Freestyle Media

Masters swimmer and nutrition coach Robbie Blackman joins us to explore one of the most important — and most debated — parts of race day: what to eat and drink before you dive in.We revisit the pre-race favourites of five Masters swimmers — Amanda Heath, Chris Jones, Janet McLean, Lizzie Bellinger and Joe Malone — and get Robbie’s verdict on their choices.From a love of rare steak and a...

Julie and Helen ease into Julie's first episode as co-host by doing something a bit different. They turn the mic on themselves and swap the training sets that never left them: the ones scrawled on a whiteboard years ago that somehow still live rent-free in their heads.Helen digs up the back-end pace breaststroke set she's been doing since joining Cardiff in 2017 (the same one she now does...

We’re celebrating four years of the Freestyle Media podcast with some exciting news! Woking’s Julie Howe joins the podcast team as a regular presenter. Find out what she’ll bring to the show and what listeners can look forward to.Helen is also joined by Nottingham Leander’s Alex Thurston to review the National Masters Open Water Championships at Rother Valley Country Park. Despite challenging...

Craig Ward and Vicki Payne join Helen Gorman to preview the pool swimming events at the European Masters Championships in Slovakia. From race goals to relays, travel and the excitement of competing against Europe’s best, they share how they’re preparing to race outdoors at the stunning X-Bionic Sphere in Šamorín.Along the way, they discuss what first-time international competitors can expect, the...

Paul Leonard shares the extraordinary story of becoming only the 44th person ever to complete the Oceans Seven challenge. From surviving a shark bite during his Molokai Channel attempt to returning a year later to finish the swim, Paul reveals the resilience, preparation and mental strength required to conquer the world’s toughest marathon swims. He also shares his training strategies, the highs...

Woking Swimming Club’s Henry Goodlud joins the podcast to share his experience of developing Swimming-Induced Pulmonary Edema (SIPE), a potentially serious condition that forced him out of the water just weeks before the British Masters Championships in Aberdeen.Henry explains what SIPE is, how it developed during a 24-hour relay challenge, the symptoms swimmers shouldn’t ignore, and what can be...

Adam Wilkie is taking on one of the boldest challenges in swimming. Nearly 50 years after his father, Olympic champion David Wilkie, won gold and set a world record in the 200m breaststroke at the 1976 Olympics, Adam is attempting to match that iconic winning time of 2:15.11. The odds are against him. Adam walked away from competitive swimming at just 17 and is now rebuilding from scratch at the...

Masters swimmer Nicola (Nicci) Beynon shares her journey of balancing sport, career and family life while living with multiple sclerosis.Nicci talks about resilience, adapting to challenges and the role swimming continues to play in her health, wellbeing and happiness. She explains why saying “yes” to seemingly crazy challenges is so important to her mental health and how she hopes her...

World records, epic performances, travel tails and pornstar martinis…Olly Espinasse (Basingstoke Bluefins) and Molly James (Trafford Metro) join Helen Gorman to break down the biggest moments from the 2026 British Masters Championships in Aberdeen.From outstanding swims to unforgettable stories on and off poolside, this championship recap captures everything that made Aberdeen 2026 one to...

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...