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Chatting with Andrew Wilson: World-class American swimmer (Includes interview)

A 25-year-old swimmer, Wilson specializes in the breaststroke. He is drawn to the breaststroke because it feels “natural” to him. “I don’t think I would be a swimmer if it weren’t for the breaststroke,” he said.

Last month, at the World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, Wilson won two silver medals for Team USA in the 4×100 meter medley and the 4×100 meter mixed medley relay races. “That was nice. It was fun but it was still a bit of a disappointment for the U.S. on the 4×100 meter medley relay,” he said. “We are expected and we expect to go there and win the gold.”

Wilson made history in Gwangju becoming the fourth American swimmer to swim the 100 meter breaststroke in less than 59 seconds (with 58.95 seconds). The only other swimmers that have accomplished this feat are American record holder Kevin Cordes (58.64 seconds), Cody Miller (58.87 seconds), and Eric Shanteau (58.96 seconds).

Each day, Wilson is motivated by his “love for the sport.” “That has been really helpful. I really enjoy going to practice every day,” he said. “All the people that are around me that I swim with motivate me. I also have a competitive drive, where I want to be as good as I possibly can.”

This past December, he also won a gold medal and a silver medal for Team USA at the Short Course Worlds in Hangzhou, China, in the 4×100 meter medley and the 4×50 meter medley relay races respectively. “That was a lot of fun. It was an interesting meet and a good experience,” he said.

At the 2018 Golden Goggle Awards, Wilson took home the award for “Relay Performance of the Year” along with teammates Ryan Murphy, Caeleb Dressel and Nathan Adrian for their 4 × 100 meter medley relay at the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships. That relay race won him and his teammates a gold medal. “It was a great relay last year, but I am glad I did better this summer,” he said.

Wilson will be competing for Cali Condors in the new International Swimming League (ISL) with Olympian Jason Lezak as General Manager. “I am excited to be a part of it and to see how it plays out. This is something totally new to swimming,” he said.

For young and aspiring swimmers, he said, “Listen to your coaches and enjoy it.” “Happy swimmers are fast swimmers. If you are having fun, you are going to do better,” he said. “If you are not enjoying it, then whatever you are doing is not going to be successful. Take pride in that.”

He complimented the USA Swimming Foundation and everything they have been doing about promoting water safety. “I haven’t worked with them personally, but everything they do is really helpful,” he said. “I learned how I swim when I was very young so I am shocked when I hear how many people in the U.S. do not know how to swim. Making sure they are water safe at a really young age is a good cause.”

Digital transformation of aquatics

On the impact of technology on aquatics, he said, “Technology has given coaches and athletes helpful training tools with video and race data.”

Wilson also shared that he uses technology for recovery purposes such as NormaTec, as well as Hyperice vibrating massage devices.

For his fans and supporters, Wilson said, “I really appreciate all of their support. It makes it easier to do what I do.”

Wilson defined the word success as “being happy with the process and the execution of my race.”

To learn more about American swimmer Andrew Wilson, follow him on Instagram and on Twitter.

Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 20,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

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