How Michael Andrew’s TYR Pro Series Swims Have Set Him Up for Success
At the 2026 TYR Pro Swim Series in Indianapolis, Michael Andrew showed signs of his old self. The 27-year-old Andrew swam some of his fastest times in over a year, showing that he is a major threat at this summer’s Pan Pacific Championships. Andrew has qualified for Pan Pacs in the 50 butterfly, but will be allowed to swim other events due to the meet rules. After strong performances in the 50 breaststroke and 50 freestyle in Indy, it would be no shock to see him compete in those events as well.
Andrew’s Training Move
After spending last season training with the Arizona State pro group, Andrew decided to move back to Hawaii to train with his father, Peter Andrew. Since the move back, Andrew has seen a slow improvement back into the range of times that people have come to expect from him. Andrew has also been seen working with the Aquatic Sports Performance Group, focusing on his mobility and strength work. Notably, Caeleb Dressel has also been working with the same program.
Andrew’s 50 breast time of 26.75 from the Pro Series does not just mark one of the fastest times in the world this year, but it is also his fastest time in this event since the World Championships in 2022. Andrew currently holds a best time of 26.52, which he produced at the 2022 U.S. Trials for Worlds. With the rise of Van Mathias, it is a tall task for Andrew to compete for a gold medal this summer, but a medal and a best time is definitely not out of the question.
His times are gradually improving at every meet this season. The 50 breast has seen him drop from a 28.02 at the U.S. Open to the 26.75 at the Pro Series. This is not the only race in which he is seeing drops. His 50 fly time of 23.08 from the Pro Series is a drop of one second since the start of the season. It is also faster than the time he swam at the World Championships last summer. This is the event that landed Andrew a Pan Pacs slot, and he should be circled as a top threat later this summer.
Expectations
The expectations for Andrew going into Pan Pacs should be relatively low. Seeing him back in competitive form is something that swim fans, however, should enjoy. Andrew has been one of the top names on the swimming scene for a long time, and as one of the top age-group swimmers of all-time, he is a name that will always be remembered in the sport. What’s realistic for Andrew this summer is a medal at the Pan Pacific Championships. His times in the 50 breast and 50 fly should put him in contention. The 50 free is a wildcard. A time of 21.78 is his fastest time since the 2024 Olympic Trials, but free may not be the focus for Andrew currently, and the event will be a stacked race.
Slowly but surely, Andrew has been making improvements this season. With a few more months left in the season, he should be able to drop his times even further and maybe even swim best times. With the 50s implemented into the 2028 Olympic Games, Andrew will definitely be aiming to go to his third Games, and this season has been a great start to achieving that goal.
