From NCAA Champion to Competitor Swim VP: Kristen Linehan’s Journey Through the Sport

Johannes Liebmann was a distance swimming revelation this summer. After breaking the European record in the 800 free in April, Liebmann came to the European Champs in Paris and absolutely dominated. After winning the 800 Free and breaking his own European record in the event (7:37.59), he smashed the world record in the 1500 Free, breaking it by over 4 seconds (14:26.79). Liebmann joined the SwimSwam Podcast to discuss his meteoric rise this year. The 19-year-old explains what training has been like with Bernd Berkhan's legendary distance crew and how he has dealt with the overnight success.

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we are discussing the SCM Pro Meet at Virginia, the last stop of the World Cup, and the 5th match of the CSL.

In this GMM takeover of the SwimSwam Podcast, we sit down with Kristen Linehan Omli, VP of Competitor Swim, one of the most recognizable equipment brands on pool decks across the United States. Competitor’s history in swimming runs deep. The company has been producing lane lines for decades, going back to 1968, with its products becoming a fixture at major meets, college programs, clubs and aquatic facilities around the country. Linehan brings a swimmer’s perspective to that business. If you know your history, you know the Linehan sisters dominated swimming from the late 1970s through 1999.

In this GMM takeover of the SwimSwam Podcast with have Virginia Head Coach Todd DeSorbo and Virginia Associate Head Coach Tyler Fenwick. Virginia is hosting what could be the most talent-dense swim meet of the fall outside of U.S. Short Course Worlds Trials and the World Championships. The UVA Pro Elite SCM Worlds Prep Meet, set for October 15-16 in Charlottesville, will bring together a loaded field of Olympic champions, world champions and world record holders for three fast sessions of short course meters racing. SwimSwam will livestream the meet, with Kevin Cargill on the call. Expected names include Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh, Alex Walsh, Katie Ledecky, Caeleb Dressel, Bobby Finke, Leon Marchand, Regan Smith, Hubert Kos, Katharine Berkoff, Simone Manuel, Chris Guiliano and Jordan Crooks, among others.

This week on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we are discussing the first two stops of the World Cup, Matches 3&4 of the CSL, and generally the insane amount of fast swims we've seen in October so far.

In this GMM takeover of the SwimSwam podcast we have 3-time Pan Pacific Championships gold medalist, Katharine Berkoff. Berkoff is coming off a huge summer, sweeping her individual events at the 2026 Pan Pacific Championships with gold in the 50 back and 100 back, then adding another gold as part of Team USA’s 4x100 medley relay. Her 50 back was the headline swim. Berkoff ripped a 26.90, lowering her own American Record. In the 100 back, she touched first in 57.93, beating a stacked field that included Regan Smith, who averaged 57.8 across multiple races in 2026. We unpack those swims and the rapidly changing landscape of women’s backstroke.

The SwimSwam Breakdown is joined today by Elvis Burroughs and Dax Hill, AKA Night Swim, to discuss the first two matches of the College Swimming League.

Today on the SwimSwam Breakdown, we are discussing the Asian Games so far, UVA's SCM Pro Am Meet in October, and Shaine Casas coaching high school. 

Angharad Evans has had a heck of a summer, raking in 7 medals across the Commonwealth Games and European Championships. This included double individual gold (100/200 Breast) at Comm Games in Glasgow and Gold (100 Breast) and Silver (200 Breast) in Paris at Euros. Evans has not had a linear progression up to this point, and we dive into that journey in today's podcast. In 2021, at age 18, Evans came to the USA to train and study at the University of Georgia. Prior to her arrival, Evans hadn't visited UGA and didn't have much of a concept of what her experience there would be like. During her year on the swim team, she didn't make strong connections with the coaches, and the high-yardage program didn't seem to be a good fit. She left the program following her freshman season and stopped swimming altogether, staying in Athens and attending classes. However, without the structure swimming provided, Evans went downhill and ultimately wound up going back to Scotland in December of 2022. After slowly getting back into the water in the winter, training with her home club team through and spring and competing at British trials in April 2023, the breaststroke specialist decided to really give swimming another go. She ended up at the University of Stirling under coach Ben Higson, and it has been a strong fit for Evans ever since. In 2024, Evans qualified for her first Olympics and made the final in Paris in the 100 Breast. Last summer in Singapore, she made the final in the 200 breast at World Champs. After going best times in both the 100 and 200 at British Trials this April, Evans put immense pressure on herself going into a home Commonwealth Games. Even though she was able to get her hand on the wall first in both the 100 and 200, her times were well off her best. She completely changed her mindset heading into Europeans, trying to only focus on her execution rather than the race itself. This paid off, showing better times while she was still able to retain gold status in the 100, as well as earning silver in the 200.

Today, we are previewing the upcoming 2026 Asian Games in Tokyo, which start on Sunday, September 2026.