We are back, and in this first episode of the podcast for 2025, Steve and Katie chat with pullbuoy's 2024 Female Swimmer of the Year Angharad Evans about her journey to the Paris Olympics and her ambitions for the 2025 season. Angharad shares her journey to the Games via her experiences at the Olympic trials and her strategies for managing her imposter syndrome in Paris. We also discuss closing out the year with a first senior international medal at world short course, her training under the new Stirling head coach and finding the right fit in your training environment.

---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Connect on social:

- X  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Instagram  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Nine epic days of competition in the La Défense Arena and two more in the Seine are done and dusted as the 2024 Olympic swimming programme comes to a close.

For this episode Steve and Katie are joined by triple-Olympian Hannah Miley to look back at the British showing in Paris, one that brought with it 5 medals including a successful defence of the men's 4x200 freestyle relay, and to pick up some of the major talking points, personalities and performances of the meet. ---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Connect on social:

- X  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Instagram  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

A fantastic way to wrap up the year's international swimming as Britain topped the medal table at the European Short Course Championships in Otopeni, Romania. 23 medals means a lot for Steve, Katie and Bob to get their teeth into. We also consider the scheduling, 2 per nation rule and answer some of your questions, with a quick peek at some of the notable swims at Scottish Short Course nationals thrown in for good measure.

---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Connect on social:

- Twitter/X  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Instagram  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

---------------------

Episode Artwork: European Aquatics

It was Britain's most successful World Championnship meet ever with 9 medals won in Kazan. After w eek of high drama and excitement for the British team, Bob, Katie and Steve round up the last 4 days of action and look over the highlights (and lowlights) of the meet.

We're at the halfway stage of the World Championships in Russia and it's been a phenomenal first four days for Britain. The usual podcast crew of Bob, Katie and Steve are joined by Commonwealth Champion James Goddard to dissect the opening half of the meet.

The 2015 World Championships in Kazan are almost upon us and there's plenty to look forward to. Steve and Katie look ahead to events in Russia, thinking particularly about the British prospects but considering some of the other highlights we expect to see too. We also hear from Siobhan-Marie O'Connor.

Last week we published our 2015 British Championship review podcast, but there were a few bits that didn’t make it into the final edition. So after recovering them from the digital equivalent of the cutting room floor, here are some more moments and reactions from the week’s racing in London.

Five days of racing at the British Championships and World Championship Trials are now over, with some remarkable performances and eight swimmers guaranteed a berth at the World Championships. Bob, Katie and Steve are at the London Aquatic Centre to review the week's events.

It was Britain's most successful European championships ever as the team brought home 24 medals from the pool in Berlin. Bob and Katie join Steve once again to discuss a great week in Germany for the British team.

What a way to end the meet with a stunning medley relay victory for England over Australia. It had been a good home nation night before that and there was plenty for Steve, Bob and Katie to mull over as the meet came to a close.

It's the meet that keeps on giving - tonight it was gold for Sophie Taylor with a fantastic 100m breaststroke, while the victory for Jazz Carlin in the 800m freestyle was the highlight of the session. Bob, Katie and Steve are on hand to review events in Glasgow.

Day 4 saw the 14th British Record of the week to fall and the 4th for Francesca Halsall as she doubled her gold medal tally in the 50m butterfly. There was also a trip to the top of the podium for Siobhan Marie O'Connor in the 200IM. Bob is back in the hot seat alongside Katie and Steve to discuss events in Glasgow.

Another fabulous night of swimming with some truly incredible swims, particularly from Adam Peaty and Francesca Halsall. Katie and Steve are joined by Eurosport's James Parrack to discuss the events of the night.

It's been a few months since we were last with you and so this is a great time to catch up on the bigger stories in British Swimming over the summer. Steve, Bob and Katie consider changes of training base, comebacks, funding and British Records before taking a look forward to the year ending European Short Course Championships.

---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Connect on social:

- Twitter/X  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Instagram  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

---------------------

Episode Artwork: ISL/Mike Lewis

England broke their gold medal duck, with 2 wins from Ben Proud and Chris Walker-Hebborn, but the Scots kept rolling with a famous victory from Dan Wallace in the 400IM. Plenty to talk about for Steve, Katie and Bob.

It was a remarkable start to the Commonwealth Games; a World Record, 4 British records, two home gold medals and a huge upset in the men's 200m Breaststroke. Steve, Katie and Bob run the rule over the first night in Glasgow.

It's the second part of our look into the crystal ball as Steve, Katie and Bob look at the butterfly, medley and relay events in Glasgow. Aimee Willmott and Lewis Smith are our guests who talk about their preparations and aspirations for the Commonwealth Games.

Glasgow 2014 is nearly upon us, and in this first preview podcast Steve, Bob and Katie run the rule over the freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke events. The podcast also includes interviews with Welsh team members Georgia Davies and Tom Haffield.

The British Championships that finished last week in Glasgow shaped the home nations' Commonwealth Games teams and there were some impressive performances for Steve, Katie and Bob to discuss on the podcast.

Following the conclusion of an exciting NCAA championships in the US, trials season is upon us. Steve, Katie and Bob are on hand to discusss events across the Atlantic along with those coming up in Glasgow, and are joined by someone who knows a bit about US college swimming, NCAA champion and Olympic medallist, Steve Parry.

It was an amazing day at Ponds Forge in Sheffield as 100 of the country's finest swimmers took to the water in an attempt to set a world Record for the 100 x 100m freestyle relay in order to raise money for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research. The podcast was there to tell the story as it happened.

It was a weekend of the highest drama in Glasgow at the Duel in the Pool as the European team fell to the US by a solitary point after a tie breaking medley relay. That and the European Short Course Championships are the topics of conversation for Bob, Katie and Steve.

The podcast is on the road for this special edition which comes to you from the British Swimming Coaches Association annual conference. The conference gave a chance to speak to England's Commonwealth Games head coach for 2014, Jon Rudd, as well as Millfield's Jol Finck who coached James Guy to such an impressive 2013 and Warrender's Laurel Bailey who guided Craig McNally to some fine performances in Barcelona.

Britain finally got off the mark, but left it until the very last session. Steve, Katy and Bob chew over the British performance and there is a chance to speak to Jon Rudd, coach to Lithuanian superstar Ruta Meilutyte, before we say goodbye.

It was a game of two halves for Britain's swimmers as there was a veritable avalanche of medals over the last 4 days in Fukuoka, with the tally raised by 6. That gives Bob, Katie and Steve plenty to look back over as the team matched their second best ever performance at a World Championships.

We also chat about some epic distance racing, some seriously rapid sprinting, who was the top team of the meet and succession planning, and take on your questions.

---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Connect on social:

- Twitter  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Instagram  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

---------------------

Episode Artwork: Courtesy British Swimming

One day to go and Britain's chances in the pool are running out; the events in Barcelona and the timing of trials dominate conversation on the podcast.

It was meant to be the day that made the difference, but it just didn't work out that way. Steve Katie and Bob pick through the events of Day 6

Today’s the day that Britain’s brightest medal hopes took to the pool – Katie is back with Steve and Bob to dissect the happenings in Barcelona.

We’re halfway through the World Championships and it’s a bit brighter for GB; Steve and Bob cast an eye over events in Barcelona.

Day 3 of the World Championships and it's time to discuss the GB performances in Barcelona, with Steve, Katy and Bob.

Steve and Katie are joined by Bob Ballard to look over what was a disappointing day in the pool for Britain - but which featured a stunning world record from Plymouth based Ruta Meilutyte.

GB swimmer Katie Wyld joins Steve Buckley to discuss the GB performance on the first day in Barcelona

The podcast returns from an extended sabbatical with a chance to talk to the 2010 pullbuoy swimmer of the year Hannah Miley about her successes last season and her aims for the forthcoming world championship trials.

Two big events in British swimming took place this month and the podcast was at both. British clubs had their big day out in Sheffield for the Speedo League finals and the country's elite came together to hand out the Splash awards. Amongst others the British swimmers of the year were named.

There's only one thing to talk about on this month's podcast - the swimming World Championships in Melbourne. We're joined by Eurosport's James Parrack to preview the competition and to take a look at the British prospects.

The pullbuoy podcast is back once again as Steve, Bob and Katie take a whistlestop tour through the first half of the 2023 World Swimming Championships. It's been fast and furious in Fukuoka and Britain has performed well so far with Matt Richards in particular making his mark.

We also consider the 4 world records broken, the controversy over 200IM DQs and the lack of coverage by terrestrial broadcasters back in the UK.

---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Connect on social:

- Twitter  ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoy⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Instagram  ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠⁠

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠

---------------------

Episode Artwork: Bob!

February's podcast see us track down winner of the 2006 swimmer of the year poll, Ross Davenport, to talk about his successes last year, and about the prospects of the 4x200m freestyle relay in next month's world championships. David Davies will also be swimming in Melbourne and our trip into the archives takes us to 2003 when we spoke to him ahead of his international long course debut at the Barcelona world championships.

The first pullbuoy podcast of 2007 comes from the poolside at the Cambridge 2007 Short Course meet. We reveal the results of the pullbuoy swimmers of the year poll for 2006 and take the opportunity to speak to Adam Ruckwood about the prospects for British swimming in 2007. There was also the chance to talk to Terri Dunning about her international breakthrough last year.

December's Podcast sees Steve Parry guest to talk about Britain's performance at the European Short Course Championships in Helsinki, while Swimming World's Steve Thomas joins us from Sydney to talk about Ian Thorpe's retirement. We also take a look at the poll for the pullbuoy British swimmers of 2006.

The inaugural pullbuoy podcast sees James Parrack guest on the show to talk about morning finals at the Beijing Olympics, James Gibson's move to France and the benefits of training camps while our trip into the pullbuoy archive takes us back to 2003 to talk about fly kicks in breaststroke with Gibson and Ian Edmond.

We're almost at the key meet of 2023 as the competition at the World Championships in Fukuoka loom large. There's plenty for British fans to be upbeat about, and in our preview episode Steve, Katie and Bob cast their eye over the home prospects, as well as some of the other races that we'll be looking forward to. Relays will be vital with Olympic qualification available, so that's a key topic of discussion, while we'll also hear from Tom Dean who talks about taking on a large programme of racing and facing down the inimitable David Popovic.

---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Connect on social:

- Twitter  ⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoy⁠⁠⁠

- Instagram  ⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠

- Facebook ⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠

- ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠

---------------------

Episode Artwork: Simone Castrovillari

It's a podcast with a bit of a difference for this episode, because we are celebrating an anniversary; 10 years ago this month was the first time that Steve, Bob and Katie stepped into a virtual studio together for a podcast charting Britain's fortunes at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona.

On this special episode we recall that first week and the events of Barcelona as well as picking one of our highlights from the last 10 years. Since we're in a nostalgic mood there's also a chance to take a look back at the last time the World Championships were in Fukuoka, where they return this month, way back in 2001

--------------------- For our interview with James Goddard go here: James Goddard Interview

For more on the relay drama from Fukoka 2021 watch the video here: 20 at 20: Dramatic Relay World Title For GB in Fukuoka ---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Connect on social:

- Twitter  ⁠⁠@pullbuoy⁠⁠

- Instagram  ⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠

- Facebook ⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠

- ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠

---------------------

Episode Artwork: Simone Castrovillari

For the first time in at least 20 years, we head into the second half of the year having not seen a British Record in the pool. So that set the cogs whirring; which were the oldest British Records in the books? In this special podcast we hear from the holders of those records, Becky Adlington and David Davies who recall their record breaking swims and get expert coaching input from Kevin Renshaw.

--------------------- For more from all three guests, check out these podcasts:

Becky Adlington: 20 at 20: Stunning Beijing Double for Rebecca Adlington

David Davies: 20 at 20: Athens 2004 Men’s 1500m Freestyle – David Davies Kevin Renshaw: Podcast: Going the Distance with Kevin Renshaw ---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Connect on social:

- Twitter  ⁠⁠@pullbuoy⁠⁠

- Instagram  ⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠

- Facebook ⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠

- ⁠⁠YouTube⁠

It was an eventful week in Sheffield as the places on the British Team for the World Championships were decided, and not just in the pool. There was an almost unprecedented change to the selection policy midway through the meet, but despite that poolside drama, there was much excitement in the water too.

Plenty for Steve, Bob and Katie to get their teeth into then, as we review the ups and downs from the 2023 British Championships, look at the stand out swims and think about relay prospects for the upcoming World Championships.

---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Connect on social:

- Twitter  ⁠@pullbuoy⁠

- Instagram  ⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠

- Facebook ⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠

- ⁠YouTube⁠

---------------------

Episode Artwork: Morgan Harlow/British Swimming

Molly Renshaw recently announced her retirement from competitive swimming after a career, that included two appearances at the Olympic Games, and titles at European and World Short Course Championships.

In this episode, Molly opens up about her decision to retire and the emotions that came with it, as well as reflecting on some of the highlights of her swimming career. We delve into her training regime, the ups and downs of competing at the highest level, and the sacrifices she made to reach the pinnacle of her sport.

Molly also shares with us some insights into the mental and physical challenges of being an elite swimmer, and the strategies she used to stay focused and motivated throughout her career, especially when dealing with plateaus in performance.

---------------------

For more on retirement listen to our podcast special on retirement from swimming

---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Connect on social:

- Twitter  @pullbuoy

- Instagram  @pullbuoyuk

- Facebook @pullbuoyuk

- YouTube

---------------------

Episode Artwork: Andrea Stacciloli/LEN/Deepbluemedia

Imogen Clark, the pullbuoy female swimmer of the year for 2022, occupies a bit of an unusual niche in British Swimming as a world class performer often locked out of the major meets by the focus on Olympic events. In this podcast she reveals the frustration that entails, but also how her focus has changed in response, while we also discuss a year that she feels was the best of her career.

It was a season that took Imogen to the Commonwealth Games, the European Championships and the Melbourne World Short course championships, giving her the taste for international competition. And it wasn't without success - with medals in Birmingham and Rome and British records both long and short course for the 50m breaststroke. We also talk about her return to Derventio Excel, the club where she first made her name, and how the ISL kept her swimming.

---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Connect on social:

- Twitter  @pullbuoy

- Instagram  @pullbuoyuk

- Facebook @pullbuoyuk

- YouTube

---------------------

Episode Artwork: ISL/Deepbluemedia

The Paris 2024 Olympics are almost upon us and with them comes nine days of what promises to be an incredible swimming competition.

On this episode of the Pullbuoy Podcast Steve, Bob and Katie are joined by double Olympian Lizzie Simmonds to look over events in the La Defense arena as we consider GB's prospects in the pool and river. Can the men's 4x2 defend their title and will we see a three-Peaty in the 100m breaststroke? Which of the ladies could step forward and make a name for themselves? And most importantly, how many medals can we expect? ---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Connect on social:

- X  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Instagram  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pullbuoyuk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

---------------------

Episode Artwork: Ryunosuke Kikuno on Unsplash

If you've listed to the pullbuoy podcast at all over the past few years you will have often herd debate about why, for all its success in the pool, GB has been flagging in distance events and isn't currently living up to the standards of the past. In an effort to find out why this is and what is being done about it, Steve and Bob went to he man charged with turning the tanker around - British Swimming distance lead Kevin Renshaw. A 3 time Olympic team coach who coached David Davies to 10km silver in Beijing, Kevin knows a thing or two about distance swimming and shares with us some of the initiatives being put in place to try and return Britain to the distance podium.

---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Connect on social:

- Twitter  @pullbuoy

- Instagram  @pullbuoyuk

- Facebook @pullbuoyuk

- YouTube

---------------------

Having reached her mid-twenties and with the disruption of a pandemic throwing everyone’s plans into disarray, Bella Hindley could have been forgiven for thinking her international swimming career had come to a conclusion before it had even started. But she persevered and this year made her senior international debut at the Commonwealth Games for England as well as being selected to race for GB at the World Short Course Championships.

In this episode of the pullbuoy podcast, Bella takes us through her route to international swimming, a journey that took in the NCAAs, the pro group at Tennesse and the ISL, the latter achieved by the use of social media. Now installed at the Loughborough Performance Centre, we also discuss where her sights are set for the future.

---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Connect on social:

- Twitter  @pullbuoy

- Instagram  @pullbuoyuk

- Facebook @pullbuoyuk

- YouTube

---------------------

Episode Artwork: Mine Kasapoglu/ISL

The longest summer of international swimming in living memory came to a close in fine style at the European Championships in Rome. It was a decent showing for GB, including golds for Ben Proud and James Wilby, but the biggest story was of course the 100m freestyle world record from David Popvici.

Steve, Katie and Bob reconvene for the final podcast of the season and consider all of the above, plus there’s time to answer a number of listener questions.

We've thoroughly enjoyed this summer's run of meets, we hope you have enjoyed following along with us. With no ISL this year, there's no London Roar podcast, but we will be back soon. Keep your eyes on social media and subscribe so you don't miss out.

---------------------

Review, subscribe, share on Anchor, Apple, Google, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

---------------------

Episode Artwork: LEN

---------------------

Connect on social:

- Twitter  @pullbuoy

- Instagram  @pullbuoyuk

- Facebook @pullbuoyuk

- YouTube