#176: From Olympic Heartbreak to King of the Channel

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 water title in Singapore.In this episode we talk about Olympic heartbreak, the brutal beauty of Channel swimming, and what keeps him diving in after a lifetime in the sport.

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 water acclimatisation, and why she’ll choose the sea over a pool every time. It’s a conversation about longevity, variety, and always finding your next challenge. Visit Swimcape Cornwall here: https://swimscapecornwall.co.uk

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 resilience needed to see a challenge like this through. If you can, support the cause at https://heropawsuk.enthuse.com — 3,100 pull-ups is an absolute monster of a challenge, and Brad smashed it for a brilliant reason.

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 not, be realised.Sarah shares insights from her successful Channel crossing, while Rebecca reflects on the contrasting experience of being fully prepared but unable to start due to adverse weather and sea conditions. Together, they unpack what success really means, how athletes adapt when plans unravel, and why the swimming community plays such a vital role in both triumph and disappointment.

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 Swimming World Championships in Rome in 2009, Conor saw world records broken that still stand today - including the oldest record in the books, Paul Biedermann's 200m freestyle time of 1:42.00.The conversation delves into the arguments for and against the use of bodysuits in competitive masters swimming, including issues of cost, accessibility, and body image. Let us know what you think...

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 service swimming team and offers a host of tips for anyone looking to improve their swimming performances.

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 how to structure training cycles. We also consider the importance of preparation meets and scheduled recovery.