Sunday, July 18, 2021
Five Days to Tokyo: Lezak, Sandeno Offer Advice and Outlook for Olympic Team
Every Olympic Games is its own experience. Different venues, different teams and different eras shape experiences for those who have competed on the Olympic stage before.
However, once an athlete is an Olympian, the athlete an Olympian for life.
USA Swimming reached out to four-time Olympic medalist, Kaitlin Sandeno, and eight-time Olympic medalist, Jason Lezak, to get their insight on what it is like to compete at the Olympic Games, as well as their outlook for this year's team:
What excites you most about this year's U.S. Olympic Team?
Sandeno: "It's really exciting to see the great blend of veterans and rookies on this team. They truly can learn and feed off each other. It's exciting to see the team energy and vibe just from camp and I know it will only get strong as they enter the Olympic village and competition together!"
Lezak: "It’s great to see a nice blend of veterans along with many new faces. I look forward to hearing stories of some of the athletes' journeys to get there."
What is something you wish you had known before going into your first Olympics?
Lezak: "As silly as it sounds, before my first Olympics, I wish I was more prepared for how much walking there is. Being a sprinter and trying to stay off my feet to rest, I had to learn to just go with the flow. Everyone is dealing with the same circumstances so learning to remain positive about things that are out of your control."
What events are you most looking forward to watching in Tokyo?
Sandeno: "I am biased to the I.M. events. And, of course, I love cheering on the relays, but distance events never get enough love and attention so I have to shout out that I am pumped to watch the first ever women's Olympic 1500 free! History will be made — go Katie (Ledecky) and Erica (Sullivan)!"
Lezak: "How could I not say the men’s 4x100 freestyle relay?! The U.S. has so much history in this event, which I was apart of four times. There are multiple countries that are capable of winning gold, which will make for an exciting race, but I look forward to hopefully seeing the U.S. bringing it home."
What messages or pieces of advice would you give to those competing in Tokyo this summer?
Sandeno: "Take a moment to reflect on the last 18 months and realize what you have overcome and accomplished in such an unprecedented time. Then take a deep breath and enjoy! It will be over in a blink."
Lezak: "You have already done the hard work to get there, so just have fun and enjoy every part of the experience. USA has always had success because of great team cohesion and everyone back home cheering on their country. Support your teammates, and I will be one of the 330 million Americans rooting you on to GOLD."
However, once an athlete is an Olympian, the athlete an Olympian for life.
USA Swimming reached out to four-time Olympic medalist, Kaitlin Sandeno, and eight-time Olympic medalist, Jason Lezak, to get their insight on what it is like to compete at the Olympic Games, as well as their outlook for this year's team:
What excites you most about this year's U.S. Olympic Team?
Sandeno: "It's really exciting to see the great blend of veterans and rookies on this team. They truly can learn and feed off each other. It's exciting to see the team energy and vibe just from camp and I know it will only get strong as they enter the Olympic village and competition together!"
Lezak: "It’s great to see a nice blend of veterans along with many new faces. I look forward to hearing stories of some of the athletes' journeys to get there."
What is something you wish you had known before going into your first Olympics?
Lezak: "As silly as it sounds, before my first Olympics, I wish I was more prepared for how much walking there is. Being a sprinter and trying to stay off my feet to rest, I had to learn to just go with the flow. Everyone is dealing with the same circumstances so learning to remain positive about things that are out of your control."
What events are you most looking forward to watching in Tokyo?
Sandeno: "I am biased to the I.M. events. And, of course, I love cheering on the relays, but distance events never get enough love and attention so I have to shout out that I am pumped to watch the first ever women's Olympic 1500 free! History will be made — go Katie (Ledecky) and Erica (Sullivan)!"
Lezak: "How could I not say the men’s 4x100 freestyle relay?! The U.S. has so much history in this event, which I was apart of four times. There are multiple countries that are capable of winning gold, which will make for an exciting race, but I look forward to hopefully seeing the U.S. bringing it home."
What messages or pieces of advice would you give to those competing in Tokyo this summer?
Sandeno: "Take a moment to reflect on the last 18 months and realize what you have overcome and accomplished in such an unprecedented time. Then take a deep breath and enjoy! It will be over in a blink."
Lezak: "You have already done the hard work to get there, so just have fun and enjoy every part of the experience. USA has always had success because of great team cohesion and everyone back home cheering on their country. Support your teammates, and I will be one of the 330 million Americans rooting you on to GOLD."