GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Eight-time Olympic gold medalist Allison Schmitt has been named captain of the USA swimming team.
“It’s an amazing honor,” Schmitt, of Canton, Michigan, said during a Zoom interview from Hawaii, where she’s training. “I’m going to carry that title with pride, but like I told the girls, that doesn’t make me any more special or put me on a pedestal; we’re all Team USA and we’re going for the same goals. And so I’m just excited to be a part of this team.”
The Tokyo Games will be Schmitt’s fourth Olympics. In her previous three, she has racked up four golds, two silvers and two bronze medals.
With the coronavirus pandemic still serious in Tokyo, the games will be different: No family, no fans and athletes are being asked to leave Japan as soon as their competitions are over. While Schmitt said she’ll miss the roar of the crowd, she’s still eager to compete.
“I’m extremely grateful that we are headed to Tokyo and we’re going to be able to compete, because at some point we had no idea if the Olympics were even going to happen,” she said.
Above, Schmitt discusses how she’s approaching the differences in these games and about her struggle with mental health during the pandemic.