Gutter Talk: The World’s Elite Reflect On Their World Championships Experience
In the latest edition of Gutter Talk, the monthly feature in Swimming World Magazine, some of the best athletes in the world reflect on their experiences and performances from the recent World Championships in Budapest. Specifically, the athletes answered the question: What was your most important takeaway from your experience and your performance at the World Championships?
SARAH SJOSTROM, SWEDEN
Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
I enjoy the training for the 50s. I could actually keep racing a lot of events. I feel like I’m physically still strong enough to do that, but it’s just the process around the races: Preparing for the race, everything after the race, all of this—doping control, media attention, the bus, in and out of the pool. That is the part that takes the most amount of energy for me.
That is why I enjoy just doing three individual events because I feel I can give everything, and I can really enjoy the success. Otherwise, when I do too much, you feel like it’s so hard to enjoy every race because I feel like I need to start preparing for the next one all the time.
So this was a perfect schedule for me. I am not taking it for granted anymore that I am going to be on top of the podium and that I am going to race the best swimmers in the world all the time. I know it can change very quickly, so I am trying to enjoy it much more.
ELIJAH WINNINGTON, AUSTRALIA
Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
The most important takeaway from the World Championships for me is my ability to enjoy the experience regardless of the results. While, yes, I became a world champion (400 free, 3:41.22) and swam a world-leading time…as I reflect upon those championships, they aren’t the first memories of joy that pop into my mind.
The relationships I formed and the confidence I gained from my performance are what I smile at. These tools are vital for me to ensure I use the World Championships as a steppingstone toward the future of my career and not just the peak of it.
CARSON FOSTER, USA
Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
I proved to myself that the work I’d been putting in and the things I’d been seeing in practice are real, and that I’m here and that I can compete at the biggest level.
Last year went about as bad as possible. Coming close three times at Olympic Trials and not making it was probably the worst-case scenario for me at the time. And then, a year later, I was a three-time medalist at Worlds. This sport is all about how you react to things like that.
You don’t know what you’re going to get when you go into a meet. Obviously, you go with the mindset of expecting the best of yourself—but if that doesn’t happen, then you pivot and you learn from it. I think that just kind of gives me some clarity going into each meet that there’s gonna be a positive coming out of it no matter what.
CLAIRE CURZAN, USA
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Looking at it from a Team USA perspective, I think it was a really strong meet. A lot of us went above and beyond, and I think the relays really showed up when they were supposed to, so I think that was really good.
Individually, I think I’ve been just kind of gaining momentum throughout all my big international meets. The Olympics compared to these Worlds, I did a whole lot better at Worlds. I did a whole lot more individual events, obviously a lot more relays. It was fun to show up and do what I need to do for the relays. I think that was a real standout moment for me.
I think it was a good meet overall. I like the results that I saw, and I’m also excited to work on the things that I noticed could get better.
LANI PALLISTER, AUSTRALIA
Photo Courtesy: Delly Carr
Whilst it wasn’t the entire World Championships I dreamed of, at the same time it’s everything I could’ve wanted and more. I believe riding the highs and lows of the week has prepared me more than I could have ever imagined for the following two years leading into Paris.
Learning to be resilient and acknowledge that I’m able to race incredibly fatigued has made me more confident as an athlete, and I’m excited to see where I can grow and improve, utilizing this championships as a base line.
Although COVID hit at the worst possible time, it taught me to be grateful for the opportunities I was presented and has made me even more determined to come back fitter and faster next year.