Our special guest today joins us all the way from Melbourne, Australia! Want the scoop on all things Australian Swimming? Aussie Danielle Spurling is a FINA World Masters Top 10 Ranked pool swimmer, has had a life-long involvement in swimming, first as an Australian Age swimmer and then Open National medalist in her youth.  She is also an open-water enthusiast.  She's had a long career teaching swimming and physical education teacher. Danielle is the Founder and host of Torpedo Swimtalk, a popular Masters swimming podcast that she started during COVID lockdown in 2020 and has published over 80 episodes and chatted with some of the top masters swimmers around the globe. You’ll hear some of the pitfalls of returning to swimming after not being involved in the sport for 25 years. We also talk about Masters swimming Australia. In our conversation, we learn about the swimming culture in Australia, what the competitive swimming scene is like in Australia, what she finds champions share in common, details about her training routine, what she enjoys the most about swimming, and much more! Get the local insider scoop on Australian swimming culture and some Champion's MOJO from down-under with our special guest, Danielle Spurling!Key Points From This Episode:We start the show by learning about the swimming culture in Australia.Danielle shares details about how her journey in swimming started. She explains why swimming is a part of the school curriculum in Australia. Learn about the competitive swimming scene in Australia.Who subsidizes and compensates competitive Australian swimmers.Whether competitive swimming is a respected sport in Australia. A discussion about Masters swimming culture in Australia.What she has learned from interviewing a range of Master swimmers.An outline of the cross-training approaches of Australian swimmers.Danielle tells us what it was like returning to swimming after so many years.Details about her training and swimming routines.A breakdown of her training schedule and what her training goals are.Find out if there is a coach in her swimming club.Why Danielle and her team choose to train early in the morning. The routines and rituals that Danielle thinks are important for champions.Her approach and mindset to overcoming challenges in swimming and life.Recommendations and advice for US swimmers who want to come to Australia.Something to remember about swimming in Australia: sharks!The fun sprinter round of questions for Danielle.We wrap up the show with Maria and Kelly’s popular TakeawaysLinks Mentioned in Today’s Episode:Danielle Spurling on LinkedInTorpedo SwimtalkTorpedo Swimtalk on Apple PodcastsTorpedo Swimtalk on SpotifyTorpedo Swimtalk on YouTubeMasters Swimming AustraliaSupport the show