U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS - SWIMMING

June 18, 2021

Abbey Weitzeil

Erika Brown

Olivia Smoliga

Natalie Hinds

CHI Health Center

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by the Women's 4-by-100 team, the top four finishers in this evening's Women's 100 Meter Freestyle. I have all the way at the end, Olympians Natalie Hinds, followed by Olivia Smoliga, next to her, Erika Brown, and next to me, Abbey Weitzel.

Q. Olivia and Natalie, I wanted you to talk a little bit about your friendship and what this means to you guys to be on this relay together, just how your friendship developed after you made your come-back, Natalie. What does this mean for you guys together?

NATALIE HINDS: I will go first. This is such a full circle moment for us. I know Liv feels the same. She has been there with me since I was out of shape and since we have gone through the ups and the downs, all the Pro Swim Series, all the hard practices, and this is just so special. Like we were saying earlier, we were next to each other in this final and she breathes to her right, and I breathe to my left so it was literally like practice, kind of glorified but it was nice to have that, and I think that helped us for tonight.

OLIVIA SMOLIGA: This is incredible to have been right next to Nat and right next to Abbey, because I know both of them take it out. I know I have to do work coming back, but I like it that way. This has been incredible. It's been really hard. This meet is tough. To have done it with Nat, she makes me my best, three years.

NATALIE HINDS: Three years.

OLIVIA SMOLIGA: She moved to Athens. Remember we took pictures in the back?

NATALIE HINDS: Yeah, we took pictures and didn't know five years later we would be up here talking about the 100 Free final, so the it's really cool.

OLIVIA SMOLIGA: Really cool.

Q. Erika, you had a lot of success in short course and moving into long course you had to reinvent yourself as a 100 Freestyler. What has that process been like and what does it mean that it's paid off?

ERIKA BROWN: Yeah, looking back on my sophomore year of college, I remember that summer was really difficult. I did not perform the way I wanted. I think everything happens for a reason. It motivated me to continue working really hard and really focusing on all the details, and it's really exciting to see it finally paying off.

Q. (No microphone.)

ERIKA BROWN: Yeah, obviously my underwaters really helped me in short course, so I had to focus on my stroke and distance per stroke and making those turns really count, so accelerating into the those turns, and I can't use as many underwaters, so I really had to focus on my stroke.

Q. Congratulations to all of you. Curious about the pandemic and going through all that. Do you think it helped you in the sense of you are here now versus where you would have been last year, or is it a wash that it really didn't matter? I know there are some people who that extra year it was helpful for, others it wasn't so helpful. Obviously you are all here. Curious if you can talk about the pandemic and how you think you came out of it and is this timing actually ending up to be pretty good for all of you?

OLIVIA SMOLIGA: I think it was. I don't want to speak for everyone, but coming up with different ways to be great and to work through adversity and challenges is -- I don't want to say perfect, because it's been a really hard year for so many. It's a really interesting set-up for Olympic Trials, which is you have to go through certain challenges and finding ways to get better or stay consistent even when stuff isn't on your side, you know, with less pool time, less gym time or whatever.

It was different for all of us. We're all in different states throughout the country, but, I don't know, what do you guys think?

ABBEY WEITZEIL: I think it's hard for anyone to be like, yeah, I would have been better last year, but definitely repeating what Olivia said, everyone went through something different, and I think finding the way I looked at it was just a positive, more time to take that break from swimming that we were forced to take for a second, change our mindset and enjoy coming back to it even more when we were able to get back into full training.

So the way you look at it is different by person, and obviously there are personal things that go on. That was my way of doing it, was just being able to take the mental break after I accepted the fact that it was postponed and then looking forward to even more coming back to swimming.

Q. Abbey, piggy backing on that, can you talk about what it was like to have your final NCAAs cancelled and the affect that had on you? Did you graduate from college and did Cal have a ceremony? Did you get to march?

ABBEY WEITZEIL: Having the NCAAs cancelled sucked, honestly. Everyone here has swam through college and it's the best. It's so fun. So having that cancelled really was a bummer, and shortly after that having the Olympics postponed shortly after that also wasn't very exciting, but like I said, taking a mental break where I could.

No, I never had a ceremony. I graduated online just like -- I watched my ceremony. I was with my friends, though, but -- so, yeah, it was be definitely a different time, but I've graduated and everything so swimming is now my life, which is pretty cool.

Q. This relay, there is always so much hype around Australia and what they have been doing for the last two years, but it seems like 2019 World's and 2017 World's US has stepped up to the occasion and I don't want to say defied expectations but has always risen and given Australia a good race. Now for the four of you, what does it mean to be part of this relay going forward for the Olympics?

NATALIE HINDS: I can say that I'm grateful. I have been watching 2015, 2017, 2019 World's from my couch at home and being like, wow that's so cool! I think just sitting up here being part of this relay is a full circle moment. I'm just excited to do whatever I need to do to represent Team USA on this relay.

OLIVIA SMOLIGA: This is my first time on a Freestyle relay; my first time in a Freestyle final at Olympic Trials. I think Olympic Trials, Olympic Trials are special in the sense that they set us up really well for the Olympic Games with how tough it is to even make the team itself, and I think we have a good relay up here.

Q. Abbey, you said in the Mixed Zone you think times have been kind of slow this week. What gives you the confidence that you and all these girls are going to be able to step up and really have a good one in the Olympics?

ABBEY WEITZEIL: When you have the flag on your cap, you get stuff done. I'm confident in this relay, and I'm confident in Team USA. We have our work cut out for us, no doubt. The Australians are fast, and they have been fast, and I've been on this relay, and it's tough, but it's fun. When you have the flag on your cap there is something else that comes out of you. I'm confident in these girls next to me. Like Olivia said, this meet is hard, and it sets you up to learn how to control certain things in your mind, and it will be fun. It will be hard, and it will be fun, and we will keep challenging them.

Q. Abbey, last time we talked, you talked about taming your mind behind the blocks. I wondered how well that worked and how hard that is at a meet like this. Olivia, bouncing back from the 100 Back, how were you able to flip the switch and get to that next mindset?

ABBEY WEITZEIL: Yeah, I was nervous. I think taming your nerves is definitely person-by-person in how you do that. This is basically the most nerve-wracking meet I have ever been to, Olympic Trials is just for -- for reasons that, like, I can't explain. It's just a different -- it's a different meet.

I think just being more confident and doing self-talk in your head. You are racing one way or another simply based off what you are telling yourself in your head, and I think that I have learned to get past the negative thoughts a little bit more, personally.

OLIVIA SMOLIGA: Yeah, this was really tough. I feel like part of the reason why I was so emotional after this 100 Free was missing the team in the 100 Back was so hard. It didn't hit me immediately after because I knew I had this 100 Free coming up. What you tell yourself, like Abbey said, how you try to bounce back, it's something I'm really grateful for because it was really hard to get through it. Having the opportunity to race these girls here to push me to be my best, I mean, you don't put in years of work for nothing. You have to remind yourself of that.

I can't even describe the things that were going on in my head after the 100 Back and how I really had to dig myself up out of it, but I'm really proud of myself that I did.

Q. For any of you guys, were any of you aware of what was going on with Simone this past 11 weeks? Could one of you or all of you speak to what Simone has done in the 100 Free in the US?

ABBEY WEITZEIL: Yeah, I can start. I am very, very proud of Simone, and I personally wasn't talking to her about what she was going through or anything. I have talked to her here at the meat. I feel personally and I'm sure these girls -- I don't want to speak for anyone. We have big shoes to fill, because she is an amazing competitor and a part of Team USA.

I wish nothing but the best. I'm going to be cheering my head off for her in the 50 as I'm swimming. I want her to do so well. I really want her with us on the team. It's definitely, like I said, just big shoes to fill. That's all I can say. She is an awesome person and teammate and leader and competitor, and she will be missed on this relay, 100%.

NATALIE HINDS: Yeah, I think going off what Abbey said, during the pandemic and being able to talk to her and try and go through like all the Black Lives Matter stuff and things like that that were going on during that time, it was really nice to have her to bounce ideas off with, vent to.

Like Abbey said, I feel for her, I kind of know what she was going through and how she was trying to get through it. I'm really proud of her, and I think she is one of the toughest people that I know. Very poised, very composed person and, yeah, I will be cheering for her in the 50 because if anybody is going to bounce back, it can be her. I'm really happy that she is still here, despite not feeling her best and, yeah, like, Abbey said, we have very big shoes to fill.

Q. Natalie, to follow up on that conversation, as you certainly know the nation is having a conversation about race, inclusion, diversity, and I apologize I have to focus on just you. We can all talk about this issue, so any of you that would like to discuss it can, but I will put the question to you. Where is your sport in terms of racial diversity? What are your thoughts about it? What should the sport be doing to have more people who look like you and Simone in the sport? Curious if you wouldn't mind giving us your thoughts and if anyone else would like to.

NATALIE HINDS: So during the pandemic there was a group formed called Team Black, and it was composed of past Olympians and myself and active swimmers of minorities that were still swimming. We kind of just put it together and it was just a loose idea. Right now it's an actual group that's working with USA Swimming. I had to distance myself to focus on Trials, but I do know that USA Swimming has been able to open the door for conversation and for those uncomfortable conversations. Sitting in on some of the meetings earlier this year, I didn't know what to expect.

It's like, I'm coming in here and I really was just observing everything. It's hard, everybody is tap distancing around this elephant in the room. I think as of right now USA Swimming is actively doing things and working with Team Black on what's appropriate, what's not appropriate, what grants can we come up with to help those minorities in the inner city learn how to swim, be put on swim teams that are competitive. That's a really big thing. It's like, what do you do with a child after they learn how to swim?

I think that's the big focus. With USA Swimming and -- you know, they're coming into this kind of blind so it's up to Team Black to help steer them in the right direction, bouncing ideas and stuff off them. So I'm proud of the group. I think it's composed of a lot of amazing people headed by Maritza, so I'm excited after this summer to get back in it and voice my opinion and help in any way I can.

Q. Natalie, can you share more details about the break that you took and what you were doing during that time? What prompted you to come back? And for Natalie and Olivia, how much time do you spend together outside of the pool as not friends?

NATALIE HINDS: To answer your first question, I took a break after 2016 Trials and after the 50 I just went home for three months, then I graduated college and got a regular job. Then I moved to Atlanta, and I worked for Turner Broadcasting for a year-long internship, which I absolutely loved. Then I don't know, I saw 2018 Nationals and I was like, man, they're having a lot of fun. I was sitting at a desk 9 to 5, and I was like, I don't want to do this anymore.

So I had a conversation with my parents and decided, like, okay, I'm going to do this. Then I moved to Athens within the next five days after that decision, and it was scary.

I feel like the reason I'm so emotional that I made this team is because I'm just really proud of the courage and vulnerability that I showed myself, that I had a goal and I did absolutely everything that I could do to obtain that goal, and I finally did. So that break for me was such a blessing. I learned mostly that, you know, walking on deck here I was like, I have a different perspective. I know what life is like outside of swimming, so I know how much I love swimming and how much this moment means to me. I think that's what I learned from the break. It was a good mental break for me as well.

As for me and Liv, we spend a lot of time together. Yeah.

OLIVIA SMOLIGA: So when Nat made her decision to move to Athens, we went to Thai Spoon.

NATALIE HINDS: Thai Spoon! Like the day I drove in.

OLIVIA SMOLIGA: And she slept on my couch for the next weekend to just, like, see what's up, and then the next weekend she moved to Athens.

NATALIE HINDS: That's why it's so emotional because Liv is the first person I saw when I drove and parked in Athens, and she did nothing but help me. She helped me set everything up, helped me with setting up weights and coaches and, this is what we do here, and this is how we do it. I'm so grateful for her, and that's why this moment is so special for us.

Q. I know you guys talked about self-talk and how important it is to stay positive. Could you put that in perspective during the course of the pandemic you had to do that every day, because you didn't know whether you would have the Trials or the Olympics. In terms of the pandemic and self-talk could you put that into perspective?

NATALIE HINDS: I learned that -- I felt like before the pandemic I was anticipating a lot of things. I wasn't really in the moment. I felt like things were just happening really fast, if that makes sense.

After I came to the conclusion that, yeah, okay, we're not going to have the Olympics this year, I think the pandemic taught me to be calm and grateful for every moment you have. As we have seen, people's lives were ripped apart by this pandemic, and I was able to go home and be surrounded by my family and be able to learn about myself for moments we just had, like you're about to swim in one of the biggest races of your life, and you're able to try and calm yourself down.

That's what I learned from the pandemic. I know we all took different lessons from it.

OLIVIA SMOLIGA: Same thing. I got to go home to Glenview, spend time with my family. I feel grateful because I was able to have a gym in my basement, train with my brother a little bit.

That's not to say that it was all easy. I remember moments of anxiety while being at home, being like, what's -- things happening fast. What's next? So it teaches you to kind of just go with the flow as much as possible, even though it's tough. But we have a good backbone at the University of Georgia, as I'm sure they do in Tennessee and Cal, with their coaches and their post grad group to be like, everybody is really kind of going through this. You've just got to keep going if it's what you want to do.

ERIKA BROWN: For me I was in college still and expecting to go to NCAAs, so having that taken away, I'm someone that likes to stick to a schedule, and I know exactly what's going on. That's kind of the way my brain works. I just like to have a plan. That was difficult for me. Definitely learned to be patient and work on kind of that mental strength of not always having what you expect.

ABBEY WEITZEIL: Similar to everyone, but my biggest lesson was to find other things in life that I really like to do and not just bank on swimming. I spent -- I was in Berkeley the whole time with our -- all of our new teammates, Katie McLaughlin, we were in Berkeley just together, honestly, none of the rest of our team was there. We were just trying to find pool time around the Bay. We had a blast doing random things. I got a job, I worked at a brewery, I just did other things other than swimming.

I think just not -- just not trying to focus on swimming the whole time and drive myself crazy is what I learned about myself, that I like to have other things outside of it.

Q. Abbey and Erika, if you can answer what the moment was like when you really saw the board and it sunk in that you made it. Also you guys are teammates now. You had epic races in college against each other, both set American records at one point in a matter of weeks. What is it like being instant teammates now that you touched the wall one-two like that?

ABBEY WEITZEIL: Honestly, when I touched the wall I was like, who else got in? I saw Nat's name, Smog's name, and it took me a second to find yours, and I saw my time, and I was like, okay, and who else and then I was like Nat! Smogs! And I was like, oh my gosh, so pumped that everyone else got this shot, too. I felt like it took me a second to be like, oh I did it, cool, but the first thing I saw was everyone else's name, and it was cool.

Everyone races in college, I feel like, and it comes full circle, and you race against each other at Trials, and then you're on the same team, and there is nothing like being on Team USA together, so it will be fun.

ERIKA BROWN: I visualized that for a long time. It was surreal to see that up there and exciting to see their names, too. It's going to be a great relay.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, everyone. Have a good evening.