The Olympic swimmer on avocado toast, barbell cleans, and more
Simone Manuel grew up in the water. Living in Sugar Land, Texas, she and her two older brothers often found relief from the heat in the pool. Now a four-time Olympic medalist, Manuel, who specializes in sprint freestyle, has turned this childhood hobby into a career.
The Team USA athlete is coming off a few highs: She just graduated from Stanford University, swam in-season PRs at her last two meets, and recently finished up the Make a Splash tour to raise awareness about water safety. “Teaching kids how to swim at an early age can save lives,” Manuel says.
Now, she’s focused on the upcoming FINA World Championships in South Korea, where she'll compete starting July 21. “I want to continue to train hard and fine-tune certain parts of my race,” the 22-year-old says. That calls for a heavy training schedule that prioritizes swimming and strength, which will hopefully pay off come the 2020 Olympic Trials.
Furthermore caught up with Manuel between competitions to talk barbell cleans (her favorite lift), Tabasco sauce (she likes heat), and her worst sleep habit (it involves social media).
