World champion swimmer Jonny Kulow chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about his inspirations as a swimmer, future plans, and being a part of the digital age.
Walt Disney once said “You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.” This quote applies to Jonny Kulow and his teammates at the ASU Sun Devils swimming team.
Daily motivations
On his daily motivations as a swimmer, he shared, “I’m just trying to get in and be the best version that I can be and make the 10-year-old version of Jonny as proud as I can.”
“Also, I want to be the guy who is there for my teammates… the guys that I’ve been training with for years now and for the coaches that have trusted in me. So those are my main ones,” he explained.
“First and foremost, I want to get in and be the best version of myself and make young Jonny (who just started swimming) proud,” he reiterated.
Patrick Sammon and Michael Andrew
Kulow had great words about fellow world-class swimmers Patrick “Paddy” Sammon and Michael Andrew. “I love Paddy and I love Michael. They are both awesome. I’ve known Paddy for four years now, and he is incredible. His progress and his work ethic are through the roof. Paddy is probably the hardest worker I know.”
“Michael Andrew is just a blast to be around. I first met him when I was 12 years old at a swimming clinic in Wyoming. He was great back then, and now, getting to know him as a person is just awesome,” Kulow elaborated.
“Paddy and Michael are literally family now. It is fun to work with them and going into practice is always so much fun,” Kulow admitted.
“I am inspired by Michael Andrew,” he attested. “When you think about self-advertising and self-promotion in the digital age, Michael Andrew is literally the best ever. Michael was actually the one that has helped me do the couple of things that I have done on social media,” Kulow elaborated.
“So, being around Paddy Sammon and Michael Andrew has been a really good way for me to enter into the digital realm. I am hoping to keep that rolling forward,” he added.
Double tie in the swim-off
A few years ago, Kulow made swimming history when he tied with Adam Cheney in the swin-off twice! “The Voice of Swimming” Rowdy Gaines has never seen that ever happen before.
“That was awesome,” he recalled. “I wish I wouldn’t have had a tie, but it was great.”
“One of the things that we train for is to just be prepared for the most unexpected things that can happen, and I think that was the perfect example of that,” Kulow noted.
“It was exciting, and it was fun. I think that was what the sport is really about… just being presented with the unexpected and having to deal with it, adapt to it, and overcome it. So, it was a blast,” he elaborated.
“I’m glad that it was with Adam Chaney. I knew him and I had competed with him before, and I am still able to compete with him. Overall, it was a good time, and fun,” Kulow added.
2025 World Championships in Singapore
At the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, Kulow won a bronze medal in the men’s 4 × 100 m freestyle relay race and a gold medal as part of the preliminaries of the 4 × 100 meter mixed freestyle relay race respectively.
“I did get the gold medal for that one even though I wasn’t on the podium for that,” he said. “Winning those two medals was pretty sweet!”
“Singapore was one of the most stressful and one of the most fun meets in my life. It was great,” he added.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Kulow said, “If I am being honest, I don’t take advantage of it as much as I should.”
“I’m not a huge fan of social media. For me, personally, I don’t think it’s beneficial to my headspace,” he admitted. “I think the opportunities out there and through it are incredible!”
“I’m trying to find a way to capitalize on that and capitalize on the opportunities that are out there while still making sure that I’m doing all right personally, and that I’m putting my best interests first,” he elaborated.
“So, I’ve had the opportunity to work on some things. I’ve been really grateful for all the experiences; they have been awesome,” he said. “I’ve done photoshoots and ads, and they have been really incredible and fun to do. I just find myself getting distracted very easily, especially if I am consuming social media consistently.”
“I am still in the process of finding out what really works for me. That is probably the biggest challenge and the thing that I need to focus on and address going forward outside of the pool,” he explained.
“I think there is a huge area for improvement for me in that realm,” he added.
Advice for young and emerging swimmers
For young and aspiring swimmers, he said, “You need to be having fun! I know that’s the most basic answer, but you have to be doing it for yourself.”
“If you really want to succeed and if you want to be serious about swimming, you have to enjoy it deeply, and you have to love the sport back, even if it’s not loving you,” he said.
“I would say to ‘just have fun’ and honestly, trust in your coaches. There are a lot of different philosophies out there. If you find a coach and their philosophy works well with you, then you need to fully buy into it,” he added.
Kulow’s favorite stroke in swimming
Kulow revealed that his favorite stroke in swimming is the “freestyle.” “I did the IM when I was growing up, but not anymore. I grew out of it,” he admitted. “Now, I just focus on the 50 meters and the 100 meters.”
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Kulow said, “Season Finale Vibes.”
“I am winding down with college. This chapter is coming to a close and there will be some big things coming up. It’s going to be a really exciting and powerful couple of months,” he foreshadowed.
“Then, that will lead and segue into a new chapter of swimming and life,” he added.
Success
On his definition of the word success, Kulow said, “Being able to look back and know that I gave as much effort as possible while also being as supportive and as good of a teammate and leader that I could be to others.”
“Success to me is only success as long as it is shared with others. I want to support others and carry other guys through it. That is paramount, especially when you are lifting other people up,” he acknowledged.
Message for his fans and supporters
For his fans and supporters, Kulow expressed, “Thank you! From the bottom of my heart, thank you! It has been crazy! I never thought that this was where I was going to get to.”
“Every day, I’m just grateful and I’m thankful for all the opportunities that I have been given, and all of the love and support,” he noted.
“I may not get to say it often, or maybe it is not expressed very publicly, but thank you. Your support is noticed and seen,” he concluded.
To learn more about Jonny Kulow, follow him on Instagram.
