With Rio Looming, Thiago Pereira Getting Pumped For Home Games (SW Radio)

Jul 18, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Thiago Pereira of Brazil competes in the men's swimming 200m individual medley during the 2015 Pan Am Games at Pan Am Aquatics UTS Centre and Field House. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports

Photo Courtesy: Erich Schlegel/USA Today Sports Images

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Thiago Pereira has been a part of the 200 IM final at the world championships since 2007. He was fourth twice, sixth once and earned bronze in 2013. He moved up a spot tonight with a gutsy silver medal performance that got the 29-year-old more motivated for next year’s Olympic Games in his native Brazil.

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Pereira’s performance was more inspiring considering the mental and physical preparation he had put into a long five days of swimming at the Pan American Games three weeks ago. He won the most medals of anyone in Pan Am history, but said he didn’t feel great in the water, and needed to find the energy for faster swims at the world championships.

“It (Pan American Games) was an important meet for Brazil,” he said. “It was an important meet for me. I was trying to make something for the history for my country, for the whole Pan Ams. I had to put my mind back in the game and get here to world champs and fight to get on the podium.”

As happy as he is with the place and the time, bigger goals lie ahead on the road to Rio, where the field in the final will likely include competitors who missed the world championships for various reasons. Michael Phelps withdrew after a DUI arrest and Kosuke Hagino stayed home to recover from a broken elbow.

“I definitely want to try to get … under 1:56,” he said. “I made all my objectives. All my turns were good, especially the last turn. I couldn’t keep up until the end with Ryan, but I still have a whole year to focus on the Olympics in my country.”

Pereira is the elder statesman on a rising Brazilian team that looks to be in prime form when the Olympics begins in one year. Pereira remembers being the one looking up to the former Brazilian greats such as Gustavo Borges and Fernando Scherer. Now, swimmers such as Brandonn Almeida are looking to Pereira to be their mentor.

“He (Almeida) showed me a picture when he was really young, and I was (in the picture),” Pereira said. “It feels good because I know that I motivate him, and he’s having the opportunity to represent Brazil with me.”

Pereira said the silver medal is motivating for him, and it will help him train harder for the rare opportunity to compete in a home Olympics.

“It’ll be great to have the Olympics at home,” he said. “I could say that I was special to have the opportunity to swim at the Pan Ams in Brazil. I’m going to have the opportunity to swim at the Olympics, and not many athletes have the chance to say that.”

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