Olympics
Swimmer Claire Curzan 'working harder than ever' toward 2nd Olympic games
Claire Curzan has changed colleges and competed around the world since her 2021 Olympic debut. She sat down with WRAL Sports to talk about how she is getting ready to compete in Paris in the 2024 Summer Games.
How, how have you found yourself kind of getting intertwined within the, the swimming program over at Virginia? Um What, what has it been like to, to compete against so many incredibly talented athletes? It's been incredible. Tori was a great um teammate at Stanford. I loved racing her and um even the girls uh over at Virginia now with Kate and Gretchen and Alex, like I'm constantly being pushed and I think that's been great for my swing so far. Um And also just Todd had a great plan for me even though I kind of sprung it on him when I was uh transitioning over. Um But it's been wonderful. I've been working harder than ever before. I'm so sore all the time, but I think um I've been seeing kind of the results of the training so far and I'm really excited just looking towards the future, you know, not to, not to hype you up too much. But I think the, the fact that you're at a point where you're still continuing to improve, you're still continuing to grow, that's great because you, you already had a pretty successful swimming career. Um I, I know with you know, you've got the 2021 in your background and now they're moving to, to Paris. What are the next few months gonna look like for you? Um How, how, how much, how many challenges are there gonna be between now and, you know, hopefully, uh, the Olympics. Yeah. So I'm heading off to worlds in February, um, which is in Doha. Um, it was for the purpose of in the college season. They normally have a CCS and S AA S like around February March. Um So Todd was really excited about this because you could go have like a kind of a taper meet. Um really prep for it. See where I'm at. Um I'm also able to travel with Kate Douglas and Jack Eakins, which are two summers on Virginia. So it'll be fun that we'll be able to go as like a little pro group together to. Um, and also just gain a lot of race experience and then come back, take a couple days off, reset, obviously adjust back to the time zone. Um And then right back into training for a couple months, I know we'll head to um a couple of domestic meets, maybe in San Antonio, maybe in Atlanta. We'll see. But um and then just mostly putting your head down and training before Olympic trials. Uh when are Olympic trials again this year? What's the, the start time on that? June, June, mid June? I actually don't know, but June live in the moment, you know, exactly. My birthday is in June, so that's more important, obviously. Ha happy early birthday, obviously, obviously. Um, ok, so, um, you know, I, I think being the, the fact that you're, you know, preparing for a possible second Olympics already, right? Because you were 17 in 2021. Is that right? I turned 17 in Hawaii in the domestic training camp. Um That's just, that's just ridiculous. Um How, um when you reflect on that, you know, those, those few months, um you know, in 2021 how, I mean, what do you even think of what comes to mind? How, how do you process what happened to you and what life was like during that time? I mean, honestly, I still, I think I'm in the process of really taking it all in because I, I constantly have to pinch myself and like, remember that I was in Hawaii was in Japan and like, did all of these amazing things. Um I, I'm just, I don't know, I think gratitude is probably the best. Like I would never, like I would have hoped, but I would have never thought that I would have been able to make the team as young as I did. Um And just grateful for the process, grateful for all that I learned. Um And grateful for kind of the platform that it gave me that I can now speak on it and reach out to more people than I was able to before. So, um, yeah, I mean, I'll look back at my camera roll just like, jump because it's like all of a sudden all of these pictures from the Olympics. And I'm like, oh, my goodness. But, um, it was an incredible experience. I think it'll, it'll take me a couple more years to fully gain a true perspective and appreciation for everything that I went through at that time, especially in my formative years, your formative years, that's, that's a good way to phrase it. Um So I guess 11 question I I had for you, um you know, you, you look at o obviously that year in general that those Olympics in general were so um different is probably the best way to phrase it. Um How um how do you think just what happened in 2021 2020 2021? The Olympics being shifted. How did that impact you? Um You know, and, and part of my ignorance on this front, but do, do you think that because things were shifted back here? That was the main reason you were able to, you know, participate and be a part of that? What, how, how do you think that impacted you? I think it definitely did help me. Um Obviously it was terrible that the world went through that crisis, but it being pushed back me to get a year stronger and more prepared for this meet. Um, I think going and competing at 16 versus almost 17, basically two very different ba in my life. Um, so kudos to kitty Grimes and Bella Bella Sims, they made a team at like 15 and 16 years old, like, absolutely incredible. But I know in the events that I swim, which are very sprint centric, um I definitely needed that extra year just to get stronger because I was going up against girls that were, you know, close to 10 years my senior and, and I needed kind of more time just to grow and, and I think that definitely helped and my coach definitely capitalized on that time that we had extra training for Colonel Gibbons. Right. Yes. Well, Colonel Gibbons for high school and then Tac Titans was my main club with Brinda. That's right. Um And tact is that, um, it is, I think if I'm remembering this correctly, is that the spot that used to be over by the old Kerry Town Center? Yeah. Ok. I, I had some, I had some high school friends who did swimming. I, I went to Enlo. Um, and, and so I had some high school friends who did swimming and they have told me about many a times about the very early early mornings over there. Um I don't know, I don't know how you swimmers do it, especially kind of like during those, those teenage years where it's get up so early practice, early go to school, be a person. You know what I mean? That how, um how, how would you find yourself growing into the, just the grueling nature of what it takes to be as successful as you are in swimming? Um I actually was very fortunate as a high schooler, I had a pretty sweet schedule set up. Um So mostly I singled um like doubling and, and a lot more lifting is new for me in college. Um But I singled, I swam during COVID was pretty nice also for me because you got to swim at seven instead of a little earlier. So um I was privileged in that I only had to get up at like 630 instead of, I've heard some kids get up at like three and I was like, oh my gosh, thank goodness. Um But I think it has been a tough transition. You really have to get used to working through being sore and then also learning recovery methods and how to fit those into your schedule. I think that's been the biggest challenge for me. Um But then I also think like it's helped me get better time management. Um And you kind of bond better with your teammates almost because it's like we're all in this together like this is tough, but it's like we're bonding through it. Um So it's been a hard adjustment to like a for college and b just for take on a bigger schedule. But I think, and I've also been like, happier doing it because I'm surrounded by like so many people that are also doing it with me and, and it's, it's fun because you're working towards another Olympics. Hopefully. Fantastic. Now, um kind of on, on that track, I guess. Um you mentioned it a little bit but I, I think, you know, kind of diving into it a little bit more. Um How have you seen yourself grow over the past, you know, three years, I guess now, 2.5, 3 years, um you know, athletically sure, but also as a person, how, how have you found yourself, um you know, growing into who you are uh going into now, hopefully a second uh Olympics. Yeah, I think the biggest change that I've seen myself make and that has been a necessary change is just how I hold myself in my confidence. I think um I was little during the first Olympics and so I would go and get in the warm up plane and like freak out because Katie Le Becky also is in that warm up lane. Um But I think just going through the process of the Olympics being exposed to being around all of like the greats in swimming um has helped me like a get more comfortable with them and b realize that, you know, at some point I kind of reached their level as well. So learning that I also am someone that people look up to. Um, and so I'll just have to, you know, be more confident, I guess that's definitely been a huge challenge for me and a big word that I've been working on with my sports, like, um just being confident in my training, confident in my swimming and knowing that, you know, I actually am one of the best now. So I think that's been hard to wrap my head around, but I think it's exciting because, you know, two years ago, I wouldn't been able to say that, but now I, I can kind of say it, I guess I can kind of say I'm one of the best now. Um No, no, I mean, I think, I think that's totally fair. I, I think you probably could have said it a little bit earlier. I, um, and then that's so interesting, I think because like, w and I, I'm glad you also mentioned your sports psych because I think that with, with Olympians, right? Um, you know, we all the different kinds of sports we think of whether it be like basketball or softball or baseball or football, you're constantly having games, you're constantly competing. And obviously you are in swimming too, whether it be meets and things like that, but there is a very particular couple of meets that stand out and they only happen, you know, every couple of years. Um, how this process of training for one of those moments, how, how difficult is it to not get too far ahead of yourself and think? Oh, man. And start looking at like the timeline of how things unfold to know? Ok. Well, ok. Got Paris coming up. Ok. If the, the things don't go well there, ok, then you got four more years. How, how, how difficult is it to, uh, you know, not get wrapped up in that kind of thought? It definitely is hard. I think one thing that I've been taught by my sports sports like and have been employing is just really breaking it down into segments. Um It's also actually kind of helpful with swimming because you definitely have distinct training blocks. So, um instead of worrying about something that's six months ahead of me, um focus on the now know that I have worlds in February if I can gear up well for that, um, swim, well, hopefully swim fast. Um That would be obviously a great feather to add into the cap. Um And it's all kind of about building your confidence and really setting a base. So then when you do get to those big meats, you're able to look back and see all of the feathers that you have put in your cap and then it's just another race because in another me because you've done all all before, um, it's all the same and yes, there's more people, there's more press, there's all these other things, but at the end of the day, it's still a 50 m pool and 100 fly or 200 backstroke. It's not gonna get any longer any harder. It's what you've already done. So I think that's been hard to learn because I think the lights and, and all of the press around the Olympics when Olympic trials last time was definitely super fun but super stressful. But um just like knowing that you'd have to take it one me at a time and then eventually you'll get there and you did all this hard work by focusing on the now. And so you'll be ok. No, that's, that's really well said, um, how, how has, you know, North Carolina and the community that you've built here, whether it be family, friends, teammates, coaches, how, how has that impacted, you know, you and helped you get to this point that you're at today. It's been wonderful. I had such a great support system back at home. Uh not only within my high school but with all my family and also um my club team at tech, um like after when I got home from the last Olympics, like my neighborhood, like through this whole big party and it was so fun to see like everyone's support. Um And then also now in college, um now that I'm on the east coast, um different east coast schools have come up for, to do dual meets. So I've been able to see all my friends um from high school or, or club team that were competing for either east coast colleges or whatever. But, um, I think they just set me up for success for college. Um, kept me humble, definitely. And just, I learned really how to have fun and, and appreciate people around me. So now I'm able to do that in college and really take the experience in because it's four short years. So, um I've been loving it so far. Good, good that you should, you should be loving it. It, it can be a great time, that's for sure. Um I mean, I'm, I'm trying to think there's anything else here. Um You know, I think that when you look at worlds and you look at the Olympics, you look at all these like little moments that you have between now and then. Um do you have any kind of, uh I mean, I'm sure there are the obvious goals, but are there any kind of goals that you set for yourself over the course of the next, let's just say calendar year um with whatever meat, whatever, you know, whether it be world, whether it be Olympics, whether it just be something with Virginia, is there anything that you have, you know, written down put to mind saying yes, this is what I want to accomplish. Um I would say the big shining star is definitely making that Olympic team again. Um The head coach of Virginia Todd de Sorbet is gonna be the head coach for the Olympic team for swimming in Paris. So that would be so fun if I was able to go with him um over to Paris and then compete for team USA. That's literally the biggest honor that sports has to offer. So I love to do that. Um But then also, I think Todd has been really excited about worlds and I've also been really excited about worlds. Um I have a really big event lineup. I think I'm doing six individual events. So um lots of splashes in the pool which will be very, very fun. Um But also I think I've been training really well and like better than I've ever had before. So we're both excited that let's do a little bit of resting and see how good we can be in Doha. So if I was able to go best times, um I think that would be amazing and I think that would set the tone really well for, you know, the months to come up to Olympic trials. I like that and like you said, just section the time, breaking it down one piece at a time. That's all you can do. Um I, is there um Is there anything else that I failed to mention that you'd like to add that you would like for people to know? Um You know, that maybe just kind of brings people into what your experience has been like over these past couple of years. I think we covered most of it, but just, I really appreciate everyone following along and hopefully I'll be able to do North Carolina proud. I, I think mission accomplished on that one already. I think it's about, you know, just kind of adding on to it also. I just noticed your necklace. Um, I have to ask, where, where did you get that? How long have you had that? Um, my dad actually got it for me. Um We got it from, so he is Dutch. Um And he was really excited because there is this jewelry company making kind of like Olympic themes, sports themes, jewelry. So he was able to get it from a Dutch jewelry shop for me um after the Olympics. So I've had it for like two or three years.