Lia Neal (Bronze Medalist 2012), Catherine Fox (Gold Medalist 1996), Columbia Swimmer Stanley Wong

Lia Neal (Bronze Medalist 2012), Catherine Fox (Gold Medalist 1996), Columbia Swimmer Stanley Wong

For the past ten years, swimming has been a huge part of my life; it, in a very distinct way, defines me. It shapes me: my character, my personality, and my outlook. Olympic swimmers may make the sport look incredibly easy, but most people are unaware of the time and work that must be dedicated day in and day out to achieve great success among thousands of competitors across the nation. Between double practices, dry-land workouts, and weekend swim meets, I find myself lacking free time to do anything other than studying and homework; the amount of sacrifices taken seem innumerable.

I remember one particular summer, when my friends and I had planned on renting out a beach house for a week to relax and hang out. I had to give up that opportunity–something otherwise very doable–in order to maintain consistency in my training so as not to lose the stamina and strength that I have developed in the prior months of training. If swimming is such a time consuming lifestyle, then what is it that makes me enjoy it? What is it that makes me continually aspire to become a better swimmer?

Swimming is not without its benefits. It keeps me on a tight schedule, which helps me make decisions catering to productivity in other aspects of my life, and especially in managing my time. I have to ensure that I get a sufficient amount of sleep each day so that I can perform my best in both the classroom and the pool. As a student-athlete, I arrange my schedule each day in order to avoid interfering with mandatory practices. Likewise, I must also acknowledge the necessities: afternoon naps being one among many of them. Honestly, without swimming I would have too much time. I’d perhaps make poor decisions with all the excess hours each day. Surely, I’d be more laid back in completing my work and probably succumb to procrastination. Not only has swimming helped me learn how to manage my time, but it has also helped my mental strength.

Getting out of bed every morning before the sun rises, hours before most of the people around me wake up, takes an extraordinary amount of willpower. There is not a single day where, as I awaken to the obnoxious sound of my loud alarm, I do not wish I could just have one extra hour of sleep. But each morning, I think of my hatred of losing to my competitors. I imagine the feeling of not performing my best at the end of the season. These thoughts give me the strength to rise out of bed ready to take on the demanding challenges of my sport. And as I walk through the cold dawn, I think of my teammates who will soon join me on the pool deck, as they do every day. We all support each other. We all inspire and push each other to our limits and beyond. As a unit, we are able to achieve and excel with a distinct drive that I could only ever experience as a swimmer. Small acts of encouragement echo over the pitter-patter of swimmers training: “good job!” and “come on, we’re almost done!” resonate for the hours we give it our all in the pool. And when one of my teammates encourages me, I get a burst of adrenaline that helps me get through a challenging practice.

The remarkable sense of camaraderie developed through long, grueling hours of training and mutual support helps me gain a tremendous level of confidence. And with this confidence, I stay mentally and physically strong. I stay ready for the next race.

Why do I swim? What keeps me in this sport, year after year? It all lies in a single word: goals. Long term goals. Short term goals. They are the reason I have been swimming for over a decade of my life. They are what keeps me inspired and motivated to become a better swimmer. And whether it is in swimming or in my day-to-day life, I find that it is necessary to know where I want to be and what I want to accomplish. Otherwise, I would be living my life mindlessly. Swimming gives me goals; I always have a unique focus in mind, and I always strive to reach and surpass my goals. And perhaps most importantly, these goals are mine. I don’t swim to impress and satisfy other people. I swim for myself, and my goals are for my self-improvement.  I never say, “I want to win this race because my coach and parents want me to.” And while the support of these people are paramount to my lifestyle as a swimmer, swimming solely for others is not why I genuinely enjoy swimming. I enjoy it because each goal I’ve satisfied serves as a memorable milestone that offers inspiration for the next. And as I look forward to the next goal with the passion I’ve felt for nearly half of my life each day, I will keep on swimming.