Two-time Olympic medalist and world record holder Luke Hobson chatted about his biggest motivations in sports, and his competitive career in swimming.
Byron Pulsifer once said: “Imagine, dream, and believe in yourself. With determination and belief, you will be surprised at what you accomplish.” This quote applies to Luke Hobson.
Breaking four World records at the 2024 Short Course Worlds
On breaking four world records at the 2024 Short Course Worlds in Budapest, he remarked, “It felt amazing! I had always dreamed about breaking a world record. To set four world records in one meet was pretty unreal. It was super special; I had a great time.”
Hobson on winning two Olympic medals in Paris
“Winning the two Olympic medals in Paris was another dream of mine,” he admitted. “I’ve always dreamed of a gold medal, so hopefully at the next Olympic Games, which will be on our home soil in Los Angeles… that would be great! That’s what I’m planning.”
Hobson on being coached by Eddie Reese
On having the legendary Eddie Reese as his coach, Hobson said, “I learned so much from Eddie. He has been coaching for 60 years, and he has been in the sport forever. He was an open book of knowledge, and he loves sharing things with us.”
“Eddie is probably the most amazing guy I’ve ever met,” he noted. “It was honestly such an honor to swim with him. He got me to the level where I am at and he coached me to two Olympic medals.” paris
“I have nothing to say but positive things about Eddie. I miss having him on deck, but we are still super close,” he added.
Hobson on his academic studies: Advertising major, Business minor
Hobson revealed that he is studying Advertising at the University of Texas at Austin with a Business minor.
“In my opinion, the Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations in the Moody College of Communication is one of the best advertising schools in the country. It has been great; I really enjoy it,” he said.
Hobson on fellow Olympian David Johnston
Hobson had great words about fellow Olympian David Johnston. “David is one of my best friends,” he said. “It is super fun working out with him. Just having him back in Austin, Texas, in our training group has been fun.”
“David is a great worker… he motivates all of us… he is ready to ‘shock the world.’ I really like that guy,” Hobson added.
Hobson on his daily motivations
On his daily motivations, Hobson said, “What motivates me is my love for racing. I’m a racer at heart, and I love seeing how fast I can go, and seeing what level I can get to in the sport and seeing how good I can get.”
“If I am ever down, I think about what my mission is in the sport, and what I am trying to do,” he said. “I am trying to figure out how good I can possible be. That’s what really gets me going and that’s what gets me fired up to train.”
Hobson on helping out Austin Creative Reuse
Most recently, Hobson helped out Austin Creative Reuse, which is a nonprofit that promotes conservation and reuse through creativity, education, and community building.
“David Johnston and I just did an ReNile activity for them through the Texas One Fund, which is great… they are trying to support our athletes,” Hobson said.
“We did a little bit community service to help out the Austin community. By us helping out, we get a little help from the Texas One Fund, which is great,” he added.
The mission of the Texas One Fund is to maximize positive community impact while helping Texas collegiate athletes succeed.
Hobson also proclaimed five-time Olympic medalist swimmer Josh Davis as a “Texas living legend.” Davis is also the Master Clinician of the Ultimate Swimmer Swim Clinic. “Josh is a great guy; he is pretty cool,” he admitted.
Josh Davis on Luke Hobson
In return, Josh Davis returned the compliments about 21-year-old Hobson.
Davis remarked about Luke Hobson, “Eddie Reese and Texas have a long history of great 200 freestylers and contributing to world record relays but Luke Hobson’s performance at this last World Championships was a perfect exclamation point to Eddie’s legacy.”
“Of all the deserving talk over the years of how great Ian Thorpe and Paul Biedermann’s 200 short course meter records were yet Luke’s new world record dominates them all, and he made it look easy,” Davis acknowledged.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Hobson said, “My social media platforms aren’t huge for what I’ve done in the sport. I really don’t post that much; I need to get better at that. The digital age adds a whole new aspect to the sport, and a whole new potential stream of income.”
“I would love to get some brand deals, a few sponsors, and try and build my social media up a little bit. I am working out a few things right now,” he added.
Favorite stroke in swimming
A native of Reno, Nevada, Hobson listed the “freestyle” as his personal favorite stroke in swimming. “It’s my best stroke, and I basically only train freestyle now,” he said.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Hobson revealed, “In Transition.”
Superpower of choice
If Hobson were to have any superpower, it would be “flying.” “I think it would be so cool to be able to fly,” he admitted.
Advice for young and emerging swimmers
For young and aspiring swimmers, Hobson said, “Keep working at it and have fun with it. Keep it light; the training for swimming may be very demanding but if you work hard at it and enjoy the racing, you can progress. I love seeing my progress.”
“It is such an objective sport; you can easily track your progress and see how you are getting better,” he noted.
“If you are not getting better, go back and tweak the training to make it better. That’s one of the coolest parts about the sport… you can always be improving,” Hobson explained.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Hobson said, “Success is just improving and getting better, whether it’s in swimming, life, or school. Success is just improvement.”
Message for his fans and supporters
For his fans and supporters Hobson expressed, “Thank you; it is not an easy road becoming an Olympic athlete. It takes a lot of hard work.”
“Thank you to my parents for all of the sacrifices they’ve made, thank you to all the coaches that I’ve had, all my friends and teammates for pushing me,” he said, effusively.
“They’ve all played a huge role. Thanks to all of them, they’ve gotten me to where I am at today,” he concluded.
Margaret Mead once said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Luke Hobson embodies this wise quote.
To learn more about Olympian and world record holder Luke Hobson, follow him on Instagram.
