This week on Weekly Freestyle 🏊‍♂️, Alex Sutton is joined by Olympic champions Tom Dean and Freya Anderson, with top British coach Luke Withers dropping in for an episode packed with swimming insight, honest reflections, and plenty of laughs.

The conversation kicks off with a debate on the most iconic pools in the world 🌍, from Rome’s stunning Setti pool to memories of Budapest and tough training blocks away from home.

Luke then puts Tom and Freya under the microscope with a freestyle stroke breakdown 💥, comparing their styles and highlighting what makes each of them so effective in the water.

Tom also praises Freya’s racing instincts 🏅, recalling her fearless competitive spirit, while Freya opens up about the challenges of staying motivated and finding that fight again, with everyone agreeing her best swimming is still ahead.

There’s also practical advice for young swimmers, including tips on dealing with dry hair and skin after hours in chlorine 🧴, and a powerful discussion around the barriers young girls face in sport. Freya shares the mission behind Fast and Female 💪 and why supporting teenage athletes through puberty, confidence struggles, and school pressures is so important.

Tom gives an update on the expanding Tom Dean Swim School 🌊, highlighting the growing need for learn to swim programmes and the huge impact teachers and mentors can have on the next generation.

The episode wraps up with questions from club swimmers, post race meal favourites 🍔🍟, and the all important gorilla challenge debate 🦍😂.

As always, it’s the perfect mix of swimming, wisdom, and Weekly Freestyle chaos.

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This week, Alex Sutton is joined by Luke Guy for an episode that almost didn’t happen thanks to a small technical hiccup 😅. After regrouping, the boys dive straight into bonus territory, covering everything from Jim Guy’s unforgettable wedding and best man duties done properly 🍻 to shared accommodation dramas and freezing air con disputes ❄️.

The conversation then shifts poolside, with Luke opening up about his return to masters swimming, the realities of training load, and why swimming is truly an all or nothing sport 🏊‍♂️. There’s also a deep dive into what’s coming in 2026, including Commonwealth Games storylines, international rivals, and some very spicy talk around a potential British 4x200 freestyle world record attempt 👀🔥.

To finish, Alex puts Luke’s legendary swimming memory to the test with The Splits Quiz and unsurprisingly it delivers 🤯. Times, placings, relay orders, it’s all in there.

Technical issues, top tier swim chat, and elite level nostalgia. Enjoy this one 🎧✨

Alex Sutton is joined by co host Luke Withers for a wide ranging catch up as the racing season kicks off. They open with life updates from the pool, including the shock of swimming in an uncomfortably warm 30.8°C pool, where masters swimmers voiced their complaints and Alex reluctantly admits to being one of them. Luke shares stories from a busy start to the season as both a swimmer and coach, while Alex reflects on returning to regular training and the small identity crisis that comes with moving between different pool environments.

The conversation then turns to open water swimming following the cancellation of the Sydney Harbour Splash after multiple shark attacks along the New South Wales coast. Alex and Luke explore how open water racing differs from pool swimming, why it is an inherently aggressive and unpredictable sport, and the unique skills required to manage mass starts, positioning, and sprint finishes. Luke shares his own experiences training in open water and discusses future ambitions, while both highlight why pool swimmers often underestimate the physical and mental demands of open water racing.

To wrap up, Alex breaks down his first long course race, including a 400m and a sub 30 second 50m freestyle, with Luke providing technical insight into sprinting, pacing, and why long course and short course swimming should never be treated as interchangeable. The episode closes with a new quick fire segment, Three Questions with Withers, touching on the Enhanced Games, swimming meme culture, and whether scrolling through gala results is really the best way to find a girlfriend.

Enjoy 😀

Alex Sutton is joined once again by Luke Guy, bringing an informed and honest perspective shaped by a lifetime in elite swimming and his work within the sport. Luke reflects on growing up alongside his brother James Guy, sharing how swimming was ingrained in family life from an early age and how a strong work ethic helped shape success at the highest level.

The conversation dives into the current state of British Swimming and the sport’s visibility more broadly. Luke offers clear views on what’s working, what needs to evolve, and why swimming continues to struggle for mainstream attention. Discussing media coverage, accessibility for fans, and why modern formats that prioritise entertainment and storytelling are vital for the sport’s future.

The episode also explores what world-class performance really looks like, revisiting iconic swims from British swimmers and international athletes. Alex and Luke finish by examining racing frequency and athlete readiness, questioning whether swimming would benefit from more regular competition and a system that keeps athletes race-ready all year round.

We’re back for 2026 with a Best Bits special!

Alex returns solo to the world-famous Wednesday 6 a.m. slot with a handpicked compilation of standout moments from 2025. Reflecting on the conversations, chaos, and characters that made the year unforgettable, this episode features:

• Tom Dean on the Singapore World Championships
• A lively segment with Katie Shanahan and Freya Anderson
• The now-infamous chicken suit clip with Spencer Matthews
• Transfer and swimming expert Luke Withers, revisiting the beloved transfer talk episode still a favourite, especially for his Italian accent

Catch all the highlights, laughs, and unforgettable moments from last year!

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See you next Wednesday.

🎄✨ The Weekly Freestyle – Christmas Special 2025 ✨🎄

Santa’s come early to The Weekly Freestyle 🎅🎙️ as Alex Sutton dons the Christmas hat and welcomes Luke Withers and a jet lagged Tom Dean back from Australia for a proper festive freestyle!

There are Christmas crackers (pulled correctly), questionable jokes, riddles that may or may not make sense, and gifts straight from around the world including a European Union sweatshirt and golf balls from Royal Sydney ⛳🎁. Drinks are poured, electrolytes are debated, and the festive vibes are flowing.

Tom breaks down a whirlwind travel schedule from Europe to Brisbane, chats racing medleys, new events, PBs, and even opens up about a controversial DQ (yes, that IM turn…). The team also dish out brilliant advice for masters swimmers juggling training with mince pies and mulled wine 🏊‍♂️🍷.

Looking ahead, the 2026 swimming calendar gets a festive preview, before things descend into chaos with Christmas unpopular opinions (when should you eat Christmas dinner?!) and a fiercely contested 2025 Christmas Quiz complete with buzzers, swimming trivia, and a dramatic tiebreaker.

To top it all off, Alex delivers a handcrafted Christmas poem, “A Freestyle Christmas 2025 Fine in Rhyme”, wrapping up an incredible year for the podcast 🎄❤️

Crackers pulled. Hats worn. Freestyle festive chaos delivered.

In this episode of The Weekly Freestyle, I’m joined once again by Charlie Harris - Digital Communications Officer at Scottish Swimming and host of The Aqua Pod let's dive straight into one of the biggest talking points in swimming right now.

Let’s get straight to it… are Team USA trying to sabotage Team GB ahead of the LA 2028 Olympics?

We break down the controversial changes to the Olympic swimming schedule, including the moving of the 200M IM closer to the 4by2oom freestyle Relay final:

• Is this actually allowed?
• Who’s responsible for making these decisions?
• Can Team GB appeal?
• And is there anything Team GB (or other nations) could do in response?

We also look at past examples, from Leon Marchand’s schedule in Paris as he won butterfly and breaststroke gold in one night.

Plus, we lighten things up with a bonus segment: Pool of the Week, as Charlie shares his pick and we discuss what makes a great swimming venue.

As always, thanks for listening and a big thank you to Charlie Harris from The Aqua Pod for joining me once again.

This week we review the short course championships in Lublin, Poland. Luke Withers jumps on the show to discuss the week of racing.

GB took a smaller squad to this champs but does this make for the lack of silverware compared to 2 years ago in Romania?

We discuss the best swims of the week, new names rising through the ranks and even some DQs…

Should we be seeing our best swimmers at all of these major meets?

This week, host Alex is joined by Scottish swimming expert Charlie Harris, the voice behind the popular show The Aqua Pod. Together, they dive into all things swimming, life, and Scotland. Charlie shares his expert take on the ongoing European Short Course Championships offering predictions, highlighting key contenders, and breaking down where the biggest challenges lie.

To top it all off, the duo wraps up the episode with a fun round of “Higher or Lower,” featuring past championship host cities. It’s a lively, insightful, and highly entertaining episode you won’t want to miss!

This week we dive into early season from action from across Europe and America!

Who is looking good, who is looking not so good and we discuss who Team GB's biggest prospect could be this year.

Finally we have some swimming to talk about :)