Cullen Jones established himself as one of the top sprinters in the world, winning the 50m free and helping set the world record in the 400m free relay at the 2006 Mutual of Omaha Pan Pacific Championships. In this week’s 20 Question Tuesday, he lets our readers know a little bit more about his life outside of the pool, as well as in it.
1 What’s it like being a pro athlete now?
Cullen: Honestly, I didn’t think there was a future in swimming except I was having fun with it. Swimming has always been something fun to me; not something that came “naturally” to me, because I had to work at it quite a bit. But now I am doing something I love, and I am getting paid for it.
2 What’s it like being paid?
Cullen: I had some reporters ask me what it’s like to be paid now, how much different is it, is it a job. And my answer is swimming is something I love, and it is fun. The day that stops, that’s the day I stop swimming. I didn’t get to this point for the money. I love being nervous up on the blocks, and being hungry.
3 So the 100 is that important to you?
Cullen: I always thought I could put up a good 100 freestyle. When we talked last time (for Cullen’s first 20 Questions) I mentioned that, if you remember. So it’s been a goal of mine to make the Olympics, but not just in one event, and not just to swim on one day. It’s an honor to be there, don’t get me wrong. But I want more than one event. When I went to China for the World University Game, I did swim the 400 free relay, and I went there only to swim the 50 free. While relays are very important to me, I want to make it in the 50 and the 100.
4 For what seems like a while now, there have only been a couple of top 50 freestylers. Now there is all this talent. Do you wish you didn’t have so many competitors?
Cullen: You know what? I love swimming against Ben (Wildman-Tobriner) and Garrett (Weber-Gale) and the others. At Nationals this year, it was the first time I got to know these huge names as people, though I had swum against Ben at NCAAs. But I got to know him.
5 What were Pan Pacs like for you?
Cullen: I had a ball. Being the rookie, seeing all the faces I’m used to seeing in magazines, or just in passing, I was able to talk to them and mingle. Now they know who I am. I never had friends at this level until Pan Pacs, where I was able to get to know so many of these guys, and become there friend. That meet was such a growing experience for me because I learned what I have to do, and that I have to get better.
6 Where do you get better now?
Cullen: My start has room. Starts always have room to get better, but especially mine! The only reason I come up with everyone else is because I have a 34-inch vertical and that helps. Jason (Lezak) gets off faster than I do, but we come up at the same point because of my vertical. What I need to work on is being ready, because I do have good reaction time. Coaches tested my reaction time in an effort to help me, and they saw that I have one of the fastest times they have seen. But I have to move all of this body off the bock, so I have to have my body ready and make it one fluid motion.
7 Now that you are a pro athlete, have you treated yourself to anything?
Cullen: Not really, and I’m still waiting on the bigger check. I will get something for my mom. I did buy myself a camera today. I did photography in high school, so it was great to buy a sleek Nikon today, and I do consider that my first “big” purchase.
8 What’s it like on photo shoots?
Cullen: I just did my first big one the other day. My agent, Evan Morgenstein, set it up just to get some lifestyle portraits, and it was great.
9 “Great,” as in you enjoyed it?
Cullen: I had a friend who was a model. I had seen him at shoots before, so I knew what to expect. It was a little different this time because they were putting me in clothing I would love to keep. (Laughs) The pictures came back, and my agent, Evan, who knows a lot about this, said, “You could do this for a living, you are so photogenic. No matter what you are wearing, they came out crisp.” So I was happy with it.
10 The first thing you did after “turning pro” was go back to college for class. Why and what was that all about?
Cullen: When I turned professional, my mother said, “Good, now go get your degree.” I wasn’t going to stop going to school to turn pro. It’s so powerful in my mind to get that degree and finish my education.
11 When is your N.C. State football team going to get it done?
Cullen That’s low! I’ve got my own hypothesis on that, and I’ll keep it to myself. (Laughs)
12 What’s it like to swim for a program where you are the star?
Cullen: I came from a team where – I hate to put it this way, because it’s not a negative thing – but they were always looking at me for relays, or to finish relays, or to get the points. I was expected to win. That was such a great thing to prepare me for what I’m facing now. I never thought of that as a burden. I want to race, and I can’t wait to race again.
13 You’ve been there, so what do you say to kids who have hit a plateau?
Cullen I think it depends on where the plateau is. A kid going 60 seconds in the 100 freestyle… there’s a huge difference going one minute, and going 57 seconds. That one minute barrier is one of the most difficult things you ever overcome. I had the most trouble getting over that hump – and not just me, either.
14 So how do you get past it?
Cullen: I just stuck with it. That’s what I would tell them: “It will happen if you put in the effort and keep trying. It will happen, stick with it, and listen to your coaches.” The biggest thing I can tell them is I didn’t get here on natural ability. Yes, I am tall and slender, but I look smaller than everyone else. Gary Hall is twice my size – up and wide – but because I listened to my coach, and how they wanted me to change my stroke, I was able to compete with the big boys.
15 Was the 50 at Pan Pacs the big breakthrough moment for you?
Cullen: You know what? It was not. Hands down it was the 100 free at Nationals, because I had worked hard all summer, and not just in the 50 free. I had to wait for the right moment for it all to come together, and it did. I had been consistently dropping time all year in the 100.
16 What’s your favorite fast food?
Cullen: Wendy’s. The crispy chicken sandwich and fries. It’s a good thing I’m in a sport because I burn a lot of calories, otherwise…hey, I took two weeks off, and I put on weight!
17 Favorite desert?
Cullen: A brownie sundae. I could do DQ (Dairy Queen), but anywhere that has that, count me in.
18 You are riding a high, but have you thought about post-swimming?
Cullen: One of the things my mom said to me is that swimming, like any other sport, is not something you will do forever. That’s a big reason why I have to stay in school. I’m actually excited to try a desk job. I might try to be a PR agent. I’m an English major and psychology major, so my interests might not be what you’d typically expect. I had a woman I recently visited who had the same major as me, and she’s working at a PR firm, and loving it. For an English major, it’s good pay. (Laughs)
19 So PR is in your future?
Cullen: Honestly, if I had the ability to model, I’d love to do that. At the drop of a hat, I’d love to be a model. That’s a lot of fun, and a craft of its own that takes focus and talent.
20 What’s it like to be at the forefront when people talk about the U.S. sprinters on the men’s team?
Cullen: Some reporter said, “If Gary Hall is gone, USA Swimming falls off in the sprints.” What? I want to prove that guy wrong. I don’t just want to be as good as Gary Hall, I want to be better. Gary Hall would say the same thing. The future of sprints is very good for the men in USA Swimming right now.