The Morning Swim Show, April 10, 2012: Megan Romano Looks Back on Past Year’s Successes

PHOENIX, Arizona, April 10. NCAA and American record holder Megan Romano joins today's edition of The Morning Swim Show to talk about her performances at the NCAA championships and how it sets her up for the Olympic Trials.

Romano, the American record holder in the 200 freestyle, relives the experience of winning the race and helping the University of Georgia to a second-place finish in the team race. She also talks about how her trip to the World University Games helped her confidence for this season, and what to expect from Georgia next season. Be sure to visit SwimmingWorld.TV for more video interviews.

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Morning Swim Show Transcripts
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Peter Busch: This is The Morning Swim Show for Tuesday, April 10th, 2012. I'm your host Peter Busch. In the FINIS Monitor today we'll talk to Megan Romano. She just set a new American record in the 200-yard freestyle and Megan joins us right now in the FINIS Monitor from Athens, Georgia. Megan, welcome to The Morning Swim Show. How are you?

Megan Romano: Thank you, I'm good. How are you?

Peter Busch: Good, thanks. You know, I can't say that I saw that record being broken in March.

Megan Romano: Yeah.

Peter Busch: Were you surprised?

Megan Romano: I was very surprised. I mean, my best time before that was the meet before SECs when I went a 1:43.0 so being able to go 141.2 but for three, four weeks later, I mean, I was very surprised, but I'll take it, I was happy.

Peter Busch: Okay, so how does that happen? Is it the adrenaline of the big meet? Were you not fully tapered at SECs and it really kicked in? I mean, explain how you dropped that much time for the big meet.

Megan Romano: I mean, I definitely wasn't fully tapered for SECs. This year's training has just been going really, really well and I knew, like, I just had to do it for my team and we were really trying to win this year and I knew had to step it up and just go really fast and I did and I looked up at the scoreboard and I was, like, whoa.

Peter Busch: All right, good, I wasn't the only one who was surprised.

Megan Romano: [laughs]

Peter Busch: Tell us for swimmers who might be watching, you know, 200 freestylers especially, how do you map out that race? Megan Romano: I mean, in the past I've always been, like, I just take it out and whatever happens, happens. You know I'm usually like that. But this year I kind of played with a little bit more. Just meets throughout the season I would, like, try and take it out slower, save my legs for the end and just try different things. At SECs, I kind of laid back a little bit on the first half and just kick it in the second half, and NCs I just — I mean, I took it out but ,I took it out and didn't die at the end, so I mean, that was good. I guess, it's just all the training has been paying off and I just went all out.

Peter Busch: I guess we shouldn't be totally surprised. I mean, last year at World University Games split, I think it was a 1:57 on the relay for the Americans. I mean, that's a heck of swim, so we sort of saw this coming, that this was gonna be a breakout year for you.

Megan Romano: Relays are something I really enjoy just because, I mean, it's more of a team thing and I just get so pumped up for relays and I've always been good on relays and I've had some of my fastest time on relays but, yeah, World University Games really boosted my confidence and just coming into this year, I just really want to help my team and it worked.

Peter Busch: Yeah, I would say you enjoy relays. You split 46-flat in a 100 free, too. We should not overlook that.

Megan Romano: Yeah, that was definitely — I mean, something I found out later. Jack had actually pulled me in and he was, like, I think that might be the fastest split ever and he went over to Teri McKeever asked her if Natalie had ever done and she's, like, no, I don't think so. So, I mean, that's a big accomplishment for me and it's fast.

Peter Busch: Well, he was smart then because we wasted time going, like, to the history books, but he probably just figured, well, if anybody had done it, it's Natalie so I might as well go ask her coach. That was smart.

Megan Romano: Yeah.

Peter Busch: Well, it's a good thing you like swimming relays because, you know, there's a little talk about you making a relay team or two this summer.

Megan Romano: Yeah.

Peter Busch: The way you're going. Do you like that talk? I mean, it's gotta be exciting to know that you're in the Olympic conversation now.

Megan Romano: Yeah, I mean, I feel like I don't really have any pressure. I mean, like, friends and family hear and they'll be, like, I can't wait to see you, but, like, besides that, I mean, I feel like all the pressure is off and I just go there and see what I can do and, hopefully, it works out. I mean, it'd be pretty cool to compete in London, but we'll see.

Peter Busch: You will swim the 100 and the 200, I imagine, at trials?

Megan Romano: Yeah, definitely the hundred and 200, maybe, like, throw in a 100 back or something, but, definitely, the 100 and 200.

Peter Busch: That will be an epic 100 free final.

Megan Romano: Yeah.

Peter Busch: In Omaha. I mean, America's depth right now all of a sudden is just incredible in that 100 freestyle.

Megan Romano: Yeah, I mean, just looking at past Grand Prix meets, like, meet records being broken here and there and just every Grand Prix I feel like has been incredibly fast, so, we'll see what happens.

Peter Busch: Well, I know you didn't accomplish the team goal this year of winning and I know also that there's been some talk by people like myself that college certainly poised for a great run. They've won two in a row and look good, but, you know, I talked to Jack a lot at the meet — or excuse me, at the men's meet, but looking back on the women's meet, you said, you know, not so fast, we're gonna be really, really good next year. We've got Allison coming back. We've got a great freshman class coming in.

Megan Romano: Yeah, we did not exactly — I mean, we got second, it's not really how I wanted to end the meet, but, I mean, I was very happy with how everyone swam and we have Brittany and Chantal and, like, Allison coming back and, I mean, Annie and, like, all these people. I mean, Brittany just made the Canadian Olympic team, like, a couple days ago and she's been swimming out of control. So I think with all these people coming in next year and how everyone has been swimming on the team currently, I think we pretty much — I don't wanna say have it in the bag, but, I mean, I really want to win. It's my last year to win a championship and I really want to go for it.

Peter Busch: So warning shot to Cal right there? Is that what that was?

Megan Romano: Of course.

Peter Busch: Megan, what do you study?

Megan Romano: Sociology.

Peter Busch: Sociology. What do you want to do when you grow up?

Megan Romano: I knew you're gonna ask that. I have no clue.

Peter Busch: It's okay. You're not alone on that one either.

Megan Romano: Good.

Peter Busch: Well, Megan, thanks a lot for joining us. Congrats on an amazing junior year. Good luck this summer.

Megan Romano: Thank you.

Peter Busch: All right, that's Megan Romano joining us from Georgia. That's it for today's show. I'm Peter Busch reminding you to keep your head down at the finish.

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