June 14, 2024 • 42 mins
Ever wondered what it takes to jump back into competitive swimming after years away from the pool? Join us on today's episode of Torpedo Swimtalk Podcast for an inspiring conversation with Zhenya Mikulchik, a remarkable swimmer whose journey spans continents and decades. From her early days in Siberia to her collegiate achievements at the University of Calgary, and now making waves in Australia, Zhenya's story is one of resilience and passion. She shares how a playful challenge with her son reignited her competitive spirit, leading to impressive performances at the World Masters in Fukuoka and Doha.
In this episode, we dive deep into the nuances of backstroke racing with Zhenya, exploring everything from stroke rate maintenance to the art of underwater dolphin kicks. Zhenya offers her expert insights on the evolution of the game-changing impact of new starting ledges. Discover her mental strategies for sustaining speed and technique when fatigue sets in, along with her approach to managing pre-race nerves. Whether you're a seasoned swimmer or new to the sport, Zhenya's tips and techniques are invaluable.
Balancing training and life responsibilities is no small feat, and Zhenya provides a candid look at how she manages to excel in both arenas. From her diverse training regimen with the Brunswick Belugas Masters Club to her recent experiences at the Masters Nationals in Darwin, Zhenya highlights the importance of personal progress and community spirit in swimming. Tune in to hear her touching reflections on the joy that comes from competing and connecting with fellow swimmers worldwide. Get ready to be inspired to pursue your passions with unwavering enthusiasm.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Danielle Spurling (00:09):
Hello swimmers and welcome to another
episode of Torpedo Swim Talkpodcast.
I'm your host, DanielleSperling, and each week we chat
to a master swimmer from aroundthe world about their swimming
journey.
It's been a few weeks since ourlast episode, as I've had the
chance to travel to the US for avacation and I was lucky enough
(00:30):
to catch up with some of ourpast podcast guests and have a
swim with them.
It was really great seeing theway they trained in America and
whether it was the same ordifferent to what I was doing.
Very many thanks to BeckyClevenger, kristen Gary and Dan
Daly for making me feel sowelcome at your local pools.
It was a real treat meeting youall in person.
(00:51):
Before I introduce today'sguest, I wanted to take a moment
to dedicate this episode to achildhood swimming friend of
mine, C cheryl Boness, whorecently lost her fight with
illness.
She was a shining light in ouropen water swimming community on
the surf coast here in Victoriain Australia and will be
terribly missed.
(01:12):
For today's episode, I wasdelighted to chat to Zhenya
Mikulchik, who hails from Russiabut now lives in Australia.
She had such success at therecent World Masters in Fukuoka
and Doha and she gives us aglimpse into her training and
racing and what she learned.
Let's hear from Xenia now.
Hi Xenia, welcome to thepodcast.
Zhenya Mikulchik (01:39):
Hi Danielle, Thank you for having me Very
excited to be here.
Danielle Spurling (01:43):
Oh, that's lovely.
You're welcome.
You live in Melbourne and youswim out of Brunswick Belugas
Masters Club.
How long have you been swimmingwith them and where did you
swim before that?
Zhenya Mikulchik (01:54):
I'm a newbie.
I started maybe just a littlebit over 12 months ago, so a bit
maybe the beginning of lastyear really, and I didn't swim
anywhere before.
So so I mean, I've swam when Iwas young, but I didn't.
I didn't have a master's teamor anything like that.
So my journey really began likea good old argument that you
(02:14):
have with your child, who I havea 10 year old son, or he was 10
back then, and he joined aswimming squad and you know,
being a long time swimmer 20years ago, I would try to give
him some advice of on techniqueand whatnot, and he wouldn't
listen to me so and says, oh,mom, what do you know about
swimming?
Because he's never seen mecompete or anything.
(02:35):
So I said I'll show you.
And so I decided, I decided, um,yeah, to sort of join swimming
myself, and when he startedpracticing, I would jump in the
pool and maybe do a few laps,and, um, I could feel how out of
shape I was and it was a bitembarrassing for me, um, but it
was always good, you know, tohave a little race with him.
So anyway, I decided, why not?
(02:56):
I would, you know, check outthe belugas.
And look, I lived in the areafor close to 14 years and I
remember when my son who is now11, was little and we would come
to the pool at early hours onSaturday and I would see all
these women flocking into thechange room and just chatting
away and I'm like, who are thesepeople?
I was very intrigued and then Irealized it was the master swim
(03:18):
team.
So I always thought, oh, maybeI should join, I should join.
So it's been on a very backburner for a very long time but
finally.
So I tried to inspire my son,but I ended up inspiring myself,
I think.
Danielle Spurling (03:31):
I love that.
I love that story.
Where did you swim 20 years ago?
Tell us a little bit about yourswimming background.
Zhenya Mikulchik (03:39):
Yes, so I come from a swimming family.
So my dad used to swim when hewas back in the 70s and then he
was a swim coach for about 20years and then he ran a large
sport complex for 30 years ofhis life.
So I've always been aroundsports and you know he was
living and breathing that.
I basically didn't have achance to be any other athletes
except swimmer.
So my brother also swam, and mybrother is a bit older than me,
(04:04):
so we were and my mom wasalways very involved and so,
yeah, so I've been swimmingsince I was about seven and I
grew up in Russia.
So I grew up in a small town inSiberia, so there wasn't much
to do except go swimming, Isuppose.
And I moved to Canada when I was16 years old through schooling,
(04:27):
so I went to a post-secondaryschool and so I continued my
journey swimming there and Iswam for the University of
Calgary as a varsity swimmer forabout five years.
So I was on a team there and Iquit when I was about 23, 24 and
, you know, entered the realworld of a workforce and it's
(04:49):
sort of I tried to keep up for acouple of years, but I think it
gets challenging and my job hadme traveling everywhere, so
there wasn't a lot of time topractice.
And yeah, and then I immigratedto Australia, as I said 14
years ago, and yeah, I thoughtto myself it would be great, you
know, to pick it up again.
And then, you know, life takesover.
(05:09):
You have children, get married,and then, yeah, and now here I
am.
Danielle Spurling (05:13):
Now is the time now's the time and I feel
like a lot of particularly womencome back into swimming around
the 45 years age and it's such astrong, strong age group 45, 50
, 55, you know because that'swhen, that's when you, your
career, is sort of a little bitmore settled your children,
maybe you're a little bit olderand you've got a little bit more
(05:35):
time to to spend on yourselfyes, absolutely.
Zhenya Mikulchik (05:39):
I agree with that.
And when you look at theresults you always think, oh, my
goodness, you, you're gonna ageup and that that group is even
stronger.
Like, how does that happen?
Danielle Spurling (05:47):
yeah, yeah, like you, I came back to it
about 45 as well, after having25 years out of the water, and I
was astounded by how fasteveryone was and um, and they've
only got faster now that, yes,you know I'm a few years in, but
, yes, yes, it's such a strongand vibrant community, so I
(06:07):
think it's great to be a part ofit.
Zhenya Mikulchik (06:10):
Yeah, absolutely, and I really enjoyed
.
Even when I first started Isort of looked at the results
without even starting swimmingand I thought to myself oh,
those results look like they'reachievable.
You could start swimming andwith a few you know practices
maybe you'll catch up.
And then when I went to myfirst swim meet and I saw you
(06:30):
know people 90, 95 swimming, Iwas just in awe that you know
you could continue doing thatfor the next 40 years of your
life.
Danielle Spurling (06:40):
Yeah, exactly .
Zhenya Mikulchik (06:40):
It's amazing.
It's an amazing community, soI'm very excited to join it.
Danielle Spurling (06:44):
Yeah, exactly , it's amazing.
It's amazing community, so I'mvery excited to join it.
Yeah, and you're fresh homefrom great success at the
masters world champs in doha,where you got two gold medals in
the 100 and 200 backstroke anda bronze in the 50 backstroke.
Congratulations on those greatresults.
Was that your first worlds thatyou'd been to?
Zhenya Mikulchik (07:01):
so this is my second.
I did go to to Japan, so Japanwas my first, and I aged up this
year.
So I thought, you know, I wentto Japan as a 40 to 44 year old.
I'm in 45 to 49.
So I thought, why not?
You know, even though they'revery close together and it was
quite challenging to sort ofkeep swimming and I haven't
(07:21):
built up, when I went, went toJapan, I literally only trained
for eight months, so I haven'thad any endurance, nothing.
So it was just more fromexperience and you know, looking
at making connections, meetingpeople and just being, you know,
being in presence of such agreat talent, really, with world
records being broken and youknow, people swimming in such a
(07:43):
ripe age, and yeah, it was justreally amazing.
So Doha was my second timearound, so I guess I was a
little bit more prepared of whatto expect.
Yeah, it was, look, it wasabsolutely unexpected that I
would win and I was totally overthe moon.
And I think another additionalthing to that was that I asked
(08:07):
my father to come with mebecause, you know, being close
to swimming, and I felt that hewould really appreciate it and I
haven't seen him for more thanfive years, and so he lives in
Russia.
I obviously live in Australiaand we came to meet in the
middle in Doha and it was such agreat experience and, you know,
I think without his support, Iprobably would have struggled
even more mentally, like being,you know, prepared to win,
(08:30):
because you get the psych sheetsbefore you come in.
So I actually knew that I waslisted as number one and I
couldn't even take the pressurefor two weeks.
I was like what am I going todo?
Who put these times in?
Why are they so fast and why amI number one?
So it, who put these times in?
Why are they so fast and why amI number one?
Um, so it was, yeah, it wasvery, uh, pivotal moment, I
think, and when I reflect backof, um, you know, being there
with my dad and like reallyhaving that time to be together
(08:53):
and and really being intoswimming together, I think it
was such a fantastic experience.
Um, just just to focus on onething, yeah, and reconnect yeah,
absolutely.
Danielle Spurling (09:02):
I love the fact that he came from russia to
um support you.
Did he swim as well?
Zhenya Mikulchik (09:08):
no, he didn't, um, I did actually sneak him
into the swimming pool.
You know, even the security wassort of lax at the very
beginning.
So I did sneak him in and, uh,he had a sneaky swim, um.
But what I'm trying to do Ithink my like greatest dream
would be to get my dad to cometo the world championships with
me and my brother as well.
So I was like, wouldn't that begreat, all three of us swimming
together, um.
(09:29):
So I'm, I'm slowly building upthat um sort of thought in his
head, whether he could swim ornot, and um, but look he, he
looked at the results of um.
He's a 50 flyer, um.
So he looked at the results ofpeople in his age group and he
was just astounded how fast theywere so.
I think it takes.
It takes some some courage tobuild, build that up.
So we're still working on it.
Danielle Spurling (09:49):
Um, but yeah it was.
It was fantastic experience forhim, for sure yeah, and what,
what, what of your races wereyou the happiest?
With which?
Which one did you enjoy themost?
Um?
Zhenya Mikulchik (10:00):
I think so I also got a bronze in the hundred
fly, so I got two bronzers in55.
Yeah, but yeah, so I think Ithink so I also got a bronze in
the 100 fly.
So I got two bronzes in 55 and100 fly, yeah right.
So I think, probably just theunexpected, that I got a bronze
in the 100 fly was the mostexciting.
Right, you know you sort of Idon't.
Well, I swim for fly, for fun.
I know that's crazy, but youswim for fun.
But yeah, I think it was justmore of a.
(10:22):
I think I got a best time likePB in that.
I think a lot of the swims weremy PBs because I haven't swam
previously before anyway.
So you know I take whateverresult I get, but I think it was
just exciting to podium in theevent.
That's not my true event, yeah.
And then the backstrokesobviously is what I swim, and 50
(10:43):
back I'm not a sprinter.
So it was also exciting to bethird in the 50 back.
Danielle Spurling (10:49):
Yeah, it's quite close, wasn't it?
I know the girl that camefourth, actually Perry.
Oh yeah, Did you meet her?
Zhenya Mikulchik (10:54):
Yeah, Actually I did.
I think it was her she wastalking about that.
She has a cousin that lives in.
Danielle Spurling (11:01):
Melbourne.
Yes, yes, that's a good friendof mine who I swim with Nikki,
Nikki Kerr.
Zhenya Mikulchik (11:06):
Okay, okay, yes, and you know this is
another conversation.
So I think it's great you sitin those waiting rooms.
Everything is very serious,people are very focused, but
then you get a chance to chat topeople that are sitting you
know next to you in the chairsand how they came about and what
their journey is, and this isthe amazing thing about racing
internationally that you buildthese connections Like you know.
(11:26):
How would I know?
And she did say that she had acousin.
Danielle Spurling (11:29):
Yeah, she does.
Yeah, yeah, it's such a smallworld.
Exactly, it's such a smallworld.
And when you swim the 200 and100 backstroke, they're both
different races.
Zhenya Mikulchik (11:52):
What's the strategy that you, the different
strategy that you use betweenthe two in the way that you
approach them?
Yes, 200 I think is a verydifferent beast to 100 um with
200 and sort of reflecting backthat you know it requires a lot
of uh strength to come backafter, after 100, I suppose.
So it's it's building thatendurance.
So I'm working on building theendurance.
So usually what I think aboutis is you're building into your,
you know your.
You start with your 50, sort ofcontrolled.
With the second 50 you maintainspeed and you build it up.
I think the first 50, a third 50, is very pivotal, like you need
(12:14):
to just get going, you need tokick it off in in gear.
And then I think the fourth oneis just hang on, what are you?
Whatever you've got left, uh,you just come home.
So when I do my practices, Ialways try to think that my
third and my fourth, I need toget going through the pain and
it's very, very painful.
So, yeah, strategies to work onthe second half of the race For
(12:38):
100 back, I think, taking itout strong and see if you can
sustain the second 50, sort ofin the same um stroke rate.
So I think I sometimes I try tothink what do people you know,
when, when, when the athletesraise, uh, race, they always
think about okay, stroke rate,so how fast do I go?
One, two, one, two, one, two,one, two.
So you just sort of get intothat rhythm and that's how you
(12:58):
get to the end.
You keep counting, but whetherit's fast enough or not fast
enough, you're not even thinkingabout that, you're just
counting.
So I think I just focus onmaintaining that sort of speed
and, yeah, getting back yeah, doyou have a difference in your
stroke rates between the 200 andthe 100?
um, I think I do, I think I do,but it's it's getting into that
(13:21):
scientific thing that I I don'tthink I've been out of it for
such a long time.
I mean definitely when wetrained, you know, during the
university years, the coachwould tell you okay, your stroke
rate needs to come up andwhatnot.
So I think now it's a littlebit different story.
I you know, our coaches, Ithink don't necessarily pick up
on that, unless maybe I ask andsay, can you pay attention to my
(13:42):
stroke rate?
But I think it's when you gettired, it's mentally remembering
that you need to bring that upand keep going.
Danielle Spurling (13:49):
How are you on your turns in your backstroke
?
Do you stay underwater for sometime with your dolphin kicks
and does that change throughoutthe 100?
Oh sorry, throughout the 200, Ishould say.
Zhenya Mikulchik (14:00):
Yeah, I guess my yes.
I was watching the recentchampionships that we had in
Gold Coast and I was trying tocount how many dolphin kicks
Kylie McEwen does underwater,and I think she does about seven
or eight, so it's quiteextensive.
I think I would die of oxygen,lack of oxygen.
So I try, I think I try, maybefor five.
(14:23):
I noticed that, you know, inthe last 50 I can barely do
three.
So yes yeah, it's again buildingup that endurance.
But yeah, definitely working onthat.
All those little bits, I thinkget you to a different result,
and I think when you fatigue,all of that starts to go first
if you don't focus on it.
Danielle Spurling (14:40):
So absolutely that's good.
Yeah, I think that's.
There's a lot of skillsinvolved in backstroke.
I know people don't reallythink that there is, but with
the underwaters that's made abig difference to times.
I mean, I don't know, when youswam back at the University of
Calgary did you do the oldbackstroke turn no, or were you
in the?
Were you had it changed?
Zhenya Mikulchik (15:02):
to the tumble turn.
No.
So I think it was a tumble turn, but I'm a bit confused with
all these different rules, howyou're supposed to finish and
whether you're on your back orhalf on your front.
And you know, I was reallysurprised with the
disqualifications.
I think it was at the TokyoOlympics, wasn't it?
Again, kylie was DQ'd from 200IM or something like that.
Danielle Spurling (15:20):
Yes, yes.
Zhenya Mikulchik (15:21):
So whether it was DQ'd from 200 IM or
something like that.
Yes, yes, I'm actually not upto scratch of what it's supposed
to be.
I know I should read the ruleswhen I go to all these
international swim meets, but Ithink it's just remembering how
you used to do it and I thinkthat was pretty simple.
So I'm just sticking to that.
Yes, it was a tumble turn.
Yeah, yeah.
Danielle Spurling (15:39):
It's interesting.
I just wondered whether you'dhad to learn a new turn.
But you, you already knew howto do that when you came back to
master swimming, so that's good, you were a step ahead.
What about the um?
The new starts in backstrokewith the ledge.
Did you use that in Doha?
Zhenya Mikulchik (15:54):
I used it in Doha, yes, and um, I've never
used it before.
So so, yeah, that's definitelya new thing for me and you know
I was really glad that in Doha Itried it multiple times before
I sort of got on the blocks andused it properly.
And you do find that sometimesit's very tricky.
You have to be.
If you try to push off too much, you may go too deep underwater
(16:17):
and then it takes you a longtime to get out, you miss
momentum, etc.
Water, and then it takes you along time to get out, you miss
momentum, etc.
And um.
So it was interesting to watchsome people how um high they go
out of the water.
I don't think I have thestrength, like muscle strength,
to put pull me up, um.
So it's just working with thatlength as well, and every time
you know you would see peoplecome to the blocks and then they
change the length of the of therope that goes down the water.
(16:39):
So I find for me it works whenI'm not too high out, because I
go too high and then too deepinto the water and that just
just throws me off.
So it's still work in progressand I guess we don't use it too
often in the local swim meet, soit's good to experience it
internationally yes, yes, I'mhoping that they might bring it
in for next year's nationals.
(17:00):
But they did.
They did use it, use in Darwin,so that was a new thing.
But they keep asking everybodyindividually whether you would
like to use it or not, because Ithink if you're using it for
the first time, that's a verytricky thing.
Danielle Spurling (17:11):
Yes, you don't want to use it for the
first time in competition.
That's right, that's it.
And you mentioned obviouslyhaving your dad there and that
settled you down a little bit,but he couldn't obviously come
down onto pool deck with you.
How did you control your nervesbefore your races?
Zhenya Mikulchik (17:29):
you know I was reflecting on this point I get
really, really nervous, reallynervous, and I think, especially
in the international swim meets, as I mentioned, you know they
got a call room.
You probably go through sevenor eight heats being in that
cold room.
There are multiple you knowrows of of um chairs there.
There are people deep breathingand freaking you out because
(17:54):
you know, people with theearphones and some people are
chatty and laughing, some peopleare just really focused and, um
, I I would get really nervousgoing into the call room.
But but I think once I'm in thecall room I was sitting back and
I was just thinking I'm doingthis for fun, just breathing,
I'm doing this for fun and itsort of calms you.
Well, it calms me down.
(18:14):
So I look around, I chat topeople and it sort of takes the
edge off a little bit.
But then obviously when you'reat the blocks, you need that
natural adrenaline anyway.
So you know you don't want totake some chill pill that you're
just rolling off and being like, all right, let's go swimming.
Um, you still need that, Ithink, um, to kick start the um,
the race, um.
But yeah, I think justbreathing and just saying to
(18:36):
myself.
Danielle Spurling (18:37):
I'm doing this for fun although at that
last minute before the whistle,before the gun goes, it doesn't
feel like when you're on theblocks.
Zhenya Mikulchik (18:44):
You're not doing it for fun.
You know whoever is next to youis going down that's it.
Danielle Spurling (18:51):
Obviously, at a world championships it's a
bit different with the, thewarm-up procedures from a local
meet.
How did you find thatdifference?
Because it's very crowded.
Zhenya Mikulchik (18:59):
Um, I believe doha wasn't quite as crowded as
fukuoka but, um, japan wasreally interesting, especially
with having a 50 meter pool andthen a 25 meter pool, cool down,
with all these people.
It's really tricky becauseobviously, if you're not racing
in the first race, you don'tneed to warm up as early.
And so then you get a newsituation that you're in that
smaller pool and with a millionpeople who are trying to cool
(19:21):
down or warm up.
And so I think with Doha it wasmuch easier.
So it was a 50 meter pool, bothpools were 50 meters, quite a
nice facility, so it was muchmore manageable.
But again, it's counting backwhat works for you.
You know how long do you needbefore you warm up, how much
rest do you need before you race.
So it's you sort of go down inthat mathematical pathway of
(19:42):
what works for your body.
But then even then, um, youknow, things run over time and I
remember I think, um, I waswaiting for my hundred back and
I think I waited for like twohours before I swam, so
obviously miscalculated, but youalmost have to do another
warm-up.
Um, but I think it's reallypersonal preferences and so I
think just, yeah, pushingthrough, and even even though if
(20:05):
you're in the crowded scenario,it's just getting in, getting
what you need to get done andget out.
So that type of thing.
And if you need to do a secondwarm up, I guess there's
availability for that too.
But it's planning things inadvance as well works well.
And seeing seeing how you knowum, you also get anxiety.
I suppose if you have um, oh, Iget anxiety that you feel like
(20:27):
you would miss the race.
So if you're not the first raceof the swim day, you always feel
you're never settled.
You know you try to go in andlook around the city and try to
do some cultural things, butthen you keep watching, you know
, watching your clock, saying oh, I need to get back to the pool
.
So you're never relax.
So I think it's a fine balanceand really it's just working out
what works for you and whetheryou would rather be at the pool
(20:48):
and spending six hours at thepool or you can just, you know,
take your mind off, go for awalk and then, you know, arrive
there, hopefully in time yes,I'd like to be the swimmer that
went for the walk and took mymind off it, but I'm the swimmer
that goes to the pool for thesix hours and waits there yes,
well, interestingly enough, Ithink, um, you know, traveling
internationally, it's still,it's a long swim, it, you know
(21:10):
it's six, seven days.
So you, you try to fit in, um,some cultural things, because
I'm unable to take, you know, 10days off.
I've got two kids, so I have toget back and look after them,
um, and and so it was importantfor me to try and do something
each day.
So, whether it was, yeah, if myswim wasn't until three o'clock
in the afternoon, I would dosomething in the morning with my
(21:31):
dad, for example, and maybeit's closer to the pool.
And in Fukuoka, I was therewith a friend and I think we
walked, for I had 20,000 stepsbefore I got in the pool and
swam my 100 back.
So I was there with a friendand I think we walked, for I had
20,000 steps before I got inthe pool and swam my 100 back,
so I was already exhausted and Ihad to swim 100 back.
Sure, but it was.
It was sort, of, you know, youtry to balance these things and,
(21:51):
as I said, you know, for me atthe moment I'm sort of focusing
on it being fun.
So I'm there to experienceculture, meet people and race
somewhere in between well, itwas a pretty successful racing
carnival for you.
Danielle Spurling (22:06):
Yes, Did you?
I mean, you had such successwith the two gold and two bronze
.
But did you find out anythingthat you would like to work on
or change before you try again,maybe in Singapore?
Zhenya Mikulchik (22:21):
Definitely.
You know I didn't realize howserious some people are and how
seriously they take it, thepreparation, and you know it's
with the looking after yourself,the dieting, the you know
obviously not drinking andtaking supplements, so I didn't
realize how big the supplementtaking was as well.
So I'm usually just sort oftaking magnesium.
(22:42):
So I didn't realize how big thesupplement taking was as well.
So I'm I'm usually just sort oftaking magnesium so I don't get
cramps.
But, um, you know, some peopleare, um, they've got a pack of
various things and you know,I've met, met some people and
made some friends and, um, someof them come from sort of that
swimming coaching world as well,so they're a bit more upskilled
in in you know what, whatcurrently works, what athletes
(23:02):
are taking, what's safe, etc.
So I was surprised that, yeah,definitely there are some things
that you can improve, just, youknow, by taking supplements and
feeling better and just foryour muscle recovery, and you
know I've never taken any of theprotein shakes.
So possibly just even doingthat, um, to build muscle and,
um, you know, recover quicker orlose weight or whatever your
(23:24):
goal is, I suppose.
So, um, I think I'm definitelygonna be looking into that just
to help myself.
And also, um, I didn't realizethat people actually focus on
strength training so much morethan than swimming itself.
So, um, yeah, a few girls thatI've talked to you know they're
almost equivalent with withbeing in the gym and being in
(23:44):
the pool, um, whereas somepeople maybe, you know, seven
days in the pool and none of thesort of, um, strength training.
So what I'm gonna do is, yeah,I'm gonna try and balance that
and, um, I sort of going into,um, japan, I was completely
oblivious to all of those things.
So, as I said, so it sort of itwas the beginning.
(24:06):
I just wanted to make it to theend, um, but now, as I mature a
little bit more, or rememberwhat I need to do, you know it's
the preparation.
They've got all the, the socksthat go onto your um caps and
stuff to, you know, contract themuscles, and you look around
you're like, ooh, I want one ofthose.
Ooh, what are you doing?
Yeah, what is this gadget?
(24:26):
So, yeah, I think there'sdefinitely a lot of things that
I could take on board and justtry them out and see if they
help me.
Danielle Spurling (24:34):
Yeah, yeah, interesting perspective.
I love that.
That leads me into a questionabout your training schedule.
What was that like before?
So you had the two meets quiteclose together, Fukuoka and Doha
?
What was it like heading intoDoha?
How often were you training?
Zhenya Mikulchik (24:51):
In preparation for Doha.
I think it was more acontinuation of building up my
endurance, as I said before.
So when I went to Japan I wasonly eight months into training.
I think from that I couldn'tstop.
I needed to keep building myendurance.
My sort of volume of swimmingthat I would do, but in reality
probably about eight weeks outof the competition.
(25:13):
I would start training aboutfive to six times a week, so
that would be probably allthroughout the working week and
the Saturday.
So that would be probably allthroughout the working week and
the Saturday and also trying togo to the gym at least twice a
week.
So now I'm thinking next timearound I'll see whether I can
increase it to three or fourtimes a week and see if it makes
a difference and then sort ofabout two weeks or 10 days out
(25:35):
of the swim meet I would startto do the tapering, so lowering
I probably would still goswimming maybe five times a week
but not do the the same volumeof practice.
But I I usually swim just onehour a day.
It's in the morning.
So from 6 am till 7 am we'vegot a adult squad in the local
um pool and we typically we doabout 3.2, 3.3 k um.
(25:58):
Sometimes it's 2.8 if we'reworking on some speed work, so
it's it really just varies.
So I'm yeah, I'm not one ofthose people that would spend,
you know, hours and hours in thepool.
I don't think I can actuallyswim 5k, honestly, so, um, but
maybe that's another thing Ishould try is swimming 5k um,
yeah, so about five to six timesas a preparation um.
(26:19):
But it's interesting, I think,with japan or not with japan,
with Doha, because it was sortof right after Christmas that
you had to kick into training.
It was quite difficult becauseI had family visiting and here I
was, this crazy person beinglike I'll be back in two hours
because I have to go to the pooland I have to do gym.
So it was really hard tobalance.
So I feel like maybe I wasn'tputting 100% of work in, but I
(26:44):
think that's that's exactly.
You have to think what is mybalance.
Danielle Spurling (26:46):
What am I trying?
Zhenya Mikulchik (26:47):
to achieve here?
Um, how important is it?
And so I think sometimes justput so much pressure.
Danielle Spurling (26:51):
Yes, I want to put 100% in, but yet I still
want to enjoy life, and you know, I didn't get into swimming to
to win all these things, I justwanted to have fun yes, yeah, I
think the work-life balance isso important and you know, as
you say, you've got family andyou've got kids to look after as
well, and that puts a hugeamount of stress in your life
already, and so you want theswimming to be a joyful pastime.
(27:16):
That hopefully well, you'vebeen very successful at it so
far, so that's wonderful.
Zhenya Mikulchik (27:21):
I'm thinking, maybe one day, you know, I feel
like I will be fully prepared,but knowing life, I don't think
you ever feel like that.
Danielle Spurling (27:27):
You never feel like that my kids have
finished school now and I stilldon't feel like I'm prepared,
but yes, yes, there's alwayssomething, always something.
Do you find that when, when youdo your training is a lot of it
focused?
Do you do a lot of itbackstroke, or do you do a lot
of it freestyle, or how does itsort of?
What's the percentage that youswim?
Zhenya Mikulchik (27:49):
I try to fit in backstroke so I think when I
started a lot of the times werequite fast for me, even
freestyle, so I couldn't I wasin the back of the lane, I
couldn't make it, and obviouslythis is more of a squad scenario
, so it's for everybody.
And um, you know, coach is notnecessarily focusing on me, um,
but I feel now, as I'm sort ofgetting stronger and stronger, I
(28:09):
could sustain some of thesetimes that I would swim for
freestyle.
I could now do the backstroke.
So I sort of pick and choosewhat I do, and if we have a
workout and let's say, if yourmain set is about 1.8 k, I'll
probably try to do half of thatin backstroke.
Yeah, um, but and I I feel likeit's it's still again a balance
.
I think a lot of swimmers dotalk about shoulders not being
(28:32):
well, and so if I do 2k worth ofbackstroke, I'm not sure how my
shoulders will help handle thatas well.
Um, and even thinking about, youknow, butterfly, I don't
actually train butterfly at all,like very rarely.
I would do sprints andbutterfly, and so even looking
at my 100 butterfly, I diespectacularly in the last 50 all
the time, and so I think itjust proves the point that I
(28:54):
need to do some training inbutterfly.
So, um, possibly that's anotherthing that I need to focus on
is just diversifying what I do,and obviously we do have sets
that would include individualmedley strokes as well, but
they're probably less often so,unless we are focusing one week
on IM or breaststroke orsomething like that.
(29:15):
So yeah, so I try to fit inbackstroke where I can.
Danielle Spurling (29:20):
And are you stronger in pull or kick?
Zhenya Mikulchik (29:24):
I don't know, maybe or equal, maybe stronger
in kick at the moment.
Pull, I think a lot of peopleobviously quite stronger upper
body and when you use paddlesyou know there's a bit more
velocity.
I suppose when you go and getgoing, kick is probably harder
because you actually yeah, Ifind that I work harder when I'm
(29:46):
doing kick and with pull yousort of just cruise along and
you do a good time.
So I don't know, know, it's aninteresting question.
I haven't thought about itwhether I'm good at one or the
other, but I I enjoy both,equally enjoy both yes, do you
use a lot of equipment in yoursquad sessions um, we do.
Well, fins is usually just tohelp the warm-up.
(30:07):
Um, yeah, the paddles and thepool boys we do.
We don't typically use anyother sort of other equipment,
fancy equipment.
There's a few guys on my teamthat use um or have the belts
available, you know, with the umto get the tension.
So I tried it a couple times inpreparation I I just remember
how hard it was because I use it, used it before when I was in
(30:30):
in my early 20s and rememberinghow, how difficult it is to work
on that.
So that's another fun thing.
But you obviously would only doit maybe before a big swim meet
or something in preparation.
Danielle Spurling (30:40):
Yes, yes, and tell us you've just come back
this week from Masters Nationalsin Darwin.
How was that competition foryou, and what races did you
compete in up there?
Zhenya Mikulchik (30:53):
It was great.
I've never been to Darwin, soit was a fantastic place to be.
And just look, I was loving theweather.
But it's a different scenariobecause you usually race in the
indoor pool.
Now you race in the outdoorpool and obviously, with the
humidity, you're trying to getthe swimsuits on.
With another debacle.
Yes, sometimes you feel likeyou're dislocating your fingers
(31:16):
just trying to pull it up.
So it was a good swim meet mytimes.
In terms of my times, I sort ofstayed consistent.
Most of my races stayedconsistent with what I did in
Doha.
So I guess I'm happy with theconsistency.
So I'm not falling off thecliff.
Um, haven't progressed, butthat's fine, you know, I'm just
(31:37):
sort of building my strength aswell.
Um, I swam all my backstrokes50, a hundred, 200, and I got
gold.
So, um, and I also swam 50 free, which I never swim.
I also got gold, which wasexciting, and I swam 50 fly, 100
fly, which I got second afteramazing Lissandra Di Cavallo.
Danielle Spurling (31:59):
Yes, I know Lissandra.
Zhenya Mikulchik (32:01):
Yes, and we also swam, and I swam 200 IM, I
think for the first time longcourse, and that was interesting
.
So Lissandra and I we also hada race.
She won, I got second, butthat's interesting.
So Lissandra and I, we also hada race.
She won, I got second, butthat's fine and they just proved
the point that I need to workon my breaststroke because it
was terrible.
So overall, I mean medals-wise,of course, it was very
(32:21):
successful.
But my son actually I took mychildren with me, so it was
interesting to see.
So my 11-year-old kept sayingoh, all you guys want to do is
just swim and get the medals.
I said, actually it's not aboutthat, you just want to sort of
overpower yourself and winyourself and swim faster.
So it's about the.
You're getting better times andI didn't get better times, but
I'm okay with it.
(32:42):
And, um, yeah, we're just gonnakeep building on that.
but it was really it was reallygreat to be there, so yeah, it
sounds like a great meet.
Danielle Spurling (32:50):
How did you find um the sun swimming
backstroke outdoors?
Zhenya Mikulchik (32:54):
yeah, it was um, at times annoying the word
that comes to mind, but you sortof it's like any condition you
would have to deal with, right.
So it's um, you know people say, oh, this pool is low, or that
pool is low, or the lane ropesare not as tight, or you know,
there could always be something.
But I didn't find it that sortof detrimental, I suppose, to
(33:18):
the performance.
Yes, sometimes it's reflectiveand you can't see the flags, and
I think that's the only thingwhen you're trying to finish and
you can't see the flags andyou're thinking to yourself did
I pass it or did I not pass it?
But most of the time it didn'treally cause a lot of trouble.
Danielle Spurling (33:33):
And do you think you'll um sort of aim for
singapore world championships in2025, or will you do something
after that?
Zhenya Mikulchik (33:40):
um, I think so , I really want to.
Yeah, I think I really want tocontinue and get to singapore as
well, hopefully maybe with somefamily, as competing as well.
Um, and I was also checking out, you know, I think there is the
Australian Master Games laterin the year, in November.
I didn't realize that there arealso global Master Games as
(34:01):
well, in 2025 in Taipei, Ibelieve, and that's early in the
year.
So there's a few things toconsider and I think it's just
interesting to all of a sudden,this thirst for travel and
swimming at the same time all ofa sudden developed.
But you know, I need to balanceit as well.
(34:23):
So sometimes you get into thatmode where you're training and
you feel like you need toperform, perform.
And then I was saying to someof my colleagues I said well, I
think my boss needs to probablysay something to me because I've
been swimming.
I was too busy swimming.
What have I done with work?
So I think it's it's justsetting, standing back and
thinking all right, um, here'swhat I've achieved in swimming,
I feel comfortable now, um, Ican continue working on it, and
(34:46):
but it's not just getting intothat crazy sort of mindset that
you always have to travel toevery single swim, meet and swim
.
Danielle Spurling (34:54):
Yes, what do you do in your professional life
?
Zhenya Mikulchik (34:58):
I'm an internal auditor, so I work for
a toll company, transurban, soCityLink in Melbourne and
multiple roads in Sydney and inQueensland as well.
So we're quite busy, verydynamic company and there's a
lot to do.
So you always sort of have tobalance work and travel.
(35:19):
So when I was in Darwin I hadto work some time.
I have to look after thechildren, I have to race in the
middle, so you all have tocombine all these roles together
and feel like sometimes you'renot doing 100% in any of them.
But you know, you just go withit.
Danielle Spurling (35:34):
Well, I admire that so much because
you're really juggling thoseballs in between all your you
know the things that you have todo, your responsibilities and
then and fantastic that you'vemade time for yourself to swim.
Zhenya Mikulchik (35:46):
Yeah, exactly, and I think that's the thing
that I realized was missing fora very long time.
It's like reconnecting with theold friend.
When you get back into swimmingyou're like, oh, this is how I
felt, oh, this is the feelingthat you feel behind the blocks.
Or it's all of a suddenremembering, and you know those
memories of you buildingfriendships with your teammates
and you know the support thatyou get.
(36:06):
And just looking back at thecommunity, and you know my team
is fabulous and we go through somany things like happy moments,
and you know sad moments,illnesses, death and whatever.
And they all come together,even if they've known you for a
week, and they really rallybehind you and this is the
awesome thing that you all of asudden discover.
Danielle Spurling (36:25):
Yes, yeah, I think that's the joy of master
swimming.
I think you know, especiallywhen you've had it when you were
younger and you might have hadsome time away from it.
It's just, it's so lovely tohave that back in your life.
Yes, yes, absolutely.
Well, look, I like to finish mypodcast chat everyone that I
have on with asking them a deepdive five, which is sort of five
(36:47):
favorites to do with yourswimming journey.
So just give me the firstanswer that pops into your head
Favourite pool that you've everswum in?
Probably in Doha.
Yeah, it sounds like a greatstadium, the Aspire Stadium.
Zhenya Mikulchik (37:03):
It was a great stadium and it was very
intimidating, so it was justvery grand, very light and, yeah
, just amazing and the feelingthat the athletes, the real
athletes, were just racing therea few weeks ago and just this
feel of amazing results thatpeople achieve.
(37:25):
Yeah, it was great to be there.
Danielle Spurling (37:28):
And how about your favourite pre-race meal?
Zhenya Mikulchik (37:31):
Growing up in russia, we never actually had
that as a like, you wouldn't eatpasta, we probably didn't even
have pasta, but um, so usually Ithink I would eat potatoes.
Like mashed potatoes is myfavorite thing.
Um, I guess it's carbohydratesanyway.
Um, and I know people say loadup on pasta, and that's what we
did when we were swimming backin the uni days.
Danielle Spurling (37:51):
Um, but yeah, I, I would opt for mashed
potatoes I also love mashedpotatoes, so yeah, that's a good
one.
How about your favoritebackstroke training drill?
Zhenya Mikulchik (38:02):
um, I'm sort of rediscovering some of these
drills and and I'm looking atsome of the guidance, especially
from the us team's masters teamthat they, you know, put videos
on.
Um I I can't remember what it'scalled actually, but it's when
you have one arm up and you'resort of catching up and it's
quite difficult to do becauseyou have to do a lot of kicking
to keep yourself afloat.
So it's just really balancingthe kick component and sort of
(38:27):
the rotation that you do.
That's my new drill that I'mdoing quite often.
Danielle Spurling (38:32):
Give us a demo, so does that go up like?
Zhenya Mikulchik (38:35):
this yeah, you , you, and then you sort of meet
it up.
But, um, yep, so you're layinghorizontally, obviously, on the
water.
Yep, so it's quite difficult tohave your both hands up.
Danielle Spurling (38:45):
Yes, I I call that one a hesitation, or all
that backstroke.
Catch upup is another one.
Zhenya Mikulchik (38:51):
Yeah, okay, yeah, that's a good one.
Danielle Spurling (38:53):
How about your favourite backstroke
training set?
Zhenya Mikulchik (38:56):
So I recently discovered this training set
where, effectively, it'sbuilding your endurance and you
would do eight, 200s ofbackstroke, and so first you
would do four 200s on, let's say, about three minutes, 10
seconds or so, or maybe 315.
And then you get yourself 100meters easy and then you repeat
(39:18):
it again.
So the goal is to holdconsistent sort of speed and
maybe get 10, 15 seconds off,sort of, in your 200s.
Another one is very similar, soit's the same distance, but it
would be eight, 100s, and you doit twice through and again.
(39:38):
So sort of focusing on if yougo, I don't know, 140, 135, in
terms of the 100s, but try tohold 125 for your 100 backstroke
, so it gets quite tired at theend, um, and then, similarly,
you could do 20, 75s and then um, um, 2050s, I suppose.
(40:01):
So, um, it's so similar sort ofbuild up.
Uh, it's just shorter times, um, but yeah, I would focus on the
200s and 100s.
Danielle Spurling (40:11):
Yeah, so 200s really your favourite distance
that you're aiming for.
Zhenya Mikulchik (40:17):
Look, I think now I'm thinking to myself.
Obviously, when I was youngerit was much more pleasurable.
Now it causes a lot of pain.
I'm like I need to reconsiderwhat my favourite distance would
be Drop back to the 100.
Danielle Spurling (40:28):
Yes, exactly, I understand Exactly.
Zhenya Mikulchik (40:30):
It does, hurt it does, but I guess the field
is smaller as you progress to doharder distances, so you need
to pick your favourite whereyour chances are.
Danielle Spurling (40:42):
Yeah, very true.
And how about the swimmer youmost admire and why?
Zhenya Mikulchik (40:47):
I think Michael Phelps, obviously, just
from the amazing talent that hehad and or has still, and just
the perseverance and I think Iwas reading something about
where he basically didn't miss asingle practice in a year and
he trained 365 days a year Imean it takes a very special
(41:08):
person to do that and thedetermination and just you never
back down very special personto that and the determination
and just you never back backdown um something that to strive
for.
I mean it could be crazy, butyou know it's, it's it's amazing
that you never come acrossthese people and and just having
someone in your lifetime Ithink is is pretty, um, pretty
amazing to witness.
Danielle Spurling (41:27):
Yeah yeah, he's certainly a champion.
Well, xenia, thank you so muchfor joining us today on the
podcast and giving us a glimpseinto your swimming journey and
everything that's going on inyour master's swimming now thank
you.
Zhenya Mikulchik (41:40):
Thank you, I'm really pleased to be here and
hopefully, you know, some peopleget inspired.
Danielle Spurling (41:46):
I think they will, okay, take care and happy
swimming.
Okay, bye till next time.
Happy swimming and bye for now.
Hello swimmers and welcome to another
episode of Torpedo Swim Talkpodcast.
I'm your host, DanielleSperling, and each week we chat
to a master swimmer from aroundthe world about their swimming
journey.
It's been a few weeks since ourlast episode, as I've had the
chance to travel to the US for avacation and I was lucky enough
(00:30):
to catch up with some of ourpast podcast guests and have a
swim with them.
It was really great seeing theway they trained in America and
whether it was the same ordifferent to what I was doing.
Very many thanks to BeckyClevenger, kristen Gary and Dan
Daly for making me feel sowelcome at your local pools.
It was a real treat meeting youall in person.
(00:51):
Before I introduce today'sguest, I wanted to take a moment
to dedicate this episode to achildhood swimming friend of
mine, C cheryl Boness, whorecently lost her fight with
illness.
She was a shining light in ouropen water swimming community on
the surf coast here in Victoriain Australia and will be
terribly missed.
(01:12):
For today's episode, I wasdelighted to chat to Zhenya
Mikulchik, who hails from Russiabut now lives in Australia.
She had such success at therecent World Masters in Fukuoka
and Doha and she gives us aglimpse into her training and
racing and what she learned.
Let's hear from Xenia now.
Hi Xenia, welcome to thepodcast.
Zhenya Mikulchik (01:39):
Hi Danielle, Thank you for having me Very
excited to be here.
Danielle Spurling (01:43):
Oh, that's lovely.
You're welcome.
You live in Melbourne and youswim out of Brunswick Belugas
Masters Club.
How long have you been swimmingwith them and where did you
swim before that?
Zhenya Mikulchik (01:54):
I'm a newbie.
I started maybe just a littlebit over 12 months ago, so a bit
maybe the beginning of lastyear really, and I didn't swim
anywhere before.
So so I mean, I've swam when Iwas young, but I didn't.
I didn't have a master's teamor anything like that.
So my journey really began likea good old argument that you
(02:14):
have with your child, who I havea 10 year old son, or he was 10
back then, and he joined aswimming squad and you know,
being a long time swimmer 20years ago, I would try to give
him some advice of on techniqueand whatnot, and he wouldn't
listen to me so and says, oh,mom, what do you know about
swimming?
Because he's never seen mecompete or anything.
(02:35):
So I said I'll show you.
And so I decided, I decided, um,yeah, to sort of join swimming
myself, and when he startedpracticing, I would jump in the
pool and maybe do a few laps,and, um, I could feel how out of
shape I was and it was a bitembarrassing for me, um, but it
was always good, you know, tohave a little race with him.
So anyway, I decided, why not?
(02:56):
I would, you know, check outthe belugas.
And look, I lived in the areafor close to 14 years and I
remember when my son who is now11, was little and we would come
to the pool at early hours onSaturday and I would see all
these women flocking into thechange room and just chatting
away and I'm like, who are thesepeople?
I was very intrigued and then Irealized it was the master swim
(03:18):
team.
So I always thought, oh, maybeI should join, I should join.
So it's been on a very backburner for a very long time but
finally.
So I tried to inspire my son,but I ended up inspiring myself,
I think.
Danielle Spurling (03:31):
I love that.
I love that story.
Where did you swim 20 years ago?
Tell us a little bit about yourswimming background.
Zhenya Mikulchik (03:39):
Yes, so I come from a swimming family.
So my dad used to swim when hewas back in the 70s and then he
was a swim coach for about 20years and then he ran a large
sport complex for 30 years ofhis life.
So I've always been aroundsports and you know he was
living and breathing that.
I basically didn't have achance to be any other athletes
except swimmer.
So my brother also swam, and mybrother is a bit older than me,
(04:04):
so we were and my mom wasalways very involved and so,
yeah, so I've been swimmingsince I was about seven and I
grew up in Russia.
So I grew up in a small town inSiberia, so there wasn't much
to do except go swimming, Isuppose.
And I moved to Canada when I was16 years old through schooling,
(04:27):
so I went to a post-secondaryschool and so I continued my
journey swimming there and Iswam for the University of
Calgary as a varsity swimmer forabout five years.
So I was on a team there and Iquit when I was about 23, 24 and
, you know, entered the realworld of a workforce and it's
(04:49):
sort of I tried to keep up for acouple of years, but I think it
gets challenging and my job hadme traveling everywhere, so
there wasn't a lot of time topractice.
And yeah, and then I immigratedto Australia, as I said 14
years ago, and yeah, I thoughtto myself it would be great, you
know, to pick it up again.
And then, you know, life takesover.
(05:09):
You have children, get married,and then, yeah, and now here I
am.
Danielle Spurling (05:13):
Now is the time now's the time and I feel
like a lot of particularly womencome back into swimming around
the 45 years age and it's such astrong, strong age group 45, 50
, 55, you know because that'swhen, that's when you, your
career, is sort of a little bitmore settled your children,
maybe you're a little bit olderand you've got a little bit more
(05:35):
time to to spend on yourselfyes, absolutely.
Zhenya Mikulchik (05:39):
I agree with that.
And when you look at theresults you always think, oh, my
goodness, you, you're gonna ageup and that that group is even
stronger.
Like, how does that happen?
Danielle Spurling (05:47):
yeah, yeah, like you, I came back to it
about 45 as well, after having25 years out of the water, and I
was astounded by how fasteveryone was and um, and they've
only got faster now that, yes,you know I'm a few years in, but
, yes, yes, it's such a strongand vibrant community, so I
(06:07):
think it's great to be a part ofit.
Zhenya Mikulchik (06:10):
Yeah, absolutely, and I really enjoyed
.
Even when I first started Isort of looked at the results
without even starting swimmingand I thought to myself oh,
those results look like they'reachievable.
You could start swimming andwith a few you know practices
maybe you'll catch up.
And then when I went to myfirst swim meet and I saw you
(06:30):
know people 90, 95 swimming, Iwas just in awe that you know
you could continue doing thatfor the next 40 years of your
life.
Danielle Spurling (06:40):
Yeah, exactly .
Zhenya Mikulchik (06:40):
It's amazing.
It's an amazing community, soI'm very excited to join it.
Danielle Spurling (06:44):
Yeah, exactly , it's amazing.
It's amazing community, so I'mvery excited to join it.
Yeah, and you're fresh homefrom great success at the
masters world champs in doha,where you got two gold medals in
the 100 and 200 backstroke anda bronze in the 50 backstroke.
Congratulations on those greatresults.
Was that your first worlds thatyou'd been to?
Zhenya Mikulchik (07:01):
so this is my second.
I did go to to Japan, so Japanwas my first, and I aged up this
year.
So I thought, you know, I wentto Japan as a 40 to 44 year old.
I'm in 45 to 49.
So I thought, why not?
You know, even though they'revery close together and it was
quite challenging to sort ofkeep swimming and I haven't
(07:21):
built up, when I went, went toJapan, I literally only trained
for eight months, so I haven'thad any endurance, nothing.
So it was just more fromexperience and you know, looking
at making connections, meetingpeople and just being, you know,
being in presence of such agreat talent, really, with world
records being broken and youknow, people swimming in such a
(07:43):
ripe age, and yeah, it was justreally amazing.
So Doha was my second timearound, so I guess I was a
little bit more prepared of whatto expect.
Yeah, it was, look, it wasabsolutely unexpected that I
would win and I was totally overthe moon.
And I think another additionalthing to that was that I asked
(08:07):
my father to come with mebecause, you know, being close
to swimming, and I felt that hewould really appreciate it and I
haven't seen him for more thanfive years, and so he lives in
Russia.
I obviously live in Australiaand we came to meet in the
middle in Doha and it was such agreat experience and, you know,
I think without his support, Iprobably would have struggled
even more mentally, like being,you know, prepared to win,
(08:30):
because you get the psych sheetsbefore you come in.
So I actually knew that I waslisted as number one and I
couldn't even take the pressurefor two weeks.
I was like what am I going todo?
Who put these times in?
Why are they so fast and why amI number one?
So it, who put these times in?
Why are they so fast and why amI number one?
Um, so it was, yeah, it wasvery, uh, pivotal moment, I
think, and when I reflect backof, um, you know, being there
with my dad and like reallyhaving that time to be together
(08:53):
and and really being intoswimming together, I think it
was such a fantastic experience.
Um, just just to focus on onething, yeah, and reconnect yeah,
absolutely.
Danielle Spurling (09:02):
I love the fact that he came from russia to
um support you.
Did he swim as well?
Zhenya Mikulchik (09:08):
no, he didn't, um, I did actually sneak him
into the swimming pool.
You know, even the security wassort of lax at the very
beginning.
So I did sneak him in and, uh,he had a sneaky swim, um.
But what I'm trying to do Ithink my like greatest dream
would be to get my dad to cometo the world championships with
me and my brother as well.
So I was like, wouldn't that begreat, all three of us swimming
together, um.
(09:29):
So I'm, I'm slowly building upthat um sort of thought in his
head, whether he could swim ornot, and um, but look he, he
looked at the results of um.
He's a 50 flyer, um.
So he looked at the results ofpeople in his age group and he
was just astounded how fast theywere so.
I think it takes.
It takes some some courage tobuild, build that up.
So we're still working on it.
Danielle Spurling (09:49):
Um, but yeah it was.
It was fantastic experience forhim, for sure yeah, and what,
what, what of your races wereyou the happiest?
With which?
Which one did you enjoy themost?
Um?
Zhenya Mikulchik (10:00):
I think so I also got a bronze in the hundred
fly, so I got two bronzers in55.
Yeah, but yeah, so I think Ithink so I also got a bronze in
the 100 fly.
So I got two bronzes in 55 and100 fly, yeah right.
So I think, probably just theunexpected, that I got a bronze
in the 100 fly was the mostexciting.
Right, you know you sort of Idon't.
Well, I swim for fly, for fun.
I know that's crazy, but youswim for fun.
But yeah, I think it was justmore of a.
(10:22):
I think I got a best time likePB in that.
I think a lot of the swims weremy PBs because I haven't swam
previously before anyway.
So you know I take whateverresult I get, but I think it was
just exciting to podium in theevent.
That's not my true event, yeah.
And then the backstrokesobviously is what I swim, and 50
(10:43):
back I'm not a sprinter.
So it was also exciting to bethird in the 50 back.
Danielle Spurling (10:49):
Yeah, it's quite close, wasn't it?
I know the girl that camefourth, actually Perry.
Oh yeah, Did you meet her?
Zhenya Mikulchik (10:54):
Yeah, Actually I did.
I think it was her she wastalking about that.
She has a cousin that lives in.
Danielle Spurling (11:01):
Melbourne.
Yes, yes, that's a good friendof mine who I swim with Nikki,
Nikki Kerr.
Zhenya Mikulchik (11:06):
Okay, okay, yes, and you know this is
another conversation.
So I think it's great you sitin those waiting rooms.
Everything is very serious,people are very focused, but
then you get a chance to chat topeople that are sitting you
know next to you in the chairsand how they came about and what
their journey is, and this isthe amazing thing about racing
internationally that you buildthese connections Like you know.
(11:26):
How would I know?
And she did say that she had acousin.
Danielle Spurling (11:29):
Yeah, she does.
Yeah, yeah, it's such a smallworld.
Exactly, it's such a smallworld.
And when you swim the 200 and100 backstroke, they're both
different races.
Zhenya Mikulchik (11:52):
What's the strategy that you, the different
strategy that you use betweenthe two in the way that you
approach them?
Yes, 200 I think is a verydifferent beast to 100 um with
200 and sort of reflecting backthat you know it requires a lot
of uh strength to come backafter, after 100, I suppose.
So it's it's building thatendurance.
So I'm working on building theendurance.
So usually what I think aboutis is you're building into your,
you know your.
You start with your 50, sort ofcontrolled.
With the second 50 you maintainspeed and you build it up.
I think the first 50, a third 50, is very pivotal, like you need
(12:14):
to just get going, you need tokick it off in in gear.
And then I think the fourth oneis just hang on, what are you?
Whatever you've got left, uh,you just come home.
So when I do my practices, Ialways try to think that my
third and my fourth, I need toget going through the pain and
it's very, very painful.
So, yeah, strategies to work onthe second half of the race For
(12:38):
100 back, I think, taking itout strong and see if you can
sustain the second 50, sort ofin the same um stroke rate.
So I think I sometimes I try tothink what do people you know,
when, when, when the athletesraise, uh, race, they always
think about okay, stroke rate,so how fast do I go?
One, two, one, two, one, two,one, two.
So you just sort of get intothat rhythm and that's how you
(12:58):
get to the end.
You keep counting, but whetherit's fast enough or not fast
enough, you're not even thinkingabout that, you're just
counting.
So I think I just focus onmaintaining that sort of speed
and, yeah, getting back yeah, doyou have a difference in your
stroke rates between the 200 andthe 100?
um, I think I do, I think I do,but it's it's getting into that
(13:21):
scientific thing that I I don'tthink I've been out of it for
such a long time.
I mean definitely when wetrained, you know, during the
university years, the coachwould tell you okay, your stroke
rate needs to come up andwhatnot.
So I think now it's a littlebit different story.
I you know, our coaches, Ithink don't necessarily pick up
on that, unless maybe I ask andsay, can you pay attention to my
(13:42):
stroke rate?
But I think it's when you gettired, it's mentally remembering
that you need to bring that upand keep going.
Danielle Spurling (13:49):
How are you on your turns in your backstroke
?
Do you stay underwater for sometime with your dolphin kicks
and does that change throughoutthe 100?
Oh sorry, throughout the 200, Ishould say.
Zhenya Mikulchik (14:00):
Yeah, I guess my yes.
I was watching the recentchampionships that we had in
Gold Coast and I was trying tocount how many dolphin kicks
Kylie McEwen does underwater,and I think she does about seven
or eight, so it's quiteextensive.
I think I would die of oxygen,lack of oxygen.
So I try, I think I try, maybefor five.
(14:23):
I noticed that, you know, inthe last 50 I can barely do
three.
So yes yeah, it's again buildingup that endurance.
But yeah, definitely working onthat.
All those little bits, I thinkget you to a different result,
and I think when you fatigue,all of that starts to go first
if you don't focus on it.
Danielle Spurling (14:40):
So absolutely that's good.
Yeah, I think that's.
There's a lot of skillsinvolved in backstroke.
I know people don't reallythink that there is, but with
the underwaters that's made abig difference to times.
I mean, I don't know, when youswam back at the University of
Calgary did you do the oldbackstroke turn no, or were you
in the?
Were you had it changed?
Zhenya Mikulchik (15:02):
to the tumble turn.
No.
So I think it was a tumble turn, but I'm a bit confused with
all these different rules, howyou're supposed to finish and
whether you're on your back orhalf on your front.
And you know, I was reallysurprised with the
disqualifications.
I think it was at the TokyoOlympics, wasn't it?
Again, kylie was DQ'd from 200IM or something like that.
Danielle Spurling (15:20):
Yes, yes.
Zhenya Mikulchik (15:21):
So whether it was DQ'd from 200 IM or
something like that.
Yes, yes, I'm actually not upto scratch of what it's supposed
to be.
I know I should read the ruleswhen I go to all these
international swim meets, but Ithink it's just remembering how
you used to do it and I thinkthat was pretty simple.
So I'm just sticking to that.
Yes, it was a tumble turn.
Yeah, yeah.
Danielle Spurling (15:39):
It's interesting.
I just wondered whether you'dhad to learn a new turn.
But you, you already knew howto do that when you came back to
master swimming, so that's good, you were a step ahead.
What about the um?
The new starts in backstrokewith the ledge.
Did you use that in Doha?
Zhenya Mikulchik (15:54):
I used it in Doha, yes, and um, I've never
used it before.
So so, yeah, that's definitelya new thing for me and you know
I was really glad that in Doha Itried it multiple times before
I sort of got on the blocks andused it properly.
And you do find that sometimesit's very tricky.
You have to be.
If you try to push off too much, you may go too deep underwater
(16:17):
and then it takes you a longtime to get out, you miss
momentum, etc.
Water, and then it takes you along time to get out, you miss
momentum, etc.
And um.
So it was interesting to watchsome people how um high they go
out of the water.
I don't think I have thestrength, like muscle strength,
to put pull me up, um.
So it's just working with thatlength as well, and every time
you know you would see peoplecome to the blocks and then they
change the length of the of therope that goes down the water.
(16:39):
So I find for me it works whenI'm not too high out, because I
go too high and then too deepinto the water and that just
just throws me off.
So it's still work in progressand I guess we don't use it too
often in the local swim meet, soit's good to experience it
internationally yes, yes, I'mhoping that they might bring it
in for next year's nationals.
(17:00):
But they did.
They did use it, use in Darwin,so that was a new thing.
But they keep asking everybodyindividually whether you would
like to use it or not, because Ithink if you're using it for
the first time, that's a verytricky thing.
Danielle Spurling (17:11):
Yes, you don't want to use it for the
first time in competition.
That's right, that's it.
And you mentioned obviouslyhaving your dad there and that
settled you down a little bit,but he couldn't obviously come
down onto pool deck with you.
How did you control your nervesbefore your races?
Zhenya Mikulchik (17:29):
you know I was reflecting on this point I get
really, really nervous, reallynervous, and I think, especially
in the international swim meets, as I mentioned, you know they
got a call room.
You probably go through sevenor eight heats being in that
cold room.
There are multiple you knowrows of of um chairs there.
There are people deep breathingand freaking you out because
(17:54):
you know, people with theearphones and some people are
chatty and laughing, some peopleare just really focused and, um
, I I would get really nervousgoing into the call room.
But but I think once I'm in thecall room I was sitting back and
I was just thinking I'm doingthis for fun, just breathing,
I'm doing this for fun and itsort of calms you.
Well, it calms me down.
(18:14):
So I look around, I chat topeople and it sort of takes the
edge off a little bit.
But then obviously when you'reat the blocks, you need that
natural adrenaline anyway.
So you know you don't want totake some chill pill that you're
just rolling off and being like, all right, let's go swimming.
Um, you still need that, Ithink, um, to kick start the um,
the race, um.
But yeah, I think justbreathing and just saying to
(18:36):
myself.
Danielle Spurling (18:37):
I'm doing this for fun although at that
last minute before the whistle,before the gun goes, it doesn't
feel like when you're on theblocks.
Zhenya Mikulchik (18:44):
You're not doing it for fun.
You know whoever is next to youis going down that's it.
Danielle Spurling (18:51):
Obviously, at a world championships it's a
bit different with the, thewarm-up procedures from a local
meet.
How did you find thatdifference?
Because it's very crowded.
Zhenya Mikulchik (18:59):
Um, I believe doha wasn't quite as crowded as
fukuoka but, um, japan wasreally interesting, especially
with having a 50 meter pool andthen a 25 meter pool, cool down,
with all these people.
It's really tricky becauseobviously, if you're not racing
in the first race, you don'tneed to warm up as early.
And so then you get a newsituation that you're in that
smaller pool and with a millionpeople who are trying to cool
(19:21):
down or warm up.
And so I think with Doha it wasmuch easier.
So it was a 50 meter pool, bothpools were 50 meters, quite a
nice facility, so it was muchmore manageable.
But again, it's counting backwhat works for you.
You know how long do you needbefore you warm up, how much
rest do you need before you race.
So it's you sort of go down inthat mathematical pathway of
(19:42):
what works for your body.
But then even then, um, youknow, things run over time and I
remember I think, um, I waswaiting for my hundred back and
I think I waited for like twohours before I swam, so
obviously miscalculated, but youalmost have to do another
warm-up.
Um, but I think it's reallypersonal preferences and so I
think just, yeah, pushingthrough, and even even though if
(20:05):
you're in the crowded scenario,it's just getting in, getting
what you need to get done andget out.
So that type of thing.
And if you need to do a secondwarm up, I guess there's
availability for that too.
But it's planning things inadvance as well works well.
And seeing seeing how you knowum, you also get anxiety.
I suppose if you have um, oh, Iget anxiety that you feel like
(20:27):
you would miss the race.
So if you're not the first raceof the swim day, you always feel
you're never settled.
You know you try to go in andlook around the city and try to
do some cultural things, butthen you keep watching, you know
, watching your clock, saying oh, I need to get back to the pool
.
So you're never relax.
So I think it's a fine balanceand really it's just working out
what works for you and whetheryou would rather be at the pool
(20:48):
and spending six hours at thepool or you can just, you know,
take your mind off, go for awalk and then, you know, arrive
there, hopefully in time yes,I'd like to be the swimmer that
went for the walk and took mymind off it, but I'm the swimmer
that goes to the pool for thesix hours and waits there yes,
well, interestingly enough, Ithink, um, you know, traveling
internationally, it's still,it's a long swim, it, you know
(21:10):
it's six, seven days.
So you, you try to fit in, um,some cultural things, because
I'm unable to take, you know, 10days off.
I've got two kids, so I have toget back and look after them,
um, and and so it was importantfor me to try and do something
each day.
So, whether it was, yeah, if myswim wasn't until three o'clock
in the afternoon, I would dosomething in the morning with my
(21:31):
dad, for example, and maybeit's closer to the pool.
And in Fukuoka, I was therewith a friend and I think we
walked, for I had 20,000 stepsbefore I got in the pool and
swam my 100 back.
So I was there with a friendand I think we walked, for I had
20,000 steps before I got inthe pool and swam my 100 back,
so I was already exhausted and Ihad to swim 100 back.
Sure, but it was.
It was sort, of, you know, youtry to balance these things and,
(21:51):
as I said, you know, for me atthe moment I'm sort of focusing
on it being fun.
So I'm there to experienceculture, meet people and race
somewhere in between well, itwas a pretty successful racing
carnival for you.
Danielle Spurling (22:06):
Yes, Did you?
I mean, you had such successwith the two gold and two bronze
.
But did you find out anythingthat you would like to work on
or change before you try again,maybe in Singapore?
Zhenya Mikulchik (22:21):
Definitely.
You know I didn't realize howserious some people are and how
seriously they take it, thepreparation, and you know it's
with the looking after yourself,the dieting, the you know
obviously not drinking andtaking supplements, so I didn't
realize how big the supplementtaking was as well.
So I'm usually just sort oftaking magnesium.
(22:42):
So I didn't realize how big thesupplement taking was as well.
So I'm I'm usually just sort oftaking magnesium so I don't get
cramps.
But, um, you know, some peopleare, um, they've got a pack of
various things and you know,I've met, met some people and
made some friends and, um, someof them come from sort of that
swimming coaching world as well,so they're a bit more upskilled
in in you know what, whatcurrently works, what athletes
(23:02):
are taking, what's safe, etc.
So I was surprised that, yeah,definitely there are some things
that you can improve, just, youknow, by taking supplements and
feeling better and just foryour muscle recovery, and you
know I've never taken any of theprotein shakes.
So possibly just even doingthat, um, to build muscle and,
um, you know, recover quicker orlose weight or whatever your
(23:24):
goal is, I suppose.
So, um, I think I'm definitelygonna be looking into that just
to help myself.
And also, um, I didn't realizethat people actually focus on
strength training so much morethan than swimming itself.
So, um, yeah, a few girls thatI've talked to you know they're
almost equivalent with withbeing in the gym and being in
(23:44):
the pool, um, whereas somepeople maybe, you know, seven
days in the pool and none of thesort of, um, strength training.
So what I'm gonna do is, yeah,I'm gonna try and balance that
and, um, I sort of going into,um, japan, I was completely
oblivious to all of those things.
So, as I said, so it sort of itwas the beginning.
(24:06):
I just wanted to make it to theend, um, but now, as I mature a
little bit more, or rememberwhat I need to do, you know it's
the preparation.
They've got all the, the socksthat go onto your um caps and
stuff to, you know, contract themuscles, and you look around
you're like, ooh, I want one ofthose.
Ooh, what are you doing?
Yeah, what is this gadget?
(24:26):
So, yeah, I think there'sdefinitely a lot of things that
I could take on board and justtry them out and see if they
help me.
Danielle Spurling (24:34):
Yeah, yeah, interesting perspective.
I love that.
That leads me into a questionabout your training schedule.
What was that like before?
So you had the two meets quiteclose together, Fukuoka and Doha
?
What was it like heading intoDoha?
How often were you training?
Zhenya Mikulchik (24:51):
In preparation for Doha.
I think it was more acontinuation of building up my
endurance, as I said before.
So when I went to Japan I wasonly eight months into training.
I think from that I couldn'tstop.
I needed to keep building myendurance.
My sort of volume of swimmingthat I would do, but in reality
probably about eight weeks outof the competition.
(25:13):
I would start training aboutfive to six times a week, so
that would be probably allthroughout the working week and
the Saturday.
So that would be probably allthroughout the working week and
the Saturday and also trying togo to the gym at least twice a
week.
So now I'm thinking next timearound I'll see whether I can
increase it to three or fourtimes a week and see if it makes
a difference and then sort ofabout two weeks or 10 days out
(25:35):
of the swim meet I would startto do the tapering, so lowering
I probably would still goswimming maybe five times a week
but not do the the same volumeof practice.
But I I usually swim just onehour a day.
It's in the morning.
So from 6 am till 7 am we'vegot a adult squad in the local
um pool and we typically we doabout 3.2, 3.3 k um.
(25:58):
Sometimes it's 2.8 if we'reworking on some speed work, so
it's it really just varies.
So I'm yeah, I'm not one ofthose people that would spend,
you know, hours and hours in thepool.
I don't think I can actuallyswim 5k, honestly, so, um, but
maybe that's another thing Ishould try is swimming 5k um,
yeah, so about five to six timesas a preparation um.
(26:19):
But it's interesting, I think,with japan or not with japan,
with Doha, because it was sortof right after Christmas that
you had to kick into training.
It was quite difficult becauseI had family visiting and here I
was, this crazy person beinglike I'll be back in two hours
because I have to go to the pooland I have to do gym.
So it was really hard tobalance.
So I feel like maybe I wasn'tputting 100% of work in, but I
(26:44):
think that's that's exactly.
You have to think what is mybalance.
Danielle Spurling (26:46):
What am I trying?
Zhenya Mikulchik (26:47):
to achieve here?
Um, how important is it?
And so I think sometimes justput so much pressure.
Danielle Spurling (26:51):
Yes, I want to put 100% in, but yet I still
want to enjoy life, and you know, I didn't get into swimming to
to win all these things, I justwanted to have fun yes, yeah, I
think the work-life balance isso important and you know, as
you say, you've got family andyou've got kids to look after as
well, and that puts a hugeamount of stress in your life
already, and so you want theswimming to be a joyful pastime.
(27:16):
That hopefully well, you'vebeen very successful at it so
far, so that's wonderful.
Zhenya Mikulchik (27:21):
I'm thinking, maybe one day, you know, I feel
like I will be fully prepared,but knowing life, I don't think
you ever feel like that.
Danielle Spurling (27:27):
You never feel like that my kids have
finished school now and I stilldon't feel like I'm prepared,
but yes, yes, there's alwayssomething, always something.
Do you find that when, when youdo your training is a lot of it
focused?
Do you do a lot of itbackstroke, or do you do a lot
of it freestyle, or how does itsort of?
What's the percentage that youswim?
Zhenya Mikulchik (27:49):
I try to fit in backstroke so I think when I
started a lot of the times werequite fast for me, even
freestyle, so I couldn't I wasin the back of the lane, I
couldn't make it, and obviouslythis is more of a squad scenario
, so it's for everybody.
And um, you know, coach is notnecessarily focusing on me, um,
but I feel now, as I'm sort ofgetting stronger and stronger, I
(28:09):
could sustain some of thesetimes that I would swim for
freestyle.
I could now do the backstroke.
So I sort of pick and choosewhat I do, and if we have a
workout and let's say, if yourmain set is about 1.8 k, I'll
probably try to do half of thatin backstroke.
Yeah, um, but and I I feel likeit's it's still again a balance
.
I think a lot of swimmers dotalk about shoulders not being
(28:32):
well, and so if I do 2k worth ofbackstroke, I'm not sure how my
shoulders will help handle thatas well.
Um, and even thinking about, youknow, butterfly, I don't
actually train butterfly at all,like very rarely.
I would do sprints andbutterfly, and so even looking
at my 100 butterfly, I diespectacularly in the last 50 all
the time, and so I think itjust proves the point that I
(28:54):
need to do some training inbutterfly.
So, um, possibly that's anotherthing that I need to focus on
is just diversifying what I do,and obviously we do have sets
that would include individualmedley strokes as well, but
they're probably less often so,unless we are focusing one week
on IM or breaststroke orsomething like that.
(29:15):
So yeah, so I try to fit inbackstroke where I can.
Danielle Spurling (29:20):
And are you stronger in pull or kick?
Zhenya Mikulchik (29:24):
I don't know, maybe or equal, maybe stronger
in kick at the moment.
Pull, I think a lot of peopleobviously quite stronger upper
body and when you use paddlesyou know there's a bit more
velocity.
I suppose when you go and getgoing, kick is probably harder
because you actually yeah, Ifind that I work harder when I'm
(29:46):
doing kick and with pull yousort of just cruise along and
you do a good time.
So I don't know, know, it's aninteresting question.
I haven't thought about itwhether I'm good at one or the
other, but I I enjoy both,equally enjoy both yes, do you
use a lot of equipment in yoursquad sessions um, we do.
Well, fins is usually just tohelp the warm-up.
(30:07):
Um, yeah, the paddles and thepool boys we do.
We don't typically use anyother sort of other equipment,
fancy equipment.
There's a few guys on my teamthat use um or have the belts
available, you know, with the umto get the tension.
So I tried it a couple times inpreparation I I just remember
how hard it was because I use it, used it before when I was in
(30:30):
in my early 20s and rememberinghow, how difficult it is to work
on that.
So that's another fun thing.
But you obviously would only doit maybe before a big swim meet
or something in preparation.
Danielle Spurling (30:40):
Yes, yes, and tell us you've just come back
this week from Masters Nationalsin Darwin.
How was that competition foryou, and what races did you
compete in up there?
Zhenya Mikulchik (30:53):
It was great.
I've never been to Darwin, soit was a fantastic place to be.
And just look, I was loving theweather.
But it's a different scenariobecause you usually race in the
indoor pool.
Now you race in the outdoorpool and obviously, with the
humidity, you're trying to getthe swimsuits on.
With another debacle.
Yes, sometimes you feel likeyou're dislocating your fingers
(31:16):
just trying to pull it up.
So it was a good swim meet mytimes.
In terms of my times, I sort ofstayed consistent.
Most of my races stayedconsistent with what I did in
Doha.
So I guess I'm happy with theconsistency.
So I'm not falling off thecliff.
Um, haven't progressed, butthat's fine, you know, I'm just
(31:37):
sort of building my strength aswell.
Um, I swam all my backstrokes50, a hundred, 200, and I got
gold.
So, um, and I also swam 50 free, which I never swim.
I also got gold, which wasexciting, and I swam 50 fly, 100
fly, which I got second afteramazing Lissandra Di Cavallo.
Danielle Spurling (31:59):
Yes, I know Lissandra.
Zhenya Mikulchik (32:01):
Yes, and we also swam, and I swam 200 IM, I
think for the first time longcourse, and that was interesting
.
So Lissandra and I we also hada race.
She won, I got second, butthat's interesting.
So Lissandra and I, we also hada race.
She won, I got second, butthat's fine and they just proved
the point that I need to workon my breaststroke because it
was terrible.
So overall, I mean medals-wise,of course, it was very
(32:21):
successful.
But my son actually I took mychildren with me, so it was
interesting to see.
So my 11-year-old kept sayingoh, all you guys want to do is
just swim and get the medals.
I said, actually it's not aboutthat, you just want to sort of
overpower yourself and winyourself and swim faster.
So it's about the.
You're getting better times andI didn't get better times, but
I'm okay with it.
(32:42):
And, um, yeah, we're just gonnakeep building on that.
but it was really it was reallygreat to be there, so yeah, it
sounds like a great meet.
Danielle Spurling (32:50):
How did you find um the sun swimming
backstroke outdoors?
Zhenya Mikulchik (32:54):
yeah, it was um, at times annoying the word
that comes to mind, but you sortof it's like any condition you
would have to deal with, right.
So it's um, you know people say, oh, this pool is low, or that
pool is low, or the lane ropesare not as tight, or you know,
there could always be something.
But I didn't find it that sortof detrimental, I suppose, to
(33:18):
the performance.
Yes, sometimes it's reflectiveand you can't see the flags, and
I think that's the only thingwhen you're trying to finish and
you can't see the flags andyou're thinking to yourself did
I pass it or did I not pass it?
But most of the time it didn'treally cause a lot of trouble.
Danielle Spurling (33:33):
And do you think you'll um sort of aim for
singapore world championships in2025, or will you do something
after that?
Zhenya Mikulchik (33:40):
um, I think so , I really want to.
Yeah, I think I really want tocontinue and get to singapore as
well, hopefully maybe with somefamily, as competing as well.
Um, and I was also checking out, you know, I think there is the
Australian Master Games laterin the year, in November.
I didn't realize that there arealso global Master Games as
(34:01):
well, in 2025 in Taipei, Ibelieve, and that's early in the
year.
So there's a few things toconsider and I think it's just
interesting to all of a sudden,this thirst for travel and
swimming at the same time all ofa sudden developed.
But you know, I need to balanceit as well.
(34:23):
So sometimes you get into thatmode where you're training and
you feel like you need toperform, perform.
And then I was saying to someof my colleagues I said well, I
think my boss needs to probablysay something to me because I've
been swimming.
I was too busy swimming.
What have I done with work?
So I think it's it's justsetting, standing back and
thinking all right, um, here'swhat I've achieved in swimming,
I feel comfortable now, um, Ican continue working on it, and
(34:46):
but it's not just getting intothat crazy sort of mindset that
you always have to travel toevery single swim, meet and swim
.
Danielle Spurling (34:54):
Yes, what do you do in your professional life
?
Zhenya Mikulchik (34:58):
I'm an internal auditor, so I work for
a toll company, transurban, soCityLink in Melbourne and
multiple roads in Sydney and inQueensland as well.
So we're quite busy, verydynamic company and there's a
lot to do.
So you always sort of have tobalance work and travel.
(35:19):
So when I was in Darwin I hadto work some time.
I have to look after thechildren, I have to race in the
middle, so you all have tocombine all these roles together
and feel like sometimes you'renot doing 100% in any of them.
But you know, you just go withit.
Danielle Spurling (35:34):
Well, I admire that so much because
you're really juggling thoseballs in between all your you
know the things that you have todo, your responsibilities and
then and fantastic that you'vemade time for yourself to swim.
Zhenya Mikulchik (35:46):
Yeah, exactly, and I think that's the thing
that I realized was missing fora very long time.
It's like reconnecting with theold friend.
When you get back into swimmingyou're like, oh, this is how I
felt, oh, this is the feelingthat you feel behind the blocks.
Or it's all of a suddenremembering, and you know those
memories of you buildingfriendships with your teammates
and you know the support thatyou get.
(36:06):
And just looking back at thecommunity, and you know my team
is fabulous and we go through somany things like happy moments,
and you know sad moments,illnesses, death and whatever.
And they all come together,even if they've known you for a
week, and they really rallybehind you and this is the
awesome thing that you all of asudden discover.
Danielle Spurling (36:25):
Yes, yeah, I think that's the joy of master
swimming.
I think you know, especiallywhen you've had it when you were
younger and you might have hadsome time away from it.
It's just, it's so lovely tohave that back in your life.
Yes, yes, absolutely.
Well, look, I like to finish mypodcast chat everyone that I
have on with asking them a deepdive five, which is sort of five
(36:47):
favorites to do with yourswimming journey.
So just give me the firstanswer that pops into your head
Favourite pool that you've everswum in?
Probably in Doha.
Yeah, it sounds like a greatstadium, the Aspire Stadium.
Zhenya Mikulchik (37:03):
It was a great stadium and it was very
intimidating, so it was justvery grand, very light and, yeah
, just amazing and the feelingthat the athletes, the real
athletes, were just racing therea few weeks ago and just this
feel of amazing results thatpeople achieve.
(37:25):
Yeah, it was great to be there.
Danielle Spurling (37:28):
And how about your favourite pre-race meal?
Zhenya Mikulchik (37:31):
Growing up in russia, we never actually had
that as a like, you wouldn't eatpasta, we probably didn't even
have pasta, but um, so usually Ithink I would eat potatoes.
Like mashed potatoes is myfavorite thing.
Um, I guess it's carbohydratesanyway.
Um, and I know people say loadup on pasta, and that's what we
did when we were swimming backin the uni days.
Danielle Spurling (37:51):
Um, but yeah, I, I would opt for mashed
potatoes I also love mashedpotatoes, so yeah, that's a good
one.
How about your favoritebackstroke training drill?
Zhenya Mikulchik (38:02):
um, I'm sort of rediscovering some of these
drills and and I'm looking atsome of the guidance, especially
from the us team's masters teamthat they, you know, put videos
on.
Um I I can't remember what it'scalled actually, but it's when
you have one arm up and you'resort of catching up and it's
quite difficult to do becauseyou have to do a lot of kicking
to keep yourself afloat.
So it's just really balancingthe kick component and sort of
(38:27):
the rotation that you do.
That's my new drill that I'mdoing quite often.
Danielle Spurling (38:32):
Give us a demo, so does that go up like?
Zhenya Mikulchik (38:35):
this yeah, you , you, and then you sort of meet
it up.
But, um, yep, so you're layinghorizontally, obviously, on the
water.
Yep, so it's quite difficult tohave your both hands up.
Danielle Spurling (38:45):
Yes, I I call that one a hesitation, or all
that backstroke.
Catch upup is another one.
Zhenya Mikulchik (38:51):
Yeah, okay, yeah, that's a good one.
Danielle Spurling (38:53):
How about your favourite backstroke
training set?
Zhenya Mikulchik (38:56):
So I recently discovered this training set
where, effectively, it'sbuilding your endurance and you
would do eight, 200s ofbackstroke, and so first you
would do four 200s on, let's say, about three minutes, 10
seconds or so, or maybe 315.
And then you get yourself 100meters easy and then you repeat
(39:18):
it again.
So the goal is to holdconsistent sort of speed and
maybe get 10, 15 seconds off,sort of, in your 200s.
Another one is very similar, soit's the same distance, but it
would be eight, 100s, and you doit twice through and again.
(39:38):
So sort of focusing on if yougo, I don't know, 140, 135, in
terms of the 100s, but try tohold 125 for your 100 backstroke
, so it gets quite tired at theend, um, and then, similarly,
you could do 20, 75s and then um, um, 2050s, I suppose.
(40:01):
So, um, it's so similar sort ofbuild up.
Uh, it's just shorter times, um, but yeah, I would focus on the
200s and 100s.
Danielle Spurling (40:11):
Yeah, so 200s really your favourite distance
that you're aiming for.
Zhenya Mikulchik (40:17):
Look, I think now I'm thinking to myself.
Obviously, when I was youngerit was much more pleasurable.
Now it causes a lot of pain.
I'm like I need to reconsiderwhat my favourite distance would
be Drop back to the 100.
Danielle Spurling (40:28):
Yes, exactly, I understand Exactly.
Zhenya Mikulchik (40:30):
It does, hurt it does, but I guess the field
is smaller as you progress to doharder distances, so you need
to pick your favourite whereyour chances are.
Danielle Spurling (40:42):
Yeah, very true.
And how about the swimmer youmost admire and why?
Zhenya Mikulchik (40:47):
I think Michael Phelps, obviously, just
from the amazing talent that hehad and or has still, and just
the perseverance and I think Iwas reading something about
where he basically didn't miss asingle practice in a year and
he trained 365 days a year Imean it takes a very special
(41:08):
person to do that and thedetermination and just you never
back down very special personto that and the determination
and just you never back backdown um something that to strive
for.
I mean it could be crazy, butyou know it's, it's it's amazing
that you never come acrossthese people and and just having
someone in your lifetime Ithink is is pretty, um, pretty
amazing to witness.
Danielle Spurling (41:27):
Yeah yeah, he's certainly a champion.
Well, xenia, thank you so muchfor joining us today on the
podcast and giving us a glimpseinto your swimming journey and
everything that's going on inyour master's swimming now thank
you.
Zhenya Mikulchik (41:40):
Thank you, I'm really pleased to be here and
hopefully, you know, some peopleget inspired.
Danielle Spurling (41:46):
I think they will, okay, take care and happy
swimming.
Okay, bye till next time.
Happy swimming and bye for now.
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