On competing for London Roar, he said, “It was great. It was a good experience and last year, the team had great chemistry so I was wondering how this year was going to be like, but this season turned out great. They brought in good athletes and they recruited them in the right spots that were needed.”
“The ISL was an eye-opening experience for me and it taught me that I belong there with the top swimmers,” he said. “It gives me a lot of hope moving forward. I am really excited about the future, and I hope the ISL is still there moving forward. It is so good for the world of swimming. It brings out great energy from the team.”
He praised London Roar teammate and fellow Brazilian Guilherme Guido. “Guido is a great role model for me,” he said. “I grew up watching him swim, he has been on the national team for well over 12 or 13 years. He’s definitely a good person to look up to, and it’s good to learn from the best.”
“Nicholas Santos is incredible,” Lanza exclaimed about yet another fellow Brazilian swimming star. “Doing what Nicholas does at 40 years old gives me so much hope. He is pulling personal best times at 40 years old, it’s insane. He is breaking the barriers for sure.”
Lanza listed the butterfly as his personal favorite stroke in the sport. “It is probably the toughest stroke in practice but I really enjoy it,” he said.
Each day, he is motivated simply by the fact that he can be an example for young kids and serving as a role model for them. “I want to show them how sports is a way that can help them change their lives in the same way that it has definitely changed mine. I want to be an influence on kids just like Guilherme Guido was for me. I hope I can motivate other people to do that,” he said.
For young and aspiring swimmers, he said, “You need to dream big. I always dreamed to be an Olympic swimmer, and that’s why I do what I do. Hopefully, I will get there next year. I always watched Brazilian swimmers at the Olympics. Our sport is really hard.”
“That Olympic dream is possible. If you work your butt off, and if you work as hard as you can, you can get there,” he added.
Lanza defined the word success as “being a nice person and living by his values.” “Also, reaching your goals and dreams. Honestly, I don’t want to be famous. Success is a process of being a good person and helping other people out,” he said.
For his dedicated supporters, he said, “I am very grateful to everyone for supporting me on this journey: all my coaches, and my family for always being on my side. My father would drive me to practice at 4 a.m. since I was a teenager. It is really important to have those people by your side.”
To learn more about Brazilian swimmer Vini Lanza, follow him on Instagram.
