FEATURES<\/p>\n
008\u00a0 LIA NEAL ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM SWIMMING, REFLECTS ON HER SIGNIFICANT IMPACT<\/strong><\/span> 012 CAELEB DRESSEL AND THE OBSTACLES AWAITING HIS OLYMPIC SHOWCASE<\/strong><\/span> 014 OLIVIA SMOLIGA LOOKING TO DEFEND HER TRIALS TITLE IN \u201cLOADED\u201d 100 BACKSTROKE, MAKE MARK IN FREESTYLE <\/strong><\/span> 016 KATIE DRABOT SEES 200 FLY TRANSFORM FROM PROVING GREG MEEHAN WRONG (FOR ONCE) TO JOINING WORLD\u2019S ELITE<\/strong><\/span> 018 REGAN SMITH HANDLING STRESSES AND REGAINING HER MOJO IN TIME FOR OLYMPIC TRIALS<\/strong><\/span> 024 CHARLES JACKSON FRENCH: A HERO FOR OUR TIME<\/strong><\/span> 030 REECE WHITLEY PUTTING PIECES TOGETHER TO \u201cSET MYSELF UP FOR A GOOD SWIM\u201d AT OLYMPIC TRIALS<\/strong><\/span> 032 ABBEY WEITZEIL WORKING ON \u201cTAMING MIND\u201d BEFORE UNLEASHING EVERYTHING AT TRIALS<\/strong><\/span> 034 KATIE McLAUGHLIN FINDS NEW PERSPECTIVE HEADING INTO OLYMPIC TRIALS\u2014FROM COACHING<\/strong><\/span> 036 BROOKE FORDE RIDING MOMENTUM OF NCAA TITLE IN 400 IM INTO OLYMPIC TRIALS; WILL TAKE FIFTH YEAR AT STANFORD<\/strong><\/span> 038 MALLORY COMERFORD: \u201cFINALLY FEELING LIKE MYSELF IN THE WATER\u201d HEADING INTO OLYMPIC TRIALS<\/strong><\/span> 040 HOW THEY TRAIN: HALEY ANDERSON<\/span> 041 PARTING SHOT<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In this issue of SW Biweekly, read about how Regan Smith<\/strong> has been preparing for Trials and Tokyo after a lengthy postponement; Also featured is news of Lia Neal’s<\/strong> retirement announcement; Caeleb Dressel’s<\/strong> upcoming Olympic challenges; Olivia Smoliga<\/strong> out to defend her Trials title; Katie Drabot<\/strong> aims for the U.S. Olympic Team; The story of Charles Jackson French<\/strong>, of the U.S. Navy, and how he towed a raft full of shipwrecked mates through shark infested waters; How Reece Whitley<\/strong> set himself up for a good swim at Trials; How Abbey Weitzel<\/strong> has been working on “taming mind” ahead of her Trials performance; Katie McLaughlin<\/strong> talks her new perspective from coaching; Brooke Forde<\/strong> rides NCAA Title momentum into Trials while taking a fifth year at Stanford; How Mallory Comerford<\/strong> got her stride back just before Trials; and How They Train with U.S. open water swimmer Haley Anderson<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":475419,"template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","enabled":false},"version":2}},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[56108,126883],"product_tag":[75943],"class_list":{"0":"post-475412","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-swimming-world-biweekly-1","7":"product_cat-click-to-view-all-issues-in-2021-swimming-world-biweekly","8":"product_tag-sw-biweekly","10":"first","11":"instock","12":"downloadable","13":"sold-individually","14":"purchasable","15":"product-type-simple"},"exclude_global_add_ons":[],"addons":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\r\n
\nby David Rieder<\/strong>
\nLia Neal, the second African American female swimmer to qualify for a U.S. Olympic team and win an Olympic medal\u2014and the first to accomplish those feats twice\u2014announced her retirement from swimming. She explained that the pandemic-induced layoff allowed her to gain a different and broader perspective on swimming and life.<\/p>\n
\nby David Rieder<\/strong>
\nAfter winning seven gold medals at the 2017 World Championships, then a record-breaking eight total medals at the 2019 version of the meet, Caeleb Dressel now gets a shot at taking his signature steamrolling to the Olympic level. It\u2019s possible he could win seven gold medals in Tokyo, but he will also be facing a series of difficult challenges\u00a0 this July.<\/p>\n
\nby Dan D\u2019Addona<\/strong>
\nOlivia Smoliga, who stunned the swimming world when she won the 100 backstroke at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, is now a veteran looking to fend off the new wave in women\u2019s backstroke. \u201cI am going in with the intention to race how I have been training, and know I am capable of competing in multiple events,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\nby Dan D\u2019Addona<\/strong>
\nKatie Drabot has represented the United States at just about every other international meet other than the Olympics, including winning a bronze medal in the 200 fly at the 2019 World Championships. After a year of upheaval with the COVID-19 pandemic, Drabot has put together a solid training block as she aims for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.<\/p>\n
\nby David Rieder<\/strong>
\nAfter dominating women\u2019s backstroke at the 2019 World Championships, Regan Smith became the overwhelming favorite for Olympic gold in the 100 and 200 back. But her momentum and sense of can-do-no-wrong were broken by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, with Trials fast approaching, Smith can be certain that she has done everything possible to be at her best at the right time.<\/p>\n
\nby Bruce Wigo<\/strong>
\nCharles Jackson French of the U.S. Navy towed a raft full of his shipwrecked mates to safety\u2014through shark-infested waters\u2014after the sinking of the USS Gregory off the Solomon Islands in World War II.<\/p>\n
\nby Dan D\u2019Addona
\n<\/strong>While many swimmers get more tense and feel more pressure heading into the Olympic Trials, Reece Whitley is feeling more relaxed. Knowing that he has put in the preparation mentally as well as physically, Whitley is excited for the opportunity and poised for a strong meet.<\/p>\n
\nby Dan D\u2019Addona<\/strong>
\nWhen Abbey Weitzeil steps onto the block, she puts everything into her race\u2014body, mind and heart\u2014to get to the wall first. On the mental side, the key is to have everything blocked out and be ready to roar. Weitzeil is healthy and ready to rip it at Trials, hoping to make her second Olympic team.<\/p>\n
\nby Dan D\u2019Addona<\/strong>
\nAfter graduating from Cal as one of the team\u2019s key members, Katie McLaughlin was starting to struggle as a professional swimmer. But she was able to gain a new perspective about herself and the sport when she started to coach: \u201cIt\u2019s given me so much more gratitude and better appreciation for what I get to do and more of a purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nby Dan D\u2019Addona<\/strong>
\nBrooke Forde is looking forward to simply having a healthy swim at the U.S. Olympic Trials\u2014a simple goal, but one that was far from reality at the 2016 Trials when the Stanford national champion was recovering from viral meningitis. Now, Forde will be in contention to make the Olympic team in the 400 IM, heading to the 2021 Trials stronger, wiser\u2014and healthier.<\/p>\n
\nby Dan D\u2019Addona<\/strong>
\nMallory Comerford rose to become one of the world\u2019s best swimmers through regimented training, a clear focus and planning ahead. But since the COVID-19 pandemic\u2014plus dealing with some injuries\u2014Comerford, like most swimmers, lost her regular routine with the ever-changing circumstances. But she feels encouraged with her recent practices as she prepares for the U.S. Olympic Trials: \u201cNow, everything is moving in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nby Michael J. Stott<\/strong><\/p>\n