• Peaking At The Right Time, Sarah Sjostrom Poised For Big Showing in Budapest

• Kelsi Dahlia Announces Retirement After Decorated Career in Sprint Butterfly Events

• Mare Nostrum Barcelona: Kristof Milak Breaks Series Record in 200 Butterfly on Day 2

• Lia Thomas Breaks Silence to ABC, ESPN: ‘Trans Women Competing … Doesn’t Threaten Women’s Sports’

• Guest Commentary: ‘We’re Still Here’: How Michigan State’s ‘Unlucky 13’ Survived Program Cut

Mare Nostrum Barcelona: Kristof Milak Breaks Series Record in 200 Butterfly on Day 2

The Mare Nostrum series continued with Day 2 from Barcelona on Thursday with a full slate of events.

The day kicked off with the women’s 800 freestyle, followed by the men’s 50 backstroke, women’s 50 breaststroke, men’s 50 butterfly, women’s 400 IM, men’s 100 freestyle, women’s 100 backstroke, men’s 100 breaststroke, women’s 50 freestyle, men’s 200 backstroke, women’s 200 breaststroke, men’s 200 butterfly, women’s 100 butterfly, men’s 200 IM, women’s 200 freestyle and men’s 400 freestyle.

Hungary’s Kristof Milak broke the Mare Nostrum Series record in the 200 butterfly and a couple of Barcelona stop records also fell.

Lia Thomas Breaks Silence to ABC, ESPN: ‘Trans Women Competing … Doesn’t Threaten Women’s Sports’

Lia Thomas is breaking her silence on her participation in women’s swimming.

The University of Pennsylvania swimmer, who was the first transgender swimmer to win an NCAA championship, gave an on-air interview to ABC News and ESPN, Thomas’ first comments since competing in March.

With the exception of the on-deck TV interview after winning the NCAA championship in the 500 freestyle, Lia Thomas hadn’t spoken to any media outlet since Sports Illustrated, prior to the NCAA Championships. Thomas declined to attend the press conference following her victory, which was mandatory for all event winners, according to the NCAA.

Guest Commentary: ‘We’re Still Here’: How Michigan State’s ‘Unlucky 13’ Survived Program Cut

Michigan State University cut its varsity swimming and diving program in October 2020. Despite a robust campaign of alumni and supporters fighting for its reinstatement, the university has not wavered on its decision, leaving Michigan State swimmers in the lurch. Members of the final Spartans varsity team captured a club national title in 2022. This story first appeared in The State News, which will continue to follow this story. Watch for updates, and see more photos of the Michigan State club swim season, at StateNews.com. 

Guest Commentary – By Audrey Richardson

Even a year and a half after former Michigan State athletic director Bill Beekman broke the news to my teammates and I, we’re still bitter.

I’m told I need to move on, find another hobby and leave the sport that has molded my identity since I was 4 years old.

Eighteen months is a long time. I’m beating a broken drum. Why are we still talking about it? Why can’t we let it go?