Anna Peplowski on Pro Swimmer Salaries, The 200 Free Boom & LA 2028 | Episode 300
5/29/202659 min
What does it actually take to make a living as a professional swimmer? Olympic Silver Medalist and NCAA Champion Anna Peplowski joins Social Kick to pull back the curtain on pro swimming finances, her transition out of NCAA competition, and her road to the LA 2028 Olympics. Anna breaks down the exact numbers behind her professional career, including the $3,750 monthly stipend from USA Swimming, the $15,000 athlete donor program, and how she navigates brand deals with companies like Jersey Mike's, Science in Sport, and DripDrop. She also shares how living on $650/month rent in Indiana helps her budget for the future! Beyond the business of the sport, Anna discusses the insane depth of the Women's 200 Freestyle, the mindset shift that keeps her motivated during grueling threshold sets, her borderline-obsessive coffee hobby, and the absolute hardest set she’s ever done at IU (40x75s!). Plus, stick around for the Rapid Fire segment where Anna flexes an unbelievable hidden talent: singing every single US President in under 15 seconds. If you want an honest, transparent look at the life of an elite swimmer, you don't want to miss this one.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsLuke Paddington· Host0:00
[upbeat music] You know, I remember when she was on the show a year ago to this day almost, you know, she had just won a NCAA title and she was this name like, "Who is Anna Peplowski? Like, who is she?" And now everybody knows who she is, and she's, she's as a staple on the relay for the 4x2, and she is, she's rocking this last year even more than we expected.
John Mullen· Host0:18
Yeah, Olympic silver medalist. Like you said, just a staple on the 4x200 relay for the US women. Um, came off this Bergen meet that had a lot of swimmers at, so it'd be m- I'm excited to learn more about the finances that these athletes got to go out there because she put up some great times in, in her freestyle, almost won a best time in the 200, and almost in the 102 on her back. Unfortunately, no one told her America's already stacked in backstrokes, although she wants to dip her toe in that arena, but excited to learn more about those things. [water splashing] Welcome to this episode of Social Kick. I'm John Mullin. I'm with Luke Pennington back from his worldwide travels to Japan and Florida, and where else were you, Luke?
Luke Paddington· Host0:57
Uh, London and, uh, on... Where were we? NCAAs. Where were the NCAAs? Ta- Georgia.
John Mullen· Host1:03
Yeah. [laughs] Mr. Worldwide, living up to his name. Unfortunately, though, our other com- our other man, uh, Mr. Brian Lundquist, has a work call, but we are joined with Olympic silver medalist, Anna Peplowski. How you doing today?
Anna Peplowski· Guest1:16
Yay, I'm good. How are you?
John Mullen· Host1:18
Oh, we're doing fine.
Luke Paddington· Host1:20
Mm.
John Mullen· Host1:20
We're excited to chat with you again. Um, we just ran into you at the Ohio Behind the Blocks clinic, uh, one of- Yes ... one of a time LSC clinic. Um, so it was nice