I’m respond to an old post but I have been researching training through racing too.
Katinka is definitely using this methodology as her husband stated it.
https://www.google.co.za/amp/mobile.nytimes.com/2016/08/04/sports/olympics/katinka-hosszu-rio-swimming-husband-shane-tusup.amp.html
“His idea, which defied convention, was to train less and race more.”