Katie Shanahan talks British Record and first solo European Title

0:00It definitely gives me a lot of confidence going to next season. Obviously it helps, like said, my British record and PB and stuff. It definitely helps me personally know that I can do it. And I am able to do that sort of swim. I think for next season there's a lot that I can improve strength. Being one of them, there's a lot of things in the water. Like, it needs fixing. I guess that's almost exciting because I know that there's so much, so many areas and out the water that I can improve. So I'm just thinking like, where else can I almost like get that time down to two five? Fall doesn't smell one way. With pure, every room gets its own scent, its own moment. Explore sense of place at pure.com. Acast powers the world's best podcasts. Here's the show we recommend. Do you like being educated on things that entertain but don't matter?

1:01Well, then you need to be listening to the podcast with Nox and Jamie. Everyone's a, we put together an episode dedicated to the live full idiocy to give your brain a break from all the serious and important stuff. Whether we're deep diving a classic movie, dissecting the true meanings behind the newest slang or dunking on our own listeners, so their bad takes or cringy stories, we always approach our topics with humor and just a little bit of side eye. And we end every episode with recommendations on all the best new movies, but TV shows are... To find out more, just search up the podcast with Nox and Jamie, wherever you listen to podcasts and prepare to make Wednesday your new favorite day of the week. Acast helps creators launch, grow and monetize their podcasts everywhere. Acast.com Hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of the Proposions Wave and Podcast. I hope you're all keeping well. As you can hear, my voice is a tiny bit ropey. Kids going back to school has brought the luggies to my house. Like September I want to go around. Absolutely, absolutely. But that doesn't stop us this week as we are back after our mini podcast break.

2:05We've had some live episodes or some live streams go live on the YouTube channel. If you've missed it because you're listening to this audio wise, go find us every Monday night at 10pm on our YouTube channel. We've been loving that. To kickstart this season, but we're kickstarting our podcast episodes with a fantastic interview for you all with Katie Shanahan after and all conquering some of them. Yes, I mean, I mean, it's very difficult to bounce from one meet for major meets to another major meet and she's done that superbly. Well, I mean, to come away with a massive PB which turned into a massive British record, a European gold as well. It was a pretty successful one of which she does talk about in the episode quite thoroughly. So yes, and she I think she was quite happy ultimately with the way she's done as we were too. Yeah, absolutely. So I'm going to save my voice as much as possible and just say sit back, enjoy. And let's hear from the newest British record holder in the 200 meters practice drug and European champion and Commonwealth Games silver medalist in the home town of Glasgow.

3:08Katie Shanahan. Welcome onto the podcast this week. Katie Shanahan, new European champion, new British record holder there. You've had a very, very busy summer. But before we get to the swimming, have you managed to relax properly? Yes, I have, which has been really nice. We've we're still on our break now, but we will have had three weeks off by the time we come back on Monday. So yeah, it's just really nice to just kind of switch off after the summer. And like you said, it was really busy. You kind of go back to back international competitions. It's not what we usually do in a typical season. So it was a bit different. But it was fun. I really enjoyed it actually, but yeah, it's nice to just beat home now and just take a round off something and not have to think about, not think about it for a while. How would you sum up your summer in the water in a couple of words? Surprising. I definitely see that. I wasn't expecting at all to do as well as I did. So I guess that was that was a nice surprise.

4:11I think at the Commonwealth Games, obviously going in. It was home crowd and surfing. It was just so amazing. Honestly, like that whole week I'll look back with very, very fun memories. And it would definitely be a career highlight of mine when I'm finished swimming. I think just recent front of that home crowd, it was so special. And I knew so many people that were there. And there were so many people that bought tickets to come and watch it, which I was so grateful for. And yeah, just recent front of those people was so special because I don't really ever get to do that. So yet to do that was pretty cool. Obviously coming with the two summer majors as well, which was nice. And then to back that up again at the Europeans, obviously do one set better, the gold and then get that British record that I've definitely had my own for a long time. And was a nice reward and yeah, it was really good. Yeah, like you said, there's plenty of swims this summer to get through, which we're going to try and dissect that. How that was for a GB, a GB swimmer to go through two massive competitions,

5:12especially being Scottish in Glasgow for Commonwealth Games to kick things off. But I know you've publicly spoken like recent years, you just haven't been able to put your best foot forward, whether it's been through illness or injury. So the achievements this summer, does that actually feel a lot more satisfying knowing you've had to be patient for this moment to come? Yeah, 100%. I feel like for the past what two years now, I've just been waiting for, you know, when's it going to be my time and when's it going to be my season. But yes, since 2024, there's just always been something so for me. 24, it was, I'd glandular fever for the Olympics, 225 was, I was unwell at the world, so I couldn't race. And then this year, obviously, I had quite a lot of things on my back and I'd read the start of the year, which I had to take quite a bit of time out of the water. And then I was unwell before trials. And then I fractured my hand and me. So yeah, it's been, it's been a lot going on for the past few years, especially this year. But I think it's just, just this summer has just been such a nice reward for all.

6:16And I'm really hoping now that my luck, my bad luck is over in like this is almost like the start of my senior kid. You're almost, I know that's obviously I've been about for a while, but nothing's really gone my way, type thing. And I feel like I've not had that competition to really show, you know, the use of training and the work that I've actually put in. So I'm hoping that starting next season, I can kind of get a good run of however many months going into trials and then going into one of those next year to finally show everything that I've been doing. It was like a shopping list of issues that you were listing there. And so I didn't even know you fractured your hands. That's kind of a big deal with swimming, sports in general, I suppose. How did you deal with being patient, I suppose? How did you get through those sort of tough years? Yeah, I mean, I think it has been very hard. I think watching, especially watching around me kind of getting better and moving it on and me kind of being in the sidelines, just watching it and waiting for kind of my turn to come.

7:17It was really hard and especially this year at trials. I really struggled with that. Obviously, I knew that it wasn't going to be the best trials for me. I had like I said, my back, it started the year and then the week before trials I pretty much missed the whole week because I wasn't well. So I think going into that trials, then it was really hard for me to watch everyone do really well because I just wanted to be the same and I wanted to be at the top and I wanted to be PB and doing all this stuff. But I think it's just a bit trust and a process, you know, I knew that my routine would come eventually. And it almost makes it better because I waited so long for it. But yeah, I guess it's just trust and a process and believing that eventually I will have my time to show myself. Yeah, you say it's hard seeing everyone else around you like, there's been a lot of success out of starting over the past recent years, but it's got to feel you with confidence that, you know, once your training clicks and you can actually get in the pool and give that big block it,

8:18it's worked for so many others around you. It's like while it's probably frustrating watching them do so well when you're stuck on the sidelines, it's also okay, as soon as I'm ready to go, we know this is, this is working for the swimmers in this setup. Yeah, 100%. I mean, I think this past year is just showing how well that Ben and Brad are actually doing with us and the stuff is actually working. I mean, Hardy, for example, like, she's absolutely smashing at the moment. And so as Kiana, obviously getting that right to record in the 100 fly and with the Europeans, you know, everyone is just so well and I must say it's really nice to see the Giro's finally coming through. I feel like for so not only in Surling, but also in GB, I feel like it's been so long, it's been so male dominated. You know, we've had Duncan Scott, we've had Tom Dean, and all these like amazing male athletes who are still at the top, don't get it wrong, but it's so nice to see the Giro's finally coming through and finally getting their time to show how much work we've been doing.

9:20And, you know, we actually are as good as the male side of GB, but, you know, I think up in Surling, they call it true that, like I said, Ben and Brad have created us, is pretty spacious. And, you know, I do think it is probably one of the best groups and Britain, I think, we have at the moment. You know, we push each other on every day and training, I'm sure I can speak on behalf of everyone else that we all just want to see each other do really, really well. And I think in the summer, just seeing that everyone's kind of moving on and moving on. And staff is really, really nice to see, but again, I think that's just all down to, you know, coaches, support staff, physios, psychologists, just everyone in the background at Surling, they're definitely doing the right thing. Yeah, we've been almost screaming from the rooftop saying that, watch women swimming because it's going to explode at some point. And I feel like it's kind of there or it will happen, let's say, World's Next Show. I think it's going to come. You briefly said, at the beginning, about the British record,

10:21you had your eye on it for a while. So going into the summer, what did you hope to achieve? Was it that British record? Was it gold? What did you hope to achieve? Yeah, to be honest, I was just so grateful and so happy to be actually racing the summer. I think that was definitely like, all the main was to just get behind the blocks, how they fit and will to actually race. That was the main goal of the summer. So to kind of take that off, that was obviously a good thing. And I think going into the corner, my mouth, obviously, Kila Mequian wasn't there. So I kind of knew that there was quite a good opportunity in that to end your back stroke. And yeah, I mean, I guess, Jena Forza was so amazing on the day and stuff. Obviously, I was happy with that. So, Remedal, I would have loved to have got that gold in front of the home crowd. But yeah, I was happy with the summer medal and the race was really good. I couldn't really see what was going on with Jena on the other side. I think watching it back, I'm like, come on. Even if he tries a lot of hard, he might have got the touch.

11:24That's just sport, I guess. And yeah, I can't really see much going on. But it was still a really good race and stuff. And also, it called me to be able to do some of those freestyle release was actually really fun. Because I've never really done any international release to be honest and internationally. To be doing the freestyle ones was, they were a lot of fun. I think I said to Ben, maybe I should start training for 100 feet. So, because I wanted to do that again, because that was a lot of fun. So, yeah, to kind of do that, it called me so I was really happy with it. And it was almost a second stone going into Europeans. I knew I was in Gucci, Panyu, I was in almost PB form. So, I think we had like 10 days in between. I just kind of had to keep my head. Trust Pro says, knew that everything would be fine and stuff. Trying not to get too caught up with how I felt. I felt tired if I wasn't feeling like in the water. Just kind of clear that out and focus on the job to be done. And yeah, I think I just got to Europeans. I think I just took the confidence from obviously, I'll be able to go to so-and-glare school.

12:29And I'd just put it into the races. Like I said, I knew I was in good shape. And I just really, really wanted to get that gold medal that I didn't get in in Glasgow. And Europeans have had quite a lot of silver in that 200 backstroke. So, I really wanted to get that gold. And to do that was really, really obviously special and really cool. But then to see the time I went was even better. So, you know, I was not expecting that at all. I can then knew that I might have been able to PB and get in the two sexes. Because I felt really good in the same final. But I did not think at all I was going to go in two sex. I'm going to get that British records. It's a PB drop of 1.3. That is a massive drop. So, it must be buzzing to like getting down to 206s and then 206 low. And to knock up big and might have time off a big British record that stood for ages. Yeah, there's confidence building swims and then there's more of that swim. That, I guess. Yeah.

13:30Yeah. It was quite funny actually after the race I said to Ben. I was like, I was so close to 1.2 or 5. That's just like the way I think it was like. Okay. It's like behalf of the two sex. But I guess I can just always chase in more and I just want to be better. And you have to at least what I had to do more to get to that 205s and stuff. But that can, we can wait a bit more straight than the hope they'll get there. But yeah, no, I feel like I've definitely been waiting for that swim. Like I said, at the start for a long time. And yeah, that British records. I think the new I've had that in me for a long time now. But the situation and the race has just never been right, unfortunately. So I knew that, you know, if there was a race to do it, it would have been that night of the Europeans and yeah, I'm just absolutely delighted with it. Was there a point during that swim when you realised you were on for like a pretty special swim that low 206? Was there a point like maybe at the end of the first 50 because you did take it out relatively hard?

14:33Yeah, I mean, I think when I'm the race, my plan was to kind of go to 150. And then see if I could hold on in the last 50. I'm not usually the best with going out quick. You know, I'm usually that 102 mark. So to go that 101, obviously, I didn't know at the time that I was going that speed. But I kind of knew that I wouldn't be able to 150 into hold on. I think it was about the 100 metre mark that I knew that I was quite a bit ahead. And I thought, okay, I must be going quite well here because I knew that the ghettos must have been going about that 102. And I think turning on that last wall, I can really see many people, but I did see I was quite a bit ahead and I was like, right, just keep pushing now. And I do like to be ahead and a race like that because it means that I can control in like, Commander race a bit. I kind of did that and he didn't say me fine, although if I was ahead and you had to push, I had to go back a bit or whatever. Oh, so you were engaging off others in the water then?

15:33Yeah, almost like especially in like a heat, I would say, not so much, obviously, in the final, but I guess it is a bit easier and factual because you can see people in their arms, their strokes and stuff. But like in a heat, let's say if I was quite a bit ahead, it was 25 metres to go one, I know that I can also consider a bit of energy. I don't need to push it too much. I think over recent years, you've played about with a few different events in your schedule, so you've had the 4am has been there and it's come away over recent times. The 2am has been there as well, the 100backs in, but the 2back is that the primary focus for you at this point in time? Like, has it helped dropping the 4am out of your programme? Because I know you said you weren't overly enjoying swimming it for a little while. Yeah, I mean at the moment, this year anyway, the 2am backstroke was definitely my focus because with everything going on, so I felt I actually couldn't swim the other show, except the start of the year because I backed the show bad, so I actually only could focus on the backstroke. So everything else is kind of part to say this year and then my backstroke has obviously

16:38been the priority, but I think going into next year, it was also another few events that I would like to focus on the 2am, the 100back, I'm definitely not probably going to be focusing the 4am on any more unfortunately. It's an event that, yeah, it's just not for me anymore. Maybe like training, like if it was like an Edmonds National, I could do it like as a tree next to size, but probably wouldn't be doing that until now for any more unfortunately. Is this your choice personally or is this coming from coaches? I'm personally my choice. I've just found in the past few years that it's just causing a way too much stress and I wasn't enjoying doing it, I wasn't, yeah, so I was like, there's no point of doing something that I'm not enjoying. And then thank also as well, there's obviously other events like that 100backstroke. Obviously if I'm able to improve that a bit more and stuff, there's quite a good chance on the release, there's obviously low in the stuff and other people come up live and all these other girls, but I know that it is quite wide open at the moment,

17:44so even if I could work on that a bit more next year, get my strength up, work my stroke greats and stuff, I know that there might be an opportunity in that. The 2am obviously internationally, it's absolutely stacked to the moment and if I wanted to even get anywhere close to my level, I would have to be dropping a lot of time, but I think in training for me, training and I really helps my backstroke, it just helps me like, it'll be clean and stuff, so I'll definitely keep that training then, if I really stand to nationally, we'll see, but yeah. So the last time we had you on this podcast was, I'm guessing it was just before Birmingham, 2022, and we spoke about like the passion of getting the opportunity to swim for Scotland and it doesn't come around too often. Now the chance to swim for Scotland in Scotland at a home Commonwealth Games, how was that as a unique experience in swimming because you've been on the international scene for a little while now? How did that compare to what else you've done in the sport and what was it like competing in front

18:48of Scottish crowd in your home city as well? Yeah, it was just so amazing, like it really was, it was so cool to walk out on all the finals that I did and it was so loud like everyone like cheering and stuff, it was just so cool to be honest and it's an experience I probably won't ever get again, so I don't think there will be another home games, you never know, but I really doubt it, so I think that was something going into the week that I just really wanted to enjoy it, I wanted to soak up everything, I didn't want to let the nerves or anything overtake it, I just wanted to enjoy it being a moment because sometimes when you get to these big events, you can kind of I don't know, get caught up in everything and you don't really take it in and then the week's over and you're like, oh, I've just floated through and I've not really taken it all in or anything, so it was definitely something that I wanted to do and there was so many people in the crowd,

19:50pretty much every night that I knew that was there, so that also made it so special for me, it was just such a good experience and the team obviously been Scottish and compete for Scotland only every four years, I think that's what makes the team even closer and more special because you obviously don't get it that often, I love competing for GB and great Britain and stuff but it's just so different, competing for Scotland, really a little family and yeah, I just absolutely loved a week and when it was over I was actually really sad because I was like, oh, I don't really want it to be over, so... And I mean Scotland, Topped England on the middle table as well, which is a big plus point, I mean you predicted that to be fair? I did, you did say that good leading in, was that something that you guys had an eye on during the meet? Yeah, I mean I think in meetings prior, we kind of spoke about what our team overall goal would be and we said that could be the most successful Scottish team that we've ever had

20:56and I think we were actually which was quite good and yeah I guess it was just that bonus, the cherry on top that we were ahead of England which was nice. Are you someone who kind of uses the atmosphere to your advantage because you obviously we saw Ang Harrod do what she did at your opinions but when you go rewind literally a week before and she swam, she won gold, yeah, she did really well but then she was going like two seconds slower because what we assume is nerves, are you someone that kind of uses the atmosphere that was very loud atmosphere to your advantage? Yeah definitely, I always think that I race better in front of bigger crowds which is weird. Like I find that maybe it's a smaller, like domestic meet, I just don't really get myself up for it as much because I know it's not as important stuff but when it comes to obviously a big international meets like this, I absolutely love it, I love the noise, I love the crowds, I just love racing in front of like a big

21:57stage and about guardians, I always have and I'm sure I always well and I think known like I said before that there was so many people watching, I just kind of wanted to put on like a good performance for them because you know they've kind of spent, spent their own money, they've took the time to come and watch me so I kind of just wanted to make it special for them as well obviously for me but but yeah no I just love our big crowds. Bogewell for LA because that is going to be some stadium, you get this room in there. Yeah, you got to see that as well for a little bit, I believe it wasn't not quite a holding camp, I can't remember what they called it. Yeah I wasn't there actually but it was familiarization camp but like that was really cool. Yeah, massive stadium. So kind of looking back after this summer then and everything that you've achieved in British record, what's

22:58the next thing that really excites you? Is it a big training block and getting a clean season? Is it there's a race on the horizon that you're looking forward to? Like a match up? How does one approach a new season off the back of a massive British record and a PB? Yeah, I mean it definitely gives me a lot of confidence going to next season. Obviously it helps like said, my British record and PB and stuff, it definitely helps me personally know that I can do it and I am able to do that sort of swim but I think for next season there's a lot that I can improve, you know strength being one of them, there's a lot of things in the water like that needs fixing and yeah I guess that's almost exciting because I know that there's so much, so many areas in and out the water that I can improve so I'm just thinking like where else can I almost like

23:58getting that time down to 2005 or go from Fist 9 high to Fist 9 low in that 100 back stroke. There's a lot of areas that I know that I can improve which is obviously good and yeah I think like you said I think just I'm excited to hopefully get a good block of training and because I don't remember well apart from 2025 I don't remember the last time I actually got like a good solid like six months or however long wasn't it the January to the July of just training with like no interruptions so I'm hoping next year I'm able to get that because I know that if I do I will be able to erase really really well at what I would in July hopefully. So you've already said that you're thinking about the things that you are looking to improve let's say you're on a tune of abstract to get into that to a five category. Did you actually allow yourself to celebrate after that swim because that's quite quite a big swim or do you immediately go oh that time can I be better or I could I actually fly get something you know. Yeah I mean I think like when you're at the label that we are I think

24:59everyone just naturally goes to oh like if I did this it might have been like point whatever you're like if we did that like type thing and it's just natural and I feel like everyone does it but no I definitely celebrated and even though it was back to the hotel straight away like I had yeah but like I was celebrating internally definitely and with like my family and sub of my friends on the phone but but yeah no I was really really happy even though that after I was like I could do this I could do that and yeah. So what are those biggest areas of yeah to improve then if you're reading the session. I think my start would be one it's yeah my start mander waters and my stroke rates as well and I feel like this season I have been able to kind of nail those down but I think it's something like a nearer style to work on I did quite a big block of it from kind of June to now of like a lot of like stroke rates off but it's still something

26:01to work on and my turns mander waters as well like I said and so yeah there is a few there's a few things not sure of like areas to improve then is that did anything go right in your in your head yeah no it's a dead girl right yeah don't worry okay I'm not that harsh what was the best part of that swim then if you've broken it down with coaches what was the thing that they're coming away and just saying okay you need to do this again was it that first hundred speed yeah I think it was just kind of the confidence to attack the race and not be scared of the pain or not be scared of like where am I going to be where is everyone else going to be because in the past I have almost got caught up in like what everyone else is doing and not focus on my own race so I think that was kind of the good part of what I did in that race was I was able to just fully focus on me and like nobody else and so yeah I think it was just like the attack and the almost like positivity to just go for it and not be scared and not be kind of oh what I do

27:06this what if this happens what if I die what if I type thing so yeah it's the attitude Oli Morgan tends to have her trials is yeah 150 and then hang on and see how much it hurts was the last 50 painful because it didn't I'm thinking back to the race it didn't look like you overly faded in the last 50 holding four yeah yeah yeah I mean the by-carb definitely helped okay I'll say that but yeah I think when when you're in a race like that I think the adrenaline just takes over and like I remember like it ended a race like I just didn't feel anything like I wasn't tired I wasn't sore wasn't pain I just like didn't feel anything so I was like oh like like the whole shock of like the race just kind of made everything go way almost but yeah I wouldn't have I didn't I don't like I died I couldn't die at all but no I don't think yeah but it's just good quite solidly holding pace for most of the 50s I would say yeah yeah yeah it's probably one of the best

28:07well I mean it would have been the best and you've actually done obviously for me yeah some of your swim from this summer have your expectations changed of what you're you're capable of um no I wouldn't say so I think just because I know that I've had that race in me for a long time though and um if anything I'd say I'm just more excited to race again next season to see if I can do the same thing if I can go quicker um yeah I just say it's more excitement than expectation I can say I would say me and Dan everyone listening are very excited to see what the future holds because 200 Backstreet internationally it's it's one where like the top one top two I kind of there I don't I wouldn't say there's so far ahead of the rest of the world but they are just world class but then there there seems like opportunities there behind them to win some medals um and actually get once you get down into the 205 you're you're talking right up there

29:10it's among the top echelon of 200 Backstreet because you're touching the door now which is really really exciting for next season um yeah Katie I think it's best that we let you enjoy the rest of your summer break we say thank you for coming on to the podcast this week and massive congratulations for performances at Glasgow at um Europeans as well it was like we sat down after or me and Dan spoke loads during European Championships just went this this summer for Kate Shana is flying is it really really impressive um can't wait to see what's coming next hopefully you get a good training block underneath you touch wood thank you no more broken hands no more injuries and um looking forward to seeing what 2026 2027 has in store for you yeah well thank you very much and thank you for having me on yeah no thank you again and um yeah best of luck honestly just get a good training block in hopefully a whole season if I'm honest let's get a whole season of people and have firing and let's see what we can do in world that would be amazing so your best

30:15of luck thank you you've been listening to the Propulsion Swimming Podcast with Scott and Dan we want to thank you for joining us and invite you to subscribe to the show as well as checking out the Propulsion Swimming YouTube channel for weekly tutorials and videos to get your swimming fix we will be back next week until then we'll catch you on the next one fall doesn't smell one way with pura every room gets its own scent its own moment explore sense of place at pura.com this summer don't squeeze in spread out find homes big enough for your whole guest list on verbo from family reunions to trips with friends verbo has spacious summer stays for every group size and budget that's vacation rentals done right start exploring on verbo and book your next day now

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