Berlin: Five-time Olympic gold medallist Missy Franklin has urged governments worldwide to invest in the sport of swimming to yield better results at the Olympics.
“I think all governments should invest in swimming. Swimming is the only sport that will save your life and it is the only sport you can do for the rest of your life. All governments should recognise the importance of this sport,” Franklin told ANI.
“I think, the younger you start, the better it is. The earlier you get the youngsters in the pool, it will help in yielding better results. I think it’s your passion that differentiates you from everyone else. If you want it that much, the results will come. If I am neck-to-neck with someone, in the end, it is just about who wants it more. If I have the needed passion at that time, I will come out triumphant,” she added.
The 25-year-old enjoyed a stellar run at the 2012 London Olympics as she managed to win the gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke event.
Franklin also revealed as to what is important to her when it comes to swimming and added that everybody’s body is different so there is no set pattern to become successful in swimming.
“I think for me, swimming is a lot of technical, but it’s also about knowing your body. It’s very easy for us to generalise, saying that this works for someone else, why don’t you try it? I don’t believe that as everybody is different, you need to find what works best for you. For me, its more about fun and exploration,” Franklin said.
“It’s not just about finding a routine, it’s about getting better every day. It takes time and energy if you want to get better each day. I am still learning,” she added.