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American swimmer Trischa ZornTrischa Zorn, blind since birth, has won more medals (51) than any other Paralympian in history. These are her sixth Games. I mentally prepare for each race earlier in the year by setting goals. I also do a lot of visualizations of races. But the day before the race, I focus on techniques. I tend not to visualize my race the day before my swim because you get mentally tired. Instead, I try to focus on being efficient in the water, and other little things. In events that I have a lot of confidence in, I think about my past performances. In other races, I got out and try to just swim them. In general, I don't like to compare swims from the past with swims I'm doing now, because a lot of things change. The science and technology of swimming is constantly changing. I may think of past swims in terms of strategy, but other than that, I don't really compare. My motivation lies in the fact that I truly love what I'm doing. And I want to see how far I can push myself. If I've pushed myself to the limit and done my best [in a race], then it motivates me even more to go on. Besides, you're never going to swim a perfect race. You can always find things you could correct and do differently. I always look at that aspect. Even though I will be happy if I swim, for example, my season best, there's always something I can still change.
I still get nervous before races, but it's a good kind of nervous. That's something I've learned through experience. Over the years, you gain confidence and know what to expect. Everyone deals with the mind games differently. Especially when you go into the ready room, 15 minutes before a race, you can feel the tension in the air. You just have to ignore it and focus on what you're in there for, and on what you've done in the last year of training. I talk to myself, telling myself what I need to do in that race. That helps me focus on the race and not on the other people. In the past, coming in as the favorite, people have always gone after me. You have to realize records are meant to be broken. If you're on top, know you're the one being chased. You have to be accepting of challenges. When I was younger, I would get upset with myself if I'd not done what I wanted to do. But I've learned that if I pushed myself the hardest I could in that particular race, I may not win, but that is all I can ask for. When I finished school and started working, I realized swimming has to be fun. You have to enjoy it. Swimming shouldn't be a priority in your life if you have a profession. You just go in and do what you can do. When you're younger, you see only one thing. You have a narrow image, that you have to go out and win. You don't absorb that moment. The older you get, you realize the bigger picture, and that you need to remember the whole atmosphere, and enjoy the environment you're in [at competitions], and the culture. Because it will be a huge thing in your life [looking back] later.
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