It makes you feel like the pool is yours when you have your family there. You walk up to them and see them crying... and you know they are proud of you.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Everyone in my family has seen me cry before.
Sometimes you meet people who can't swim. And I always think: 'Oh my God, that's extraordinary.' For me, it's always been a treat... I just feel really happy in the water.
I remember one day sitting at the pool and suddenly the tears were streaming down my cheeks. Why was I so unhappy? I had success. I had security. But it wasn't enough. I was exploding inside.
Being happy outside the pool means fast swimming in the pool.
I just always really wanted to swim. It was always a family thing: dad obviously swam, and my sister did, too. And mum used to come along to meets. They had to drag me out of the pool - so there was never any pressure on me to swim. It was just something I loved doing.
We always had so many kids in our family, running around the yard, sweaty little kids jumping in and out of the pool, the front door and back doors swinging open and shut, all of the parents getting pissed off telling us to stay outside.
My mom put me and my sisters in the water to feel comfortable, to have water safety.
Family is at the heart of everything I do.
When you come from a big family, you see that, growing up, you're learning how to share. Your sisters have got your back; you're not alone in this - 'We all support you!' Your family provides that; it gives you a sense of safety, and it's a very grounding feeling.
The pool is terrible, but that doesn't have much to do with my record swims. That's all mental attitude.