00:00So, winning the bronze medal, I guess, didn't really sink in for me at the time.
00:13At trials, when I first realized that I had made the team, I started bawling.
00:18I was just so emotional, and then I couldn't believe that I was at the Olympics standing on the podium with the bronze medal.
00:25So, I guess I didn't know what to feel. I wasn't crying or anything.
00:30From the time after warm-up until after race, I'm either stretching or maybe if it's a really long time,
00:38I'll get back in and swim again to make sure I'm loose and my body's ready to go as fast as possible.
00:45And I'll listen to music while I'm in the ready room about to walk out behind the blocks.
00:52Quite recently, I've been listening to Lil Wayne 6'7' before every race.
00:56Like, I did that at trials and I did it at the Olympics.
00:59I think it's just something that I've been doing all my life.
01:02Like, I'm on my 11th year of swimming, and I just really can't imagine what I'd be doing without it.
01:10Because it's just become, like, my life pretty much revolves around swimming.
01:15I don't get to do everything that my school friends do or, like, go out as often.
01:21But from time to time, I'll go to birthday dinners or birthday celebrations.
01:27And they understand.
01:29I don't feel like I've changed, really, as a person.
01:32The few changes that I'm still getting used to are, like, the days where it's, like, just filled with media
01:39and, like, interviews and stuff like that and getting recognized more and more.
01:47Hi, I'm Leah Neal, and you're watching Essence TV.
Comments