FINA World Junior Championships Top Quotes: Day Two

emily-weiss-
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Check out quotes and audio interviews from athletes who posted impressive performances during the second day of the 2017 FINA World Junior Championships in Indianapolis.

“I know people love to travel for international meets, but having this be on home soil for me especially, it gives me a lot more comfort and a lot more confidence.” — Emily Weiss (USA), after women’s 50 breast final (gold, 30.78), on competing in an international meet in her home state of Indiana

“Lilly is a close friend of mine and obviously a mentor, above all. It’s just great. I learn from her, and she puts me under her wing.” — Weiss, on her relationship with Olympic gold medalist and fellow Indiana-native breaststroker Lilly King


“It was lovely representing my country and doing the team proud—it’s the first medal for the team. Hopefully everybody can feed off that energy and there’s more medals to come.” — Emily Large (GBR), after women’s 200 fly final (gold, 2:07.74 CR)


“It’s been a really great experience to get here and race people from all over the world. It’s not what you’re used to in your everyday club meet. You can’t warm up in the diving well, you’ve got to to be in the ready room 25 minutes early, which is a little bit out of my comfort zone. Everyday variables that you can’t control.

“You have to learn to adapt and survive and thrive at the same time. It’s definitely a fun experience, but it’s also a lot to learn. I think there’s a lot to learn from these kinds of meets, get ready to do this stuff again at Worlds, at the Olympics.” — Trey Freeman (USA), on World Junior Championships experience, after men’s 400 free final (bronze, 3:50.14) and men’s 200 free final (fifth, 1:47.79)


“I’m happy because it’s just 0.5 off my best time. This swim, after the 100, was pretty good. It made me think that if I hadn’t had the 100, I could have gone my best time.” — Hugo Gonzalez (ESP), on swimming 200 IM final (fourth, 2:00.61) shortly after 100 back final (gold, 54.27 CR)


“I knew if I wanted to come close (to winning gold), I needed to swim as fast as I possibly could the last 50. I think I split 27.7 or something crazy.” — Kieran Smith (USA), on his battle against Germany’s Johannes Hintze in men’s 200 IM final (took silver, 1:59.56)

“I thought to myself on the podium, ‘Is this real?’ I wasn’t expecting a 1:59 today. That’s insane. Coming into this meet, I was thinking 2:00-mid. Silver medal, 1:59? So happy.” — Smith, on result of his 200 IM final


“To be 59.4 on the relay with a 0.3 reaction time probably gives me more confidence than anything else. Right now, it’s just rolling with what happening. I probably won’t think about this meet until my two weeks out of the pool are done. Right now, I’m just trying to do everything I can for the squad.” — Reece Whitley (USA), on his confidence going into 200 breast after winning two silver medals (men’s 100 breast and mixed 400 medley relay) on night two


“I’m pretty tired, pretty sore. I just want to go to bed now.” – Nick Albiero (USA), on swimming three times (100 back final, 100 fly semi-final, mixed 400 medley relay final) in one session.

“I had to explain to all my professors and tell them what I’m doing.” — Albiero, on missing his first week of school at Louisville to swim at the World Junior Champs


“Feels good, being part of the mixed relays. It’s my first big meet, so it’s nice swimming with people who have done it before and showing us what we have to do.” — Gabe Mastromatteo (CAN), after swimming breaststroke leg of Canada’s mixed 400 medley relay (gold, 3:46.36)

“It got me pretty fired up. The Americans were talking amongst each other before the race, and they said something, and I heard it, and I was like, ‘Okay, I want to beat them.’ It just got me fired up. They said something about deserving to win—which I think they do, but we deserved it more.” — Rusian Gasiev (CAN), on anchoring relay against the crowd-supported Americans

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Swimming Pool Lovers
6 years ago

ltnc, thx for posting

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