On being Vice Captain of the New York Breakers, Andrew said, “It feels amazing. It has definitely been a long time coming. We have been working on this for quite a while. It’s exciting that it’s out there and we can focus on the season that is coming up. The ISL has already impacted the swimming world in a massive way. It has united the athletes and coaches. Unlike the Olympics being every four years, with the ISL, people can follow swimming all the time.”
Regarding his future plans, Andrew said, “I will fly to Singapore for training camp for the World Championships, and then I fly to South Korea for the FINA World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju. After the World Championships, I will go to Tokyo to race for the World Cup, and then to China for the next World Cup, and then to Singapore for another World Cup stop, before I go back home for a couple of weeks.”
On the success of his YouTube vlog, Andrew shared that he enjoys being diligent, creating and having fun with it.
For Andrew, it’s an “incredible” feeling to be a swimmer in this digital age. “It’s a very open niche,” he said. “Digitally, there is not a lot of media presence when it comes to swimming. It’s exciting to be a part of that, and to be one of the top athletes representing the world of swimming.” “I think swimming is going to change in a massive way, and it’s going to become popular very soon,” he predicted.
“I am doing my best to stay relevant here and to show people what we are doing,” he said.
In several of his vlogs, Andrew spotlights his fellow swimmers and interviews them about their lives, workout routines and their journey in the sport. Several of the swimmers he has profiled included Ryan Murphy, Nathan Adrian, Jacob Pebley, Cody Miller, Michael Chadwick, Alison Schmitt, and Ryan Held, among many others.
“I remember rooming with Ryan Held in Monaco last year. It was awesome,” he said.
Andrew shared that he would love to someday interview fellow swimmer and vlogger Calvyn Justus for his vlog, who hails from South Africa, and ironically enough, both of Andrew’s parents, Peter and Tina, are South Africa natives as well. “Calvyn and I have messaged back and forth, and I am trying to find a weekend when I am home and free to go surfing and hang out with him in California,” he said. “Calvyn is a good guy and an awesome creator too.”
He had nothing but the greatest remarks about the USA Swimming Foundation, their mission, and their work. “What the USA Swimming Foundation is doing to promote water safety is incredible,” he said.
“Swimming is one of the only sports that can really save your life and it’s a skill that everyone needs to have and it’s essential, especially here in California. It is great that the USA Swimming Foundation is taking this initiative and they are involving national team members and athletes to help local kids and swim teams,” he added.
After leaving the wide open spaces of Kansas, and moving to California, he noted his profound love for surfing. “I have a new surfboard and the waves are fast. I am having a great time surfing and surfing with friends. It’s amazing,” he admitted.
Andrew acknowledged that he has given lots of great advice over the years by his mentors. “Do not define yourself by your sport. That is pretty broad but what it means to me, is whether I’m winning or losing, don’t let your joy or excitement be tied solely on that specific thing. There will be times that will be difficult and you can’t always be winning, but you need to find joy in those moments,” he said.
“If I can live not defined by that, but be defined by the relationships and the people that I love and the people I am loved by, then I am able to swim freely and enjoy what I do that much more,” he added.
The 20-year-old swimmer complimented Olympic gold medalist Josh Davis and the extraordinary work he does with the Breakout Swim Clinic. “I love Josh Davis. He has been a family friend for a long time. He is probably the best clinician I’ve ever met. It is incredible how he connects with every athlete on their level. He has so much energy each time he does a clinic. Every athlete that gets to experience his clinic is really lucky. Josh has an awesome family. I love his family,” he said.
Andrew praised the technology KAATSU for being “incredible,” especially for recovery. “KAATSU is a Japanese technology based on blood flow restrictions so there is a lot of science behind it and a lot of old methods, but they have been modernized by KAATSU. I use it in multiple ways: to train and to recover as well,” he said.
For his fans and supporters, Andrew expressed his ultimate gratitude. “I cannot thank the fans enough. Their support has gotten stronger and stronger and it is so great that they have been rooting me on in my journey. I also do what I can to give back to them,” he said.
Andrew defined the word success as “constantly getting better.” “Success doesn’t mean that you have to be swimming faster, but it means looking for ways to improve and analyzing and figuring things out. You need to be an athlete or a person that is willing to learn and make changes. That’s success in a nutshell,” he said.
To learn more about world champion swimmer Michael Andrew, follow him on Instagram.
