Many swimmers have pre-race routines and superstitions. Michael Phelps was known for his double arm swing that extends behind his back. Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics have their own pre-race routines and swimming superstitions.
Other swimmers have been known for listening to music or a certain song before a race, others eat the same meals at competitions.
Paige Madden talked to numerous members of the US swimmers at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Here are their superstitions:
Madden: “I don’t like to paint my nails when I race. A lot of people do [paint their nails] but I like to go bare because way back when I had a bad race after I painted my nails so ever since then I go bare.”
Lilly King: “My swimming superstition is slapping my leg 5x before I race.”
Here is an example of King slapping her leg five times before her race. She is on the left side of the screen in the white and red “Indiana” cap.
Nic Fink: “My swimming superstition is I always get in a second warm up before my race, because one time in high school, I didn’t and we lost a big relay to my rival. So, I always get in again.”
Josh Matheny: “My swimming superstition is before any breaststroke race I like to do a, like a pull out with my arms in the air before stepping up onto the block.”
Ryan Held: “I have to take the wedge on the block to make sure it’s locked into place.” Watch this video at the 50-second mark to see Held check his wedge.
I wore the same 70s style arena paper suit through college bc that was the suit I was wearing when I got my first JR cut at 15…
Doesn’t everyone check the wedge?
Superstition isn’t worth a lot if you lose