Smith — 2:06.32 2. Audrey Derivaux -- 2:06.68 3. Leah Shackley -- 2:08.14 4. Claire Curzan -- 2:08.20 5. Rhyan White -- 2:08.83 50m Breaststroke 1. Skyler Smith -- 30.49 2. Lilly King -- 30.55 3. Emma Weber -- 30.57 4. Alex Walsh -- 30.90 5. Lucy Thomas -- 31.10 100m Breaststroke 1. Kate Douglass -- 1:06.51 2. Emma Weber -- 1:06.63 3. Lilly King -- 1:06.67 4. Alex Walsh -- 1:07.36 5. Skyler Smith -- 1:07.85 200m Breaststroke 1. Kate Douglass -- 2:20.78 2. Alex Walsh -- 2:22.91 3. Leah Hayes -- 2:27.60 4. Isabelle Odgers -- 2:28.89 5. Sarah Zhang -- 2:29.51 Advertisement 50m Butterfly 1. Gretchen Walsh — 24.93 2. Kate Douglass -- 25.39 3. Regan Smith -- 25.63 4. Beata Nelson -- 26.21 5. Torri Huske -- 26.23 100m Butterfly 1. Gretchen Walsh -- 54.60 2. Torri Huske -- 56.59 3. Regan Smith -- 56.85 4. Alex Shackell -- 57.31 5. Leah Shackley -- 57.92 200m Butterfly 1. Regan Smith -- 2:05.38 2. Alex Shackell -- 2:06.13 3. Audrey Derivaux -- 2:06.46 4. Lindsay Looney -- 2:08.59 5. Caroline Bricker -- 2:09.39 200m Individual Medley 1. Alex Walsh -- 2:08.84 2. Regan Smith -- 2:10.25 3. Leah Hayes -- 2:11.12 4. Audrey Derivaux -- 2:11.53 5. Isabel Ivey -- 2:12.52 Advertisement 400m Individual Medley 1. Emma Weyant -- 4:33.95 2. Leah Hayes -- 4:38.78 3. Kayla Han -- 4:40.58 4. Audrey Derivaux -- 4:41.48 5. Katie Grimes -- 4:42.48 Katie Ledecky Katie Ledecky rides world record wave into Toyota U.S. Swimming Championships Katie Ledecky had one of the best meets of her career at her last meet before the U.S. Championships.
Forbes
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
How Gretchen Walsh's Former Coach Builds Mental Strength In Swimmers
With Gretchen Walsh breaking another world record at the 2025 TYR Pro Swim Series in Fort Lauderdale—hearing the crowd cheer, seeing the new time and trying to catch her breath as the realization sets in that she is the first woman to ever break 55 seconds in the 100-meter butterfly—it's hard not to wonder what it truly took for her to get to that moment, not just physically, but mentally. And what about her sister, Olympic swimmer Alex Walsh? How did they handle pressure, bounce back from setbacks and sustain their mental toughness throughout their years as club swimmers? With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, it's a good time to take a closer look at what it takes mentally to go from a young club swimmer to an elite-level athlete. In conversation with Doug Wharam, former coach of both Gretchen and Alex at the Nashville Aquatic Club (NAC), we explore what that mental journey has looked like for swimmers at NAC. Coach Doug Wharam has worked with dozens of swimmers throughout his career. He began coaching Gretchen and Alex Walsh—who both went on to swim for the University of Virginia—when they were around 12 or 13 years old and continued guiding them through their high school years. He saw both sisters develop in different ways and, in an interview, shared his approach to supporting athletes' development, emphasizing the importance of being intentional as a coach while remaining flexible. 'We are really intentional about a lot of the things that happen with athletes like at a younger age—both in terms of how often we offer practice, how often we ask them to be at practice, how much learning versus swimming they're doing within the context of each practice,' Wharam explained. At NAC, the club's structure is designed so swimmers moved through one group at a time rather than being split into several. He went on to say that, in his experience, being intentional about what each level looks like in the program and allowing kids to feel successful in their current group—while also preparing them to move up to the next—helps build their confidence as they progress. 'Managing their confidence is key for ones who start really young,' he added. Wharam also explained that a swimmer's progression isn't always linear. Some swimmers progress quickly, while others take more time, based on personal readiness, family circumstances and other factors. "I've always found it really helpful to be flexible and try to meet the kids and the families kind of where they are," Wharam explained. And what about the Walsh sisters? According to Wharam, 'The progress in their confidence, I would say, was intentional.' During high school, both sisters worked with a confidence coach. While 'burnout' is a common term in sports, including swimming, Wharam doesn't like using the word. 'If we're talking about the mental side of burnout—like what is it? It's inappropriate goals at inappropriate times,' he said. At NAC, coaches take a proactive approach, often starting with a conversation with the swimmer and their family to realign expectations. Are the goals realistic for their age, training level and circumstances? 'We talk to the parents, and we make sure that the goals they have are appropriate given their circumstances, given their background, given where we are in a season, given, you know, the constraints of the training group, all of those things,' Wharam explained. 'Oftentimes it's about matching their goals up with kind of where they are in that process.' At NAC, swimmers are encouraged to try different events or strokes rather than focusing solely on one stroke at a young age, which helps prevent burnout. Wharam emphasized that kids and parents often became too focused on specific events early on. While it isn't anyone's fault, part of NAC's philosophy is making sure athletes develop all four strokes as they progress through the levels and remain open to change as they grow. Alex Walsh's own story is a clear example. Between the ages of 12 and 14, she was strong in the 200 backstroke. But around age 14 or 15, she began to lose interest in the event. Wharam recalled sitting down with her to discuss a shift in focus. With strong performances in breaststroke and a solid foundation in freestyle and butterfly, the medley seemed like a better fit at the time, and the change worked. Alex found a new passion in the IM and continued to thrive in the event at the highest level. Wharam believes mental resilience can be taught. Some athletes thrive in practice but struggle under pressure in competition. Helping swimmers recognize and work through these challenges is part of the process, while putting them into situations where they can be successful. Whether the situation leads to success or not, Wharam said it is intentional on the coach's part at NAC. 'Or if they're not being successful, it's intentional,' he said. 'You know, especially with those level athletes, like, they have to kind of be able to stretch competitively. You can't go to the Olympics—well, you can—there are rare cases of it, but it's much easier to work your way to that level. So, you go to meets where everybody's kind of beyond you, and you get a chance to kind of see what that looks like.' 'But yeah, I think everybody has to work on it at that level. And I think it is definitely something that they can get better at, whether that's being mentally resilient, mentally tough or even just confident.' Resilience also comes from helping athletes understand what is in their control. If a swimmer struggles to drop time, coaches often bring the focus back to training habits and daily effort. This shift reinforces accountability and helps athletes regain a sense of control, rather than feeling stuck or defeated. Even the most talented swimmers face periods of plateau or disappointment. For Coach Wharam, setbacks are opportunities to refocus. 'So, for us, you know, oftentimes, if a kid's not going to make progress in that season—or even across multiple seasons—we see that as a result of something happening in practice,' he explained. At NAC, coaches work with athletes to identify specific areas for improvement. This approach helps shift the focus from outcome to process. 'It's like one of those life skills, right? That you hope people learn from swimming. All of this on some level is within your control—like your performance is within your control—and if you take ownership of that, work on that, and you work on it day in and day out, the end of that we're confident that you will find success on some level for you, and that goes for every level of our team.' Wharam acknowledged that athletes hit rough patches—what matters is how they respond. 'I mean, it does happen, right, where kids get into bumpy spots. You know, we saw that with Gretchen in the hundred freestyle. We shifted gears on her, and she swam backstroke and she swam butterfly, you know, at the end of those summers. And obviously has had incredible success, right, in the butterfly as she's gone on to UVA. So yeah, so I think that does happen. But it's not anything that I feel like the kids in our program anyway don't feel like they can get a handle on.' While Wharam avoids the word 'burnout,' he acknowledged both Gretchen and Alex had moments when they needed a break, especially due to a packed schedule during high school years. Parental involvement plays a crucial role. Because coaches don't see swimmers outside of practice, Wharam relies on open communication with families to help gauge when breaks are needed. 'And so, the interaction that we can have with the parents and kind of take a cue from them in terms of, hey, like, it sounds like everybody needs like three or four days off this circle this weekend and like go ahead and do that,' he said. Reflecting on what he learned from coaching both athletes, Wharam pointed to patience and expectation management as key lessons. With Alex, he learned to value steady, consistent progress over time. With Gretchen, the lesson was different. She showed early signs of what she was capable of, but because she competed in sprint events, the path to international success took longer. When she qualified for the Olympic Trials in 2016 as the youngest swimmer there, she told Wharam she was going to make the team. Wharam redirected her: 'I remember saying to her, 'I'm so excited for you, but let's circle Tokyo for that. Let's go to trials, have fun, and learn what that's all about.' Because she was so far out, and she didn't yet have the experience to know she had just sneaked into trials, and it would take years and years of work to get to the next level.' So, with Gretchen, Wharam learned how to manage her expectations. Wharam's philosophy emphasizes that long-term success in swimming isn't just about performance at NAC—it is about helping each athlete grow with confidence, balance and perspective. Supporting mental health is a crucial part of that growth. USA Swimming also recognizes this and expanded its services to support athlete wellness at every level. In February, USA Swimming hired Emily Klueh, a licensed mental health and sport performance therapist and National Team alum, as its first Manager of Mental Health and Emotional Wellness. Klueh provides direct care, educational resources, and helps connect swimmers with the right practitioners as part of USA Swimming's growing focus on athlete wellness.
