Alexander Hardwick - (Author)

Commentary by Casey Barrett On night six of the U.S. Olympic Trials, Cal’s Ryan Murphy stepped up to a throne that has long awaited him… The torch was officially passed a little after 8pm. It wasn’t when he touched the wall in a lifetime best and secured his second Olympic berth. It wasn’t when he e...

Commentary by Casey Barrett Nathan Adrian, Caeleb Dressel, Ryan Held, and Anthony Ervin – Olympians in the men’s 100 free… A snapshot of collective pride and joy…  “Veterans, meet rookies. Rookies, meet veterans,” said Brendan Hansen in his post-awards interview. There stood a pair of Olympic champi...

Commentary by Casey Barrett The 200 fly is one of those races… It sets up for heartbreak. The last 50 is frequently cruel and ugly, as veterans fall apart in the closing meters and are passed by charging young upstarts… Last night in Omaha the old guys were dying, but this time they held on…  How ma...

Commentary by Casey Barrett In the water, on the field, and on the broadcast, Omaha has been overrun by Arizona Wildcats…  A pair of circuses have come to town and tonight the main attraction at each is a collection of world class Wildcats. At one end of Cass Street here in downtown Omaha, swim fans...

Commentary by Casey Barrett If you want to be an Olympian, here is the hardest possible path: Try qualifying in the American men’s 100 backstroke…  You’re 30-years-old. Your second child just arrived. Your wife is in med school. You’re one of the best swimmers in the world, but that doesn’t mean you...

Commentary by Casey Barrett In 2012, at age 11, he was a walleyed spectator. Four years later, at 15, he’s a participant. A few weeks ago he dropped a 1:03.62 in the men’s 100 breaststroke at a meet at MIT, seven one-hundredths inside the qualifying standard. He’ll be one of the youngest guys at the...

At U.S. Trials, the men's 100 fly and 100 back are all set to feature spirit-crushing drama... Commentary by Casey Barrett The brutal theme of Olympic Trials is heartbreak. Sure, it's the most exciting swim meet on the planet, and yes, there's nothing quite like witnessing the fulfillment of dreams ...

Commentary by Casey Barrett Searching for a gift for your Olympic Trials qualifier? Look no further... Hot off the press, released this month by Chronicle Books, is Lisa Congdon's The Joy of Swimming. The subtitle says it all: A Celebration of Our Love For Getting in the Water. Less a story than a p...

Commentary by Casey Barrett For virtually every world city, hosting the Olympic Games is a pretty bad bet. It costs billions, for things that won't get much use afterwards. It's a political nightmare. And it puts a target on a city for many of the very worst people on earth. The real fears of terror...

Commentary by Casey Barrett These are grim days for the Games. Doping scandals are pumping fast and furious. The usual dark clouds of corruption and bribery hover. The credibility of IOC leaders is at an all time low. And in 80 days the Summer Olympics in Rio will begin. In the days and months befor...

Commentary by Casey Barrett It's such a delicate time. U.S. Olympic Trials start in six weeks. It's almost taper time. Maybe the bulky sprinters have already started resting. Wherever you are in your training cycle, there's not much time left. Every race at every meet from here on out carries added ...

Commentary by Casey Barrett Is anyone getting the message yet? For the last year or two news of the filthy waters off of Rio keep appearing. Last week, the most high profile and authoritative voice yet weighed in: Lynne Cox, the icon who personifies the sport of open water swimming. In an Op-Ed piec...

Commentary by Casey Barrett Not since East Germany in the 70s and 80s has there appeared to be a more concentrated state-run system of nationally mandated doping. Russia today has now confirmed itself as the poster child for cheating in international sport. In a stunning story published in The New Y...

Commentary by Casey Barrett.   Introducing 'Speedo Fit' Water Training... Featuring Lochte, Missy, Cullen... and Mr. Laird Hamilton It’s not often that Ryan Lochte, Missy Franklin, and Cullen Jones are overshadowed when they’re standing around a pool. They’re three of the most recognizable faces in ...

Guest Commentary by Casey Barrett French study reveals: Take a little, take it at night, never fail a test… See your results soar. The next time you hear someone proclaim innocence by pointing to all the drug tests they have passed, try not to laugh. If a cheater is versed in the latest in the dark ...

Commentary by Casey Barrett Katinka Hosszu is the best all-around swimmer on earth right now… What everyone is talking about, but no one wants to say…  There is no proof. There never is, not when it matters, not when it’s needed most. So, this is what happens: the coaches grumble; the experts roll t...