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Freestyle Media

Joe Malone

164 episodes

4 days ago

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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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 ...

Show more...

Episodes (20/164)

Freestyle Media

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

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 ...

3 days ago

56 minutes

Freestyle Media

#162: Finding Love for Swimming Beyond Diabetes Diagnosis

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 ...

1 week ago

52 minutes

Freestyle Media

#161: Together in the Fast Lane

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...

2 weeks ago

44 minutes

Freestyle Media

#160: 17 World Records Smashed - National Masters Review

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.

3 weeks ago

55 minutes

Freestyle Media

#159: From Windermere Record Breaking to River Breakthroughs

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 lo...

1 month ago

54 minutes

Freestyle Media

#158: From Lanes to Legends: The National Masters Preview

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.

1 month ago

50 minutes

Freestyle Media

#157: Channelling History by Sprinting to Success

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 gar...

1 month ago

46 minutes

Freestyle Media

#156: The Science of Hydration, Electrolytes, Caffeine and Cramp

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.&nb...

1 month ago

43 minutes

Freestyle Media

#155: Overcoming Shoulder Surgery

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...

1 month ago

39 minutes

Freestyle Media

#154: The Power of Perspective in Swimming

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...

2 months ago

55 minutes

Freestyle Media

#153: Mastering Swimming Performance and Defying Age

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 ...

2 months ago

51 minutes

Freestyle Media

#152: Long Distance Life with Andrew Horsfall-Turner

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...

2 months ago

45 minutes

Freestyle Media

#151: Singapore Stories

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 t...

2 months ago

1 hour 7 minutes

Freestyle Media

#150: Celebrating 150 Episodes and the Singapore World Masters Championships

In this celebratory 150th episode of the Master Swimming Podcast, hosts Helen Gorman and Joe Malone reflect on three years of the show, and the recent World Masters Championships in Singapore. Guests John Chambers, Verity Dobbie and Dom Polling add their perspectives on success in Singapore - which was one of the best Championships to date with fantastic pools, incredible swimmers and an amazing host city.

3 months ago

1 hour 3 minutes

Freestyle Media

#149: Mastering Shoulder Health for Swimmers

We speak to Nathan Oxford about shoulder health and injury prevention in masters swimmers. He explains the importance of recovery, prehab, and strength training in preventing injuries, as well as key exercises to build shoulder resilience and improve performance in the pool. He emphasises the need for consistent prehab routines and the significance of assessing shoulder function to maintain health and performance in swimming - and offers some free resources to help identify areas for de...

3 months ago

31 minutes

Freestyle Media

#148: From Paralympic Glory to Masters Swimming

Helen Gorman chats to Lara Ferguson, a Scottish three-time Paralympic swimmer and current Masters swimmer in the 45-49 age group. They discuss Lara's journey from her early days in competitive swimming to her international experiences, including winning two Paralympic medals at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. Lara shares insights into the classification system for para-athletes, her transition to Masters swimming, and her current training regime. The conversation also touches on the f...

3 months ago

29 minutes

Freestyle Media

#147: Arthur Lowe on breaking records at age 90

Helen Gorman interviews Arthur Lowe, a remarkable swimmer who has been breaking British records in the 90-94 age group. Arthur, who is joined by his wife, Marion, shares his journey in swimming, from early days of being sent by his mother into Birmingham to have a bath to his current training and record breaking. He emphasises the importance of technique and enjoyment in the sport. Arthur reflects on his Army career and participating in international events, while also offering valuable advic...

3 months ago

22 minutes

Freestyle Media

#146: Preparing for Major Competition: How to Turn Anxiety into Excitement

Sports psychologist and British record breaker, Helen Davis joins us to chat about managing nerves and performance anxiety in competitive swimming. We discuss visualization techniques, the difference between threat and challenge mindsets, and how to set realistic performance goals. The conversation with host, Helen Gorman covers strategies for staying grounded after success as well as bouncing back from poor performances. With the World Aquatics Masters Championships looming, we g...

4 months ago

32 minutes

Freestyle Media

#145: Preparing for the World Aquatics Masters Championships in Singapore

In this episode of the Masters Swimming podcast, you'll find out everything you need to know about travelling to and competing at the World Aquatics Masters Championships in Singapore. Guests Nadine Day and Martin Bennell offer insights into everything from where to get the best coffee to detailed information about the organisation of the Championships. In her position as Chair of the volunteer World Aquatics Masters Group, Nadine has great insight that will help you prepare for your trip, wh...

4 months ago

1 hour 9 minutes

Freestyle Media

#144: Breaking records and achieving success after 40

In this episode of the Masters Swimming podcast, we speak to Gina Heyn about her achievements and record breaking in the 40-44 age group. We discuss competing at the Aquatics GB Next Gen Championships, her decision to change clubs and compete for Woking SC and her trip to New York to support a friend swimming around Manhattan Island. Thinking about the future, we consider the prospect of swimming ten relays at the National Short Course Championships and muse about the distant pros...

4 months ago

44 minutes