{"id":411997,"date":"2020-06-07T11:45:18","date_gmt":"2020-06-07T18:45:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=411997"},"modified":"2024-10-28T11:35:22","modified_gmt":"2024-10-28T18:35:22","slug":"happy-30th-birthday-allison-schmitt-fourth-olympics-at-31-in-her-career-transition-sights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/happy-30th-birthday-allison-schmitt-fourth-olympics-at-31-in-her-career-transition-sights\/","title":{"rendered":"Happy 30th Birthday Allison Schmitt! Fourth Olympics At 31 In Her Career-Transition Sights"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many Happy Returns Of The Day Allison Schmitt<\/strong>\u00a0– Now A Thirtysomething<\/span><\/p>\n

Back in January, before we knew of the impact COVID-19 would have on the world, <\/span>we looked forward to the swimming years ahead by considering the thrilling prospect of Allison Schmitt<\/strong> gunning for a fourth Olympic Games. A ticket to Tokyo would add her to an American swim sorority of four-timers alongside and Dara Torres<\/strong> (the U.S. record holder at five Games, 1984-92, 2000, 2008), Jenny Thompson<\/strong> (1992-2004) and Amanda Beard<\/strong> (1996-2008), while Jill Sterkel<\/strong> (1976-88) was another who was selected for four Games but denied actually racing at four by the 1980 boycott.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here’s that article recalled on Allison Schmitt approaching 30 and a fourth Games – before a memory from the archive: the day of her great 200m freestyle victory at the London Olympic Games:<\/span><\/p>\n

First published January 22,2020:<\/em><\/p>\n

“I almost feel like a mom sometimes,” 29-year-old Allison Schmitt<\/strong> told Steve Megargee of Associated Press (AP)<\/em> after winning the 200m free in a solid 1:56 on Pro-Series tour in Knoxville last Friday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“I’m like, ‘What does that mean?’ They have to tell me what things mean, the new slang words.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Schmitt, the 2012 Olympic 200m champion who also claimed silver over 400m, is talking about life back in \u00a0school and training with Arizona State’s swimmers under the guidance of long-term coach Bob Bowman<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

A graduate student at Arizona State, Schmitt, who has done much to raise awareness of mental-health issues and living with depression<\/a>, joined the internship program last year counseling students.<\/p>\n

She intends to return to her own studies at the end of the coming summer, having taken time out of late to seek a berth on the Team USA swim squad for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

A goal achieved would make it Schmitt’s fourth Games and grant her a ticket to an American swim sorority of four-timers alongside and Dara Torres<\/strong> (the U.S. record holder at five Games, 1984-92, 2000, 2008), Jenny Thompson<\/strong> (1992-2004) and Amanda Beard<\/strong> (1996-2008), while Jill Sterkel<\/strong> (1976-88) was another who was selected for four Games but denied actually racing at four by the 1980 boycott.<\/p>\n

Outside of the United States, Therese Alshammer<\/strong>, of Sweden, raced in the pool at six Games, a feat that could be matched by Italy’s Federica Pellegrini<\/strong> if she makes the cut for Tokyo 2020<\/a>. Of late, Pellegrini joined the chorus of sports stars speaking out on climate-change<\/a> in the wake of the Australian-bushfire crisis.<\/p>\n

Allison Schmitt<\/strong>, who turns 30 on June 7, had intended to make Rio 2016 her Olympic swan song. Even as her friend and then teammate\u00a0Michael Phelps<\/strong> posted an Instagram photo of them making hand gestures that formed “2020”, writes Megargee, Schmitt indicated there was no way she’d be back.<\/p>\n

Phelps had said the same after London 2012 and for Schmitt, that ‘2020’ pose with him had planted a seed. \u00a0It would not be all that long before she was ‘keeping fit… having fun’ but then, she now says, “twice a week turned into three times, four times, five times until eventually where we are now.”<\/p>\n

Back in 2018 Schmitt talked about what it meant for her to be back in the fast swim lane:<\/p>\n