#289 Craig Beardsley reflects on his career, the 1980 Olympic Boycott, and Swim Across America

Craig Beardsley is a former World Record holder in the 200 Fly. He qualified for the 1980 Olympics but didn't get to compete due to President Jimmy Carter's boycott. 

Beardsley set the World Record of 1:58.21 in the 200- meter butterfly on July 30, 1980, one week after the Olympic Games—a time that was over a second faster than Soviet swimmer Sergey Fesenko‘s gold medal time in the 1980 Olympic finals.    

After the United States–led boycott of the Moscow Olympics, Beardsley continued to train. He held both the American and World Records from 1980 to 1983. Swimming World Magazine named Beardsley its American Male Swimmer of the Year in 1981. He was a two-time NCAA champion in the 200 Fly and was an 8x All-American honors while swimming for Randy Reese and the Florida Gators.

After his swimming career was over, Craig got introduced to Swim Across America and has been involved for nearly 3 decades raising money for cancer research.

Craig was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in October of 2022 along with Jon Sieben, another former 200 Fly World Record holder. 

Today is Giving Tuesday. Help preserve our sport's history by becoming a monthly donor to the International Swimming Hall of Fame. https://www.ishof.org/one-in-a-thousand/

00:00 Bratter PA Immigration Law
01:30 Growing up in New York going to UNIS
02:30 Surrounded by music
04:45 Choosing swimming over music
06:30 Danish swimming background
07:20 University of Florida
09:45 Getting recruited by Randy & Eddie Reese
13:30 College swimming in the early 1980's
15:55 Putting in Work
18:45 Training with Eddie & Randy Reese
22:40 Beine Nutrition
23:30 Experimenting as a coach
25:20 Butterfly sets
28:26 Visualizing your race
29:49 Mary T. Meagher, Tracy Caulkins, Sippy Woodhead
32:00 Breaking the 200 Fly WR at OT's
35:00 The 1980 Olympic Boycott
38:30 Anita DeFrantz
39:45 Did you watch the 1980 Olympics?
41:17 Swimtraxx Swimming Tracker
42:03  When did it hit you the hardest?
46:45 Russian athletes now
48:20 Jon Sieben
51:00 1984 Olympic Trials
52:15 Patrick Kennedy
56:45 1984 Olympics 200 Fly
58:38 Swim Across America

Our Sponsors:

BRATTER PA IMMIGRATION LAW: Exclusive immigration representation of athletes, entrepreneurs, artists, investors, and entertainers.

SWIM ANGELFISH: Receive the tools and skills needed to teach swimmers with autism, physical disabilities, anxiety, sensory and motor conditions with Swim Angelfish, the global leader in adaptive swim. Get certified online today!

BEINE WELLNESS BUILDING: Individualize your nutrition with genetic testing and personalized plans. Eat, supplement, and recover based on your genetics.

SWIMTRAXX: Swimtraxx One is the smartest swim specific tracker. Track your time, heart rate, and stroke rate all from the same device.

INTL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME: Help preserve swimming history by joining the 1 in 1000 Club!

VASA: Essential dryland for stronger, better, faster swimmers. Save 10% using the code "brett" at checkout!

DESTRO SWIM TOWERS: Save $150 per double swim tower by using the code "brett" at checkout!

SWIMNERD: Big and small digital pace clocks, virtual scoreboards, and live results. Subscribe to the Swimnerd Newsletter.