The Golden Goggles are an awards ceremony that celebrates the achievements of U.S. swimmers over the past year. They were held at the at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, and they benefit the USA Swimming Foundation.
2016 Olympic gold medalist Kelsi Dahlia
“I am honored to be back. I love New York, so it is really fun to be here,” Dahlia said. Each day, Dahlia is motivated by her love for the sport, and her desire to improve and grow as an athlete. “I still love the sport and I love training. It’s my third year as a pro,” she said. “I still have big goals and I want to keep working towards them. I have great team-mates and awesome coaches at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. They push me every day.”
Dahlia’s advice for young swimmers is “to have fun and make new friends.” “That has kept me going,” she admitted. She defined the word success as “being proud of yourself regardless of the results.” “It doesn’t have to be winning a gold medal. It’s about being content with your results, and working hard towards your goals,” she said.
2016 Olympic gold and bronze medalist Leah Smith
“It is super fun to be here,” Smith said. “I am excited to be at the Golden Goggles.”
Each day, Smith is motivated by the goals that she sets for herself. “I always try to set new goals, if not every year, maybe a couple of other times, and every season. It is really inspiring to think of my goals and what I want to do.”
2016 Olympic gold and bronze medalist Katie Meili
“It feels awesome to be here,” Meili said. “I love the Golden Goggles. It is so fun to see everyone and to see them dressed up, and looking beautiful.”
Meili revealed that she will be competing at the Short Course World Championships in Hangzhou, China this December. “I am looking forward to that. There is a great group going, and they have been training hard so all is well,” she said.
For young swimmers, Meili encouraged them to dream big and to make sure they work hard every day.
To learn more about USA Swimming, check out its official website.
