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U.S. TEAM OLYMPIC TRIALS: SWIMMINGJune 24, 2012Ricky BerensOMAHA, NEBRASKA Q. (Away from mic.) RICKY BERENS: Yeah, we still have one of the greatest swim teams in the world, and the USA is going to be great at the Olympics, and anything can happen. Q. The not thinking much and overthinking, does that pretty much sum them upin life? RICKY BERENS: I wouldn't say Michael overthinks. That's a leading question, but I think he is one of the best guys in the world that does, you know, prerace visualizing, he studies mentalities, he knows what he's doing, he studies other swimmers, and I think he does a lot of stuff outside the pool that prepares him right mentally for those races. Q. Is that surprising? (Away from mic.) RICKY BERENS: I mean, that might be the case, too. No, I think a lot of swimmers do that. For a guy who goes into the Olympics ‑‑ and I don't know how many times he swam last time, 20‑something times, to go to a meet that takes a week long, swimming a couple of events a day, your mentality has to be a steel wall. He's so strong to be able to do that. Q. Does Ryan have a steel wall mentality? RICKY BERENS: I don't know what Ryan has. Q. You figure that out, let us know. RICKY BERENS: Ryan has a great personality that I think a lot of people can learn from. Because swimming this long for as long as we do, you can't take everything so seriously, and he's one thatyounger kids can look at, college kids, high school kids, he just‑‑ he's always coming to meets and he has fun with it. Q. Michael said he really wants to be able to savor and enjoy this experience. Do you get the sense that this is his last year, too? RICKY BERENS: I can see that since 2008 ‑‑ 2008 took a lot out of him, and I think 2009, 2010, he really did kinda take it easy; he didn't go to practice as much, he tried to have a real life outside of swimming. He's more relaxed. What he did in 2008 he might not be able to‑‑ nobody might ever do again, and I think he realizes that, and now he's just enjoying what he's been doing his whole life. Q. Can you talk about the 200 field at the Olympics, regardless of who wins here, what kind of race is that going to be? RICKY BERENS: The 200 free is probably one of the deepest races out there in the world. Yannick in France, Paul Biedermann, Park Tae‑Hwan, I don't know in Young Tae Seo is doing it in China, but the finals in the World Championships in 2011 was stacked. I watched that race the other day. Those guys touched boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, and I think that's exactly how the finals is going to be, it's going to come down to the touch and that last 50. Q. Why were you watching it? RICKY BERENS: I like to see how everybody else swims their races. It's good to know your competitors. Q. You've come in here with more than just a goal of being on the relay team. You were telling us in Charlotte, you're ready to take it to that next level a little bit? I know it's going to be tough with the events you're in, but, you could have picked easier events but‑‑ RICKY BERENS: I could have picked easier events but the events only take two, the others take six, so I kinda did take the easier events. Q. That back‑up plan is great! RICKY BERENS: Yeah, 2008 was a huge thing to make the Olympic Team, and I've been on the international teams swimming a relay every single time. Going to international meets to swim one race, it's great, you get to watch a lot of swimming, but I would love to be on another relay and swim individually. You know, it's one thing to go swim a relay, but it's another to go represent your country individually. Q. Can you talk abouthow much are the Australians going to impact the Olympics? RICKY BERENS: Like I said, the 4x100 relay is going to be a great relay for them. James Magnussen, his 100 freestyle is the best in the world right now at 47.2, one of the most impressive swims we have seen in a very long time, so he is going to be a threat individually, and having that fast of a relay split is not going to hurt them. Matt Targett, a guy who was second at 47.6, I mean, they have a great contingent, and we'll see what happens in London. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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