Wednesday, January 27, 2021
Building Champions: Hali Flickinger
Hali Flickinger started off 2020 strong, preparing for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Swimming and posting a 2:06.11 in the 200-meter butterfly at the March TYR Pro Swim Series in Des Moines, Iowa – the best time in the world in the event at the time.
But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Flickinger notes the pandemic may have shifted some of her focus to what she can do to prepare herself out of the water, but her overall goals remain the same. Though thankful to spend some much-needed quality time at home with her husband and animals, she also welcomed the opportunity to return to the water with the International Swim League in October.
The current U.S. Open-record holder won gold in the 200m butterfly at the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships, then went on to win silver in the event at the 2019 World Championships – just 17 hundredths of a second off the winning time. Gearing up for another potential Olympic run, Flickinger looks poised to best her seventh-place finish at the 2016 Olympic Games by a longshot this summer in Tokyo.
How did you get into swimming?
My journey with swimming began at the young age of seven years old. My grandparents had a pool in their backyard, and my parents quickly learned how much I loved being in the water. I consistently would beg my parents to take me to my grandparents’ house so I could swim, and therefore to be safe around the water, they enrolled me into swim lessons. My weekly swim lesson was not enough to satisfy my need to be in the water, and so eventually my parents signed me up for my school's summer league team. Once summer swimming wasn’t enough at the age of 12, I started year-round swimming. Afterwards, I went on to swim in college at the University of Georgia. Fast forward to today, at 26 years old, I am in my fifth year of professional swimming. Never in a million years would I have thought at the age of seven that I would be lucky enough to still be doing the very same sport that I fell in love with as a child still to this day.
What is it about swimming that made you fall in love with it?
The sport of swimming is not just a sport. It is a community of people who support one another, learn from each other, and truly care for one another. The sport of swimming is not easy, but the people who are a part of this sport, and who have come into my life because of the sport make every moment worth it. The swimming community has become my family, and a huge reason why I am still swimming today. The friendships I have made along the way are friendships that I will have for the rest of my life, and when I think about the relationships I have, I cannot be any more grateful for this sport, and all the love created in my life because of it. I love being part of this family more than anything and is motivation for me to continue to chase my dreams. I not only want to make myself proud, but my family, our country, and our swimming community proud.
Tell us about how it’s been to become a professional swimmer.
Being a professional athlete has been such a blessing. I get to wake up, and do what I love every single day, though it is not all easy. Being a professional athlete means you are working 24/7. Each day you are doing what needs to be done to perform the next day. The weekends are used to recover to get ready for the next week ahead. Sometimes the sport of swimming is more mentally challenging than physical. We are all trying to do everything we can to be the best at what we do. The last thing we need to be thinking or stressing about is how we will financially be able to achieve being the best, but in reality this is a huge factor that plays into being a professional athlete. To be the best you have to be willing to sacrifice and do what others are not willing. Unfortunately, this comes at a financial cost. Everyone is trying to find new ways to get a leg up. Whether this is by a new coach, weightlifting, recovery, etc. it all comes at a hefty cost, and sometimes these costs can get so overwhelming that when we go to perform we find ourselves no longer racing for the love and enjoyment of racing, but to be able to financially support ourselves, our families, and be able to pay the bills. This should not be at the forefront of an athlete’s mind who is trying to perform, and sadly I will admit there have been plenty of times when I have stepped up on the block thinking about the financial gain of the race, and the pressure of needing to perform because it is how I support my family. Support from USA Swimming Foundation donors will help alleviate the burden and stress of finances tremendously. It will help me mentally focus on my goals I have set out to accomplish and what needs to be done to get there.
How have you pivoted after the Games and Trials were postponed for a year?
Since COVID hit, I think we all had to figure out ways to get better without being in the water, so my focus shifted a little bit more towards what I could do dry land wise to keep my body in shape. Other than that, my mindset and goals have shifted at all and remain the same.
What’s next after swimming?
Swimming is and has always been the bulk of my life. The countless hours of training and preparation consume most of my time as I continue to chase the dreams I have set out to achieve. Though it has always been important to take a step back and always remember that my swimming career will not last forever no matter how much I would love it to, which is why I have set other goals for myself outside of the water.
I graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor's degree in finance. I have great interest in interior design and real estate which is why I also studied and received my real estate license in the state of Georgia. Last year we moved to Arizona to train under a new coach and am currently studying to obtain my real estate license in Arizona as well. In 2016 I married the love of my life - he was also a fellow swimmer (the perfect example of how grateful I am for the people brought into my life because of the sport of swimming.) My husband is a real estate agent working his way up to become a licensed real estate broker. One of my goals is to be able to work with him and start our own business.
My husband and I are proud parents to our five animals. We have three cats and two dogs. Animals are a love we share, and we are both very much involved with helping animals in need. I have volunteered at animal shelters, and we believe strongly in donating our time to humane societies, and or other pet programs. When I am not swimming I enjoy being at home with my him and enjoying the company of all of our beautiful animals.
One of my biggest goals in life is to grow our family and become a mom. I have wanted to be a mom for as long as I can remember, and I strive to be as great of a mom for my kids as my mom was for me and my family. That might be the ultimate goal I would like to achieve.
To learn how the USA Swimming Foundation is helping build champions like Hali, please visit www.usaswimming.org/foundation.
But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Flickinger notes the pandemic may have shifted some of her focus to what she can do to prepare herself out of the water, but her overall goals remain the same. Though thankful to spend some much-needed quality time at home with her husband and animals, she also welcomed the opportunity to return to the water with the International Swim League in October.
The current U.S. Open-record holder won gold in the 200m butterfly at the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships, then went on to win silver in the event at the 2019 World Championships – just 17 hundredths of a second off the winning time. Gearing up for another potential Olympic run, Flickinger looks poised to best her seventh-place finish at the 2016 Olympic Games by a longshot this summer in Tokyo.
How did you get into swimming?
My journey with swimming began at the young age of seven years old. My grandparents had a pool in their backyard, and my parents quickly learned how much I loved being in the water. I consistently would beg my parents to take me to my grandparents’ house so I could swim, and therefore to be safe around the water, they enrolled me into swim lessons. My weekly swim lesson was not enough to satisfy my need to be in the water, and so eventually my parents signed me up for my school's summer league team. Once summer swimming wasn’t enough at the age of 12, I started year-round swimming. Afterwards, I went on to swim in college at the University of Georgia. Fast forward to today, at 26 years old, I am in my fifth year of professional swimming. Never in a million years would I have thought at the age of seven that I would be lucky enough to still be doing the very same sport that I fell in love with as a child still to this day.
What is it about swimming that made you fall in love with it?
The sport of swimming is not just a sport. It is a community of people who support one another, learn from each other, and truly care for one another. The sport of swimming is not easy, but the people who are a part of this sport, and who have come into my life because of the sport make every moment worth it. The swimming community has become my family, and a huge reason why I am still swimming today. The friendships I have made along the way are friendships that I will have for the rest of my life, and when I think about the relationships I have, I cannot be any more grateful for this sport, and all the love created in my life because of it. I love being part of this family more than anything and is motivation for me to continue to chase my dreams. I not only want to make myself proud, but my family, our country, and our swimming community proud.
Tell us about how it’s been to become a professional swimmer.
Being a professional athlete has been such a blessing. I get to wake up, and do what I love every single day, though it is not all easy. Being a professional athlete means you are working 24/7. Each day you are doing what needs to be done to perform the next day. The weekends are used to recover to get ready for the next week ahead. Sometimes the sport of swimming is more mentally challenging than physical. We are all trying to do everything we can to be the best at what we do. The last thing we need to be thinking or stressing about is how we will financially be able to achieve being the best, but in reality this is a huge factor that plays into being a professional athlete. To be the best you have to be willing to sacrifice and do what others are not willing. Unfortunately, this comes at a financial cost. Everyone is trying to find new ways to get a leg up. Whether this is by a new coach, weightlifting, recovery, etc. it all comes at a hefty cost, and sometimes these costs can get so overwhelming that when we go to perform we find ourselves no longer racing for the love and enjoyment of racing, but to be able to financially support ourselves, our families, and be able to pay the bills. This should not be at the forefront of an athlete’s mind who is trying to perform, and sadly I will admit there have been plenty of times when I have stepped up on the block thinking about the financial gain of the race, and the pressure of needing to perform because it is how I support my family. Support from USA Swimming Foundation donors will help alleviate the burden and stress of finances tremendously. It will help me mentally focus on my goals I have set out to accomplish and what needs to be done to get there.
How have you pivoted after the Games and Trials were postponed for a year?
Since COVID hit, I think we all had to figure out ways to get better without being in the water, so my focus shifted a little bit more towards what I could do dry land wise to keep my body in shape. Other than that, my mindset and goals have shifted at all and remain the same.
What’s next after swimming?
Swimming is and has always been the bulk of my life. The countless hours of training and preparation consume most of my time as I continue to chase the dreams I have set out to achieve. Though it has always been important to take a step back and always remember that my swimming career will not last forever no matter how much I would love it to, which is why I have set other goals for myself outside of the water.
I graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor's degree in finance. I have great interest in interior design and real estate which is why I also studied and received my real estate license in the state of Georgia. Last year we moved to Arizona to train under a new coach and am currently studying to obtain my real estate license in Arizona as well. In 2016 I married the love of my life - he was also a fellow swimmer (the perfect example of how grateful I am for the people brought into my life because of the sport of swimming.) My husband is a real estate agent working his way up to become a licensed real estate broker. One of my goals is to be able to work with him and start our own business.
My husband and I are proud parents to our five animals. We have three cats and two dogs. Animals are a love we share, and we are both very much involved with helping animals in need. I have volunteered at animal shelters, and we believe strongly in donating our time to humane societies, and or other pet programs. When I am not swimming I enjoy being at home with my him and enjoying the company of all of our beautiful animals.
One of my biggest goals in life is to grow our family and become a mom. I have wanted to be a mom for as long as I can remember, and I strive to be as great of a mom for my kids as my mom was for me and my family. That might be the ultimate goal I would like to achieve.
To learn how the USA Swimming Foundation is helping build champions like Hali, please visit www.usaswimming.org/foundation.