Self-Coached South African Swimmer Michael Houlie Making His Mark in 50m Breaststroke

Photo Credit: Jonathan Borba

After missing out on the Paris Olympics, Houlie developed his own training approach and is now targeting the 50m breaststroke at LA 2028.

Cape Town, South Africa (02 September 2026) – Capetonian Michael Houlie is proving that sometimes taking matters into your own hands can pay off.

The 26-year-old breaststroke specialist is now ranked second in the world in the 50m event after producing silver-medal performances at both the Commonwealth Games and the Pan Pacific Championships in California.

In a Pan Pacs final where the top four swimmers were separated by just hundredths of a second, Houlie showed he is right in the mix with the world’s best. He also broke the championship’s 50m split record during his 100m breaststroke heat, before withdrawing from the final to focus on his main event.

“It’s exciting to see the level that I’m competing at, and get positive feedback,” he said.

The results are even more impressive considering Houlie is largely self-coached and has been working multiple jobs to help fund his swimming career. His decision to take control of his own training came in December 2023 after he missed out on selection for the Paris Olympics.

“I was disappointed not to make the Olympics, but watching the Games was inspiring and fuelled me to resolve everything I was going through.”

Six months later, he had developed what he calls The Houlie Process, or THP. This is an approach built around staying relaxed, enjoying his racing and focusing on the process rather than obsessing over results.

“I’m also process-driven as opposed to being outcome-driven and if I’m operating within that frame, anything is possible. In hindsight I probably should have made that change earlier.”

The change has certainly produced results. After another six months, Houlie reached the final at the World Championships in Budapest, and he has since continued lowering his times and improving his position among the world’s best.

His focus is firmly on the newly introduced Olympic 50m breaststroke event at LA 2028.

“The 50m breaststroke is my main focus. That’s my baby. Everything else I do is in preparation or falls in line with doing my best in the 50m at the LA Olympics.”

Houlie has been swimming competitively for around a decade. He initially played water polo at Bishops Diocesan College before switching exclusively to swimming in 2016.

That late start did little to slow him down. He earned a swimming scholarship to the University of Tennessee, collected All-American honours throughout his college career and won medals at both SEC and NCAA level while completing a Business Science degree.

Houlie believes South Africa’s current swimming team is stronger than ever, particularly when it comes to the relays.

But while the medals are stacking up, Houlie says the financial reality of international swimming remains a challenge. He has largely funded his own career and has worked three jobs to keep his programme going.

With the World Short-Course Championships in Beijing in December, the World Cup series in October and the 2027 World Championships ahead, Houlie has plenty of racing still to come before the LA 2028 Olympic qualifying window.

“For any athlete, the goal is to win an Olympic gold medal. But for me, the goal is to serve. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s about me; it is about what it can do for South Africa.”