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Swimming is a life-saving skill, so just the fact that the sport that I love can give so much back to other people - and inspire them to join something that they never thought they could do or go after their dreams - is something that is really special to me.

I swim for myself. I love it, I have fun, and just representing my country is the greatest honor I could ever have.

I'm at the beach all the time. I surf. I fish. I dive. These things on Instagram are really my life with my buddies doing my normal day-to-day stuff. I happen to be shirtless a lot.

Swimming and all other sports have got to get to that place where you have the trust of the people watching it.

I think for most people it's hard to understand what it is about swimming - I mean it's such a solo endeavour.

I don't swim! That's like athletic.

There are a lot of young swimming fans that are on Instagram, so I try to respond or post things that they like.

I have big friends who won't go swimming because they're too embarrassed about it. I feel that's such a shame, because actually people should be encouraging fat people who are exercising to do it, not pointing and laughing.

If I didn't swim my best, I'd think about it at school, at dinner, with my friends. It would drive me crazy.

I took my daily swim at the Beverly Hills Hotel pool despite the presence of onlookers.