In the SwimSwam Podcast dive deeper into the sport you love with insider conversations about swimming. Hosted by Coleman Hodges, Garrett McCaffrey, and Gold Medal Mel Stewart, SwimSwam welcomes both the biggest names in swimming that you already know, and rising stars that you need to get to know, as we break down the past, present, and future of aquatic sports.
We sat down with Erica Sullivan, the 1500 Olympic silver medalist and recently appointed “New Lesbian Supreme”. Erica walks us through her summer, starting at the Olympic Trials where she was experiencing stress to the point of having trouble eating or sleeping. Even after making the Olympic team in the 1500, Sullivan admits it felt empty and unlike what she had expected this lifelong dream to be like.
After battling illness post-trials and getting back into the swing of things at training camp, Sullivan then takes us through her Olympic experience, which she describes as much more fulfilling. She was able to relax more, sleep better, and perform the way she wanted (minus getting a toe cramp behind the blocks during the 1500 final). Finally, she delves into the recognition she got once she had her press conference and showed the world the authentic personality that she had stayed true to for so many years.
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Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com
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Opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the interviewed guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the hosts, SwimSwam Partners, LLC and/or SwimSwam advertising partners.
Loved this interview so much. Can’t get enough of Erica’s down to earth, genuine way. More please. And I’d love to listen to the film podcast mentioned at the end of this interview. I hope you do it!
Why do I care that she’s a lesiban? Weird clip to start with and seemed totally out of context for an intro. Kudos to this amazing swimmer and congrats on a great Olympics
If it bothers you, you obviously do care
It’s important to her, and it’s important to little girls (and boys) who think they’re alone or that there’s something wrong with them.
Somehow I knew this comment was coming. She conducts herself in the most inoffensive way possible if you ask me. It’s a great lesson to learn in life: Be yourself and dont be an azzhole and people will like you
Ok Boomer
She said she was counting her strokes in the middle of the race and was not aware of the three girls ahead of her.
In distance races your stroke efficiency can easily deteriorate. Erica kept up her efficiency, and toward the end, she was even closing in on Ledecky.
So distance swimmers take notice. Counting her strokes was a kind of mindful swimming that kept her focused during a long race. And it kept her stroke efficiency high throughout.
I got some very strange impression of listening to this person. It’s hard to describe it but if I meet her by an accident somewhere like in airplane or at some party where we both are almost strangers it would be difficult to me to make a real contact with her. I got this feeling for the first time when watching the nbc interview with her and other two girls Olympic medalist, when she spoke about her grandfather designing sport arenas in Tokyo. It’s like she is in some bubble that is not easy to penetrate into and like she isn’t really interested in the person she is talking to discussing things she wants to. And you have to accept… Read more »
Thinking is good. Happy for you 😀
I feel like that whole post was a waste of energy for both of us
Wait in two interviews, about her, you got that she isn’t interested in talking about anything but herself. And from this you think that in person she would be unable to connect with other people. Is that what you are saying?
Erica is awesome. Hope she gets the gold in Paris I believe she can do it!!
Erica is amazing in the water. And she must believe in her. Even doing the impossible and committing the crime of beating the distance Queen in Paris. She can win the gold there.
She’s also funny and authentic. No waffle and robotic words with her. I like her straight-talk. It’s so rare in the sports’ world.
But please young lady, pay much less attention to anti-social media and to what people think about you. Twitter is not the real life. Fortunately.
The women’s 200 meter/1500 meter freestyle double/double (heats/final) is even too daunting for Katie Ledecky. At the age of 24, Katie Ledecky should avoid session doubles even at the FINA World Aquatics Championships:
Women’s 400 meter freestyle
Women’s 800 meter freestyle
Women’s 1500 meter freestyle
Women’s 4 x 200 meter freestyle relay
Let’s talk about this when SS makes evolution of Katie Ledecky’s performance at these Olympic Games in dedicated article. There should be a discussion of her plans and prospects. It should be in one place. At the end she and Titmus have the best collection of individual medals in women swimming at this Olympics.
I don’t need input from the pundits to make a proper evaluation of Katie Ledecky’s performance at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. As for the future, the need for rest and recovery will be paramount to success at major international tournaments.
Let me remind you that Erica Sullivan barely made the Olympic team winning at Trials against Katie Grimes less than one second. That is practically nothing when you race for 16 minutes. In Paris Sullivan will be 24 and Grimes – 18. See the difference?
Correct. If Erica wanted to win the 1500 she should have been more aggressive this time. It was potentially stealable, given Ledecky’s age and schedule. If you can close that strongly over the final 200 it means you timed it poorly and left it too late. IMO, Erica was intimidated by Ledecky’s reputation and the conventional wisdom that she was unbeatable. In contrast, remove Ledecky from the conversation and tell Erica she has to swim 15:37 she might have structured a game plan to accomplish it. IMO, it was a colossal waste and an opportunity she’ll likely never have again. The teenagers are coming, from Asia and elsewhere.
Bad take – She went a best time by almost 10 seconds. She’s a back-halfer and swam her race. Whether she can keep her form to 2024 and win, beat Katie Grimes and whoever… we’ll see. But regardless she had a great swim in Tokyo.
At the age of 15, Katie Grimes (8:17.05, 15:52.12) is a revelation.
Love Erica! Fun, genuine and seems like a super nice person.
This girl is so well spoken and mature for her age…such a genuine and refreshing interview