Freestyle Media

We’re joined by respected swimming journalist Liz Byrnes, who has spent more than two decades at the heart of the sport covering Olympic Games, World Championships and some of swimming’s biggest moments.

From the super-suit era and Duncan Scott’s stand against Sun Yang to athlete mental health, the rise of swimming longevity and the changing nature of elite competition, Liz shares her perspective on how the sport has evolved - and where it’s heading next.

Having travelled the world covering swimming for national and international media, Liz also discusses the pressure of champ...

Join Charlie Harris and Helen Gorman for a preview of the 2026 British Masters Championships in Aberdeen.

As the host of Scottish Swimming’s Aqua Pod and a member of their media and marketing team, Charlie brings a unique insider perspective on the championships, the venue and the Scottish masters swimming scene.

From athletes and stories to watch, to practical tips for navigating the weekend, Charlie shares his knowledge from attending numerous national events in Aberdeen. Find out which swimmers could make headlines, what to expect from the competition, and how to make the most of yo...

In this episode, super sprinter and sports scientist Sam Lawman lays out exactly how to nail the final 30 minutes before you step onto the blocks. 

From smart priming techniques to mental cues and race-ready routines, Sam shares practical, science-backed strategies to help swimmers feel sharp, focused, and ready to fire when it matters most. 

Visit our Instagram channel @freestyle_media_swimming for video content (priming video available soon!) If you’d like to try bicarb, visit https://www.flycarb.com and use the code FREESTYLE10 (limited to the first 50 customers only).

Back from a week training with Trojan SC in the Lanzarote sunshine, masters world record holders Helen Gorman and Jo Corben discuss everything from tough morning sets to celebrity selfies, sightseeing and cheese.

The pair discuss why Lanzarote has become the unofficial spring gathering point for masters swimmers, the atmosphere of training alongside international squads, and whether there were  any swimmers left in the UK - apart from Kirsty Johnson, who stayed home and broke a world record.

They also chat about planning the camp on a budget, structuring training for maximum benefit, balancing hard w...

Nicola Charlesworth shares her remarkable journey as a deaf swimmer, her return to the pool after a 17-year break, and the record-breaking performances that have made her a name to look out for in masters swimming.

Her path back to success has been anything but straightforward - from representing Great Britain as an elite junior swimmer with Olympic ambitions, to navigating progressive hearing loss and recovering after being hit by a bus.

Nicola shares the unexpected challenges she faces as a deaf athlete, balancing training with a demanding career and young family, and the powerful...

Trafford Metro’s Chris Malpass chats about life in the early stages of recovery from knee surgery. Confined to the sofa rather than the pool, he shares the realities of rehab, adapting training, and the mental resilience needed to stay motivated when everything stops.

Helen Gorman digs into the bigger picture; what it really means for masters swimmers to keep pushing limits in their 40s and beyond and uncovers that this is far from Chris’s first setback.

Listen in for honest reflections and a few philosophical detours covering snooker, camper vans and crocodiles.

Vi...

Join Olympic medallist and coach Brian Brinkley for a trip back to one of the most turbulent eras in sport.

From the shadow of the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympics to the podium highs of 1976 Summer Olympics, Brian shares what it was like inside the Olympic Village when history and controversy unfolded.

We dive into the rise of East German dominance, the realities behind doping, and what it meant to race in the era of David Wilkie, when British swimming was making waves on the world stage.

Expect opinions, storytelling, a surprising...

Helen Gorman catches up with masters swimmer John Wood following his standout performances at the Aquatics GB Championships in London, where racing shoulder-to-shoulder with the country’s elite pushed him to a lifetime best in the 100m butterfly at age 40.

We also shine a light on other masters swimmers racing at the very top level, including Rebecca Guy, who powered her way into two finals, and Martin Bennell, who made history as the oldest ever competitor at the championships at 49.

From warming up alongside Olympic champions to navigating the intensity of a high-performance environment, John gi...

Mike Peyrebrune, coach and sports scientist at Loughborough University, joins us to share expert insight into altitude training and warm weather camps. Drawing on his experience working with Olympic swimmers, Mike explains how elite athletes use these environments to fine-tune performance - and what that really looks like in practice.

We explore the science behind altitude training, from the physiological adaptations to the realities of living and training in a low-oxygen environment. What benefits are swimmers actually chasing? How are altitude camps structured across a season? And where do the marginal gains really come from?

...

We sit down with 2025 British Masters Decathlon champions Michelle Ware and Mike Hodgson to unpack one of swimming’s most intriguing competitions.

They break down what the Decathlon actually is, how it works, and how any masters swimmer can get involved - whether you’re chasing points or just looking for a new challenge. We also dive into how it can keep you motivated across the season and push you beyond your usual comfort zone.

Along the way, we tackle the mysterious age-adjustment formula (yes, we try to make sense of it…) and explore why Jane A...

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 to completely reinvent how he trains - with remarkable results. We also look what other swimmers can take...

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 shares insights into balancing life as a doctor with extreme endurance challenges, her recent experiences ra...

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 as he targets another Team England selection. There are lots of takeaways for masters swimmers, highlighting what el...

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 help swimmers hold their speed when fatigue kicks in. Joining us are Jack Gray and Josh Elston-Carr from spor...

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 the Open Masters Games in Abu Dhabi and claiming a World Aquatics masters open wate...

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.

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 dive into the training behind elite artistic swimming, what pool swimmers can learn from it, her tips on cold wate...

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 downsides, including the occasionally bold (and sometimes outrageous) suggestions AI produced along the way.

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 wanting to level up their pull-up game, along with honest reflections on the mental grit and physical res...

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 physical toll of preparation, the ever-present influence of weather and tides, and the emotional weight of a goal that may, or may no...

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.

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 why bodysuits were so fast. Having attended the...

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 of community from taking part in masters swimming and representing the fire...

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 course event in the masters calendar.

Celebrating a new year, we look at key meets for 2026, and h...

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 you all in the new year, thanks for listening! Follow us on Instagram for video clips a...

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 Africa to get treatment for malaria, a life-thr...

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 recent induction into the Masters Swimming Hall of Fame. The conversation highlights the challenges and triumphs of a life d...

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 on eSports and Formula One. Arran explains his work...

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 good friends.

As a key part of relay teams with TheSwimSuitGuy (Sonny Trigg), Reg has broken...

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 importance of teamwork, and their future goals.

After coaching Trafford to the Top Club award for the fourth year in a row, Bob Bolton joins Helen Gorman to review the National Masters Championships in Sheffield. Discussion covers record breaking swims, notable performers and unique insight into training and racing.

Don’t miss this fun and insightful look at the Championships, which saw 17 world records smashed.

Bob also looks at the overall success and future of the event given his position on the Masters Working Group.

George Taplin joins the Masters Swimming Podcast to discuss his record-breaking end-to-end swim in Lake Windermere. George has a unique perspective on ecology and cleaning up our waterways given his full-time employment in the water industry. 

George grew up training with Olympic champion, Tom Dean in Maidenhead and now lives, trains and works full time in Leeds. He swam Windermere’s 10.5miles at an average pace of 1:09 per 100m to break the record for swimming the length of England’s longest lake. He shares insights on pacing, fuelling, and the psychological aspects of endurance swimming. 

Visit...

Sonny Trigg, the one and only SwimSuitGuy, joins Helen Gorman to preview the 2025 National Masters Short Course Championships in Sheffield.

From record contenders to legendary names and inspiring competitors, we explore the stories behind the swimmers who refuse to slow down.

And even if you’re not planning to be poolside in Sheffield, there’s plenty of swim talk, insider gossip, and a splash of humour to keep you entertained from the first whistle to the final touch.

In this episode of the Masters Swimming Podcast, mother and daughter duo, Heidi and Vivien Bell-West, share their experiences along with their family legacy connected to Captain Matthew Webb, the first person to swim the English Channel. Preferring to sprint rather than swim long distances, Heidi has won global medals and set new national records this year in the 55-59 category. 

Vivien, a mum of nine children, relies on 80 years’ experience of participation and coaching, and regular gardening, to keep her speed up. 

This delightful conversation also covers early years swimming in Jamacia, being a swim...

In this episode of the Master Swimming Podcast, host Helen Gorman speaks with Chris Harris, a sports scientist from Precision Fuel and Hydration, about the importance of hydration for swimmers. 

They discuss how sweat rates differ in swimming compared to land sports, the role of electrolytes, and effective hydration strategies. Chris explains the impact of dehydration on performance, the causes of muscle cramps, and the effects of caffeine on hydration levels and athletic performance. 

The conversation also touches on hydration needs for different age groups and the importance of listening to your body regarding thirst an...

What happens when your shoulder suddenly goes ping, and the only way back to the pool is through surgery? For many swimmers, years of relentless arm rotations can take their toll, leading to chronic overuse injuries.

In this episode, record-breaking masters swimmers Nicola Latty and Eddie Riach discuss their journeys through surgery, rehab, and the determination it takes to return to training and racing at a high level.

From navigating expert medical advice to staying mentally resilient, they share insights into the setbacks, small victories, and smart training adjustments that shaped their comebacks. Whether you’re...

In this episode of The Masters Swimming Podcast, Helen Gorman speaks to Jeff Commings, a Masters World Champion and former USA National Team swimmer. They cover everything from being thrown into the water as a four-year-old to getting a full scholarship at the University of Texas and breaking masters world records.

He has overcome personal challenges, including being a black, gay swimmer in college in the 1990s and more recently, cancer surgery – and he talks about his autobiography, 'Odd Man Out.'

Jeff shares experiences from his time training under legendary coach Eddie Reese, working as...

In this episode of the Master Swimming Podcast, Helen Gorman interviews Professor Greg Whyte, a world-renowned sports physiologist and master swimmer. They discuss the progression in swimming and human performance in general, the importance of sports science, and how aging can be managed through proper training and nutrition.

The conversation emphasises the significance of enjoyment in sports and the importance of maintaining muscle mass and strength as we age.

Greg shares his Olympic Modern Pentathlon memories, masters swimming experiences and insights from his experiences working with BBC Comic Relief – including whether comedians can maintain their hu...

In this episode of the Masters Swimming Podcast, host Helen Gorman speaks to professional triathlete, Andy Horsfall-Turner about his journey from being a distance swimmer to a professional triathlete. Andy is a Level 3 swimming and triathlon coach with experience of coaching junior, senior and masters swimmers as well as triathletes.

Andy underlines that anyone taking part in sport as an adult needs to have a strong passion for what they are doing if they want to be successful, and that there’s no getting away from volume training if you’re a distance swimmer.

They disc...

We invite three more swimmers into the studio to tell their stories from the World Aquatics Masters Championships in Singapore. 

Matthew Brooks, Jo Corben and Kath Tunnicliffe present different perspectives on their performances, travel adventures and the event in general. Hear about Matthew's insanely fast relay split as well as his championship record setting 50m freestyle in the 35-39 age group, and listen to Jo talk about how having team mates around helped elevate her performances to claim four gold medals in the 55-59 age group.

Kath Tunnicliffe concludes with stories of adventure and how s...