Splashing to the Finish

How old were you when you learned to swim?
I was introduced to the water when I was very young, as an infant. I always loved being around the water, but my first time learning to swim, officially, was when I was about 7 years old. I instantly loved the water.

How old are you now?
I am 21 years old and my birthday is on April 18th!

Where do you live?
I live in Encinitas, California.

Did you always want to be a competitive swimmer? When did you make that decision?
I have always been very competitive. When I was about 8 years old, I started competing for our local swim team and loved racing friends. As I quickly realized I was good at swimming, I started winning events and almost immediately knew I was meant to be a competitive swimmer.

Who are your personal heroes?
Growing up, I looked up to Michael Phelps for the incredible achievements he had become known for. The person I ultimately looked up to was a friend of mine, Missy Franklin. Another sporting hero I was inspired by is Tim Tebow, especially for how vocal and bold he is about his faith.

What athletes do you admire the most?
I admire any athlete that is willing to put in the work and be professional about their craft. I love being able to learn from other athletes, even if they are from different sports or backgrounds. That’s what makes me a better athlete. Some of my favorite athletes to follow and learn from are much more than athletes: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Derek Hough, Lewis Howes, Lewis Hamilton, and Shawn Johnson.

What is training like for the Olympics? How many hours a day do you train?
To say that I’m training for the Olympics is INCREDIBLE! It’s an honor that I have the ability to qualify for my first Olympic team, and I’m proud of the work I get to do, but it is super hard. I do everything I can to think differently and be unique in the way that I train. My dad and I work very closely to follow the science behind my training and be very specific and intentional with every workout. In a typical training day, I would say I’m working out approximately 4–5 hours a day, but there is a lot of rest involved. Outside of those hours, I’m doing things that will help me recover and get stronger for the next session.

What’s been your favorite accomplishment so far in swimming?
My favorite accomplishment was becoming a World Champion at 17 years old. Another would have to be my first Olympic Trials where I didn’t make the Olympic Team, but I learned some incredible lessons.

What was your favorite subject in school? Did you play any other sports?
My favorite subject was apologetics (Biblical studies). I played a ton of sports growing up until I was about 14 years old. I played football, basketball, and hockey, but my main sports were always swimming and soccer.

How far can you swim without stopping? I’m a sprinter, so I honestly have no idea. I would like to think very, very far, like a few miles, but I have doubts that I could make it that far without getting bored—like extremely bored.

How long can you hold your breath?
At one point, I could hold my breath for 3.5 minutes and swim 25 meters underwater on a single breath.

Where do you train most of the time?
I train mostly at the Magdalena Ecke YMCA here in Encinitas.

What kinds of food do you eat when you are training?
I try to eat a lot of protein and high fat foods. An example of my favorite meal is 4–5 eggs fried, lots of bacon, cottage cheese, and a full avocado with coffee.

Do you have any hobbies?
Yes, I have a few hobbies that keep me busy outside of the pool. I love surfing, making YouTube videos, being outside cruising, and watching the sunset with friends. I’m also trying to play the ukulele or guitar... so far unsuccessfully.

Do you have brothers or sisters and do they swim?
Yes, I have a younger sister that used to swim! She was super talented, but just didn’t love the sport like I do.

Do you go to school? If so, what do you study?
I am currently not in school. I started swimming professionally at age 14 and, when I graduated high school, decided to focus on swimming for the time being.

What would you want to be if you were not a swimmer?
If I was not a swimmer, I would probably want to be a professional surfer. One of my dreams is to travel and surf the best breaks around the world.

Are you disappointed that the Olympics have been pushed back a year?
Not at all. I think it was the best decision. I also feel like it’s a good opportunity for me to get stronger over the next year and become even faster.

What are your goals at the 2021 Olympics and beyond?
My goals for the 2021 Games are to make the team in my focused events and win Gold for my country. Beyond that, my goals are to stand in my calling as an athlete and a Believer.

What life lessons has competitive swimming taught you?
A life lesson I’ve gained from Elite Sport is to focus only on what you can control. No point in stressing over what someone else is doing and comparing, because what may work for someone else could be detrimental to you. It’s also important to understand that you are not defined by your sport or the success of it. What lasts are the relationships you’ve created.

What advice do you have for young athletes who dream of making it to the Olympics?
GO FOR IT! The best way to make an Olympic team in the future is to set goals and work towards them now. Enjoy the journey and process. There will be times when you feel like quitting and that’s okay. If it was easy, everybody would be doing it.

What’s one thing most people wouldn’t know about being an Olympic athlete?
Making a national team and being on the biggest stage of sports will not fulfill you. What will fulfill you is having a purpose greater than winning medals and shiny things. I believe fully that I can perform better because, regardless of how well I do, I know I’m loved by God and by the friends and family around me.