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Up & Comers: North Texas Nadadores’ Maximus Williamson
By Shoshanna Rutemiller
North Texas Nadadores’ (Southlake, Texas) Maximus Williamson is a force to be reckoned with. In July 2021 at the Texas Age Group Championships, he broke the 13-14 200 meter freestyle national age group record with an astounding 1:53.26. But the 6-foot-3 youngster isn’t defined just by that event. He is an incredibly diverse swimmer, showing his hand in everything from the 50 freestyle to the 400 IM.
“Don’t put anything past him,” says his coach, Daniel Balint. “He can swim a 3:56 400 IM at the end of practice after already putting 5K in the pool. He’s a kid who doesn’t know his times—he just wants to swim, race and win.”
Williamson, now 15, comes from an elite swimming pedigree. His mom, Jennifer (née Kurth), swam for Germantown Academy and the University of Michigan, and competed in two Olympic Trials. At the 1995 Pan Am Games in Argentina, she earned bronze in the 400 IM.
“I am amazed by Maximus’ patriotism,” says Jennifer. “My husband and I both served in the military, so he has certainly inherited our passion for serving our country. He is intrigued by the work, passion, teamwork and discipline required of our elite Special Forces, particularly the SEALS.”
WHAT IS THE BEST THING YOU DO IN SWIMMING?
I love to compete. I get so psyched up for a good head-to-head race. My best memories so far have come from competing with my friends in practices and in meets.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE TOUGHEST WORKOUTS/SETS YOU’VE DONE?
I recently swam for a weekend with my mom’s former coach, Coach (Richard) Shoulberg, in Philadelphia. At the Saturday practice, we went 11,400 yards. It was the longest workout I’ve ever done! I also distinctly remember one workout in the middle of the season when I was 12, and we did 16 x 100s on the 1:05. I didn’t think I would make all of them, but I did!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT SWIMMING?
We give up a lot to be successful swimmers. We work really hard and have to dedicate a lot of time to becoming great…but we do it with great friends, and when we all swim fast at the final meet of the season, it makes it all worth it. That is the most rewarding aspect of swimming.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS YEAR?
I’d really like to make some national cuts. I’m also looking forward to going to my first high school state meet in February.
WHO IS SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO IN SWIMMING…AND WHY?
I really look up to my teammate and best bud, Mason Edmund. He is the hardest worker, both in and out of the pool. He trains extremely hard. He is a great student, and in his free time, he has a job to earn extra money. He has taken me under his wing, and we have a great time training together. I’m going to miss him next year when he goes to college (Ohio State).
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES?
I like to be outside in the wilderness. We have a house in Alaska, so I love to hunt, fish and trap…and just be outside. I also like to snowboard after the season is over.
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[Photo Courtesy: Robert Hanashiro / USA Today Sports]
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FEATURES
012 THE TOP 5 STORIES OF 2021
by David Rieder
While the pandemic and its massive effects on the sport were the lone top story of 2020, the action in the pool returned to center-stage in 2021. Unsurprisingly, the focus of the year’s top stories centers on Tokyo, where the Olympics produced some amazing performances and historic results.
016 2021 ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
by Dan D’Addona and Matthew De George
- Diving: Shi Tingmao, China & Xie Siyi, China
- Artistic Swimming: Svetlana Kolesnichenko & Svetlana Romashina, Russia
- Water Polo: Maddie Musselman, USA & Filip Filipovic, Serbia
- Paralympic: Jessica Long, USA & Maksym Krypac, Serbia
018 THE GREATEST WORLD RECORDS IN HISTORY
by John Lohn
As the 2022 campaign gets underway, Swimming World decided to look at the greatest world records in history. No, this is not a perfect science, but the eight records featured are—plain and simple—spectacular in nature and deserve all-time recognition.
020 ISHOF FEATURE: REMEMBERING SAN FRANCISCO’S SUTRO BATHS
by Bruce Wigo
Located on the ocean side of the southerly entrance to San Francisco Bay’s Golden Gate, the Sutro Baths—built in the 1890s by Adolph Sutro and eventually destroyed in the 1960s—was the world’s largest indoor swimming facility and one of the most amazing recreational and entertainment complexes ever built.
024 2021 WORLD & AMERICAN RECORD PROGRESSION
by David Rieder
026 SWIMMING TOWARD GREATNESS
by David Rieder
Australia’s Ariarne Titmus first beat Katie Ledecky, history’s greatest female distance swimmer, at the 2019 World Championships. She repeated the feat this past summer at the Tokyo Olympics, and now has her sights set on achieving even more challenging goals.
029 NUTRITION: CHILLED TO THE BONE
by Dawn Weatherwax
Bone broth is a home remedy worth adding whether you live in a cold or warm climate.
034 MENTAL PREP: BEFORE THE BEEP WITH MAX McHUGH
by Shoshanna Rutemiller
COACHING
032 SWIMMING TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS: MAXIMIZING SWIMMING VELOCITY (Part 7)—OPTIMAL STROKE CYCLE FOR BUTTERFLY AND FREESTYLE
by Rod Havriluk
A swimmer who takes full advantage of the propulsive phase and eliminates the wasted time on the non-propulsive phase can optimize stroke cycle time. This article presents optimal times for both the propulsive and non-propulsive phases of butterfly and freestyle with corresponding predicted performance improvements.
036 COLLEGE SWIMMING POST-COVID
by Michael J. Stott
College swim coaches from around the country offer their thoughts on how COVID has affected their sport.
042 SPECIAL SETS: LETITIA SIM—DYNAMITE TALENT FROM TNT SWIMMING
by Michael J. Stott
Coach Jan Mittemeyer shares some sets he has given to Letitia Sim and her fellow senior swimmers at TNT Swimming in Daphne, Ala. Now swimming for Michigan, Sim was 2021’s No. 1-ranked recruit from Alabama and 15th nationally.
043 Q&A WITH COACH BRENT ARCKEY, SARASOTA SHARKS (Fla.)
by Michael J. Stott
044 HOW THEY TRAIN OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALIST EMMA WEYANT
by Michael J. Stott
TRAINING
031 DRYSIDE TRAINING: READY, SET, GO!
by J.R. Rosania
With the new year, it’s time to think about what lies ahead and how to begin preparation for winter and early spring racing. This month’s dryland article focuses on exercises for each stroke and some explosive and core training exercises.
JUNIOR SWIMMER
039 GOLDMINDS: THE ART OF SWIMMING
by Wayne Goldsmith
The key to fast swimming is to follow the coach’s leadership and guidance, but it’s also important to choose and make the workout special and unique just for you.
047 UP & COMERS: MAXIMUS WILLIAMSON
by Shoshanna Rutemiller
COLUMNS
008 A VOICE FOR THE SPORT
009 DID YOU KNOW: ABOUT OSCAR NORIN, CHAMPION HIGH DIVER OF THE WORLD?
041 THE OFFICIAL WORD
046 MOMS AT MEETS: BETH CURTISS
048 GUTTERTALK
049 PARTING SHOT
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