31 December 2014, 09:00am
10 Motivational Quotes From Our Swimming Stars
By Seren Jones, Swimming World College Intern
With just a few hours left of 2014, what better way to enter the new year with 10 motivational quotes from our swimming stars. If anybody can motivate us college swimmers, it’s these guys.

10 Motivational Quotes From Our Swimming Stars
1. “If there is a dream or a goal that you want you have to go for it 100%. Give all you have for the goals that you have.” – Alia Atkinson
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Alia Atkinson became the first black female and Jamaican to earn a world title when she tied the world record at the 2014 FINA Short Course World Championships in Doha, Qatar. The Jamaican clocked a 1:02.36 and became the new face of minority swimming, alongside the likes of Cullen Jones and Lia Neal.

1. 如果有一个梦想或目标，你就要为它付出100%的努力。为你拥有的目标拿出你拥有的一切。
--阿利娅•阿特金森（Alia Atkinson）
Alia Atkinson成为了第一个获得游泳世界冠军的黑人女性和牙买加人，她在2014年多哈短池世锦赛中以1：02：36获得金牌。她也成为像Cullen Jones和Lia Neal之外黑人游泳界的新面孔。

2. “So many people along the way, whatever it is you aspire to do, will tell you it can’t be done. But all it takes is imagination. You dream. You plan. You reach.” – Michael Phelps
Photo Courtesy: Griffin Scott
Although I don’t really have to report the success of America’s most decorated Olympic athlete, Phelps first appeared at the Games back in 2000 in Sydney, Australia at only 15 years of age. 14 years on, he has earned 22 Olympic medals: 18 gold, two silver, and two bronze; the most ever in Olympic history.

“无论你想要做什么，一路上总有很多人告诉你你做不到。但其实想像力是你需要的一切。你梦想，你计划，你就会抵达。”
--迈克尔•菲尔普斯
虽然我并不必要介绍这位美国最传奇的奥运选手的辉煌。Michael15岁时在2000年悉尼首次出现在奥运赛场。此后14年共获得18金2银2铜共22枚奖牌，是奥运会历史上夺牌最多的人。

3. “I just felt like I can try to do something special.” – Chad Le Clos
Photo Courtesy: Maria Dobysheva
The South African native is known to be the only swimmer to defeat the Olympic and World Champion, Michael Phelps, in the 200m butterfly. The Olympic, World, and Commonwealth Games Champion admitted that he’d dreamed of beating Phelps as a kid. By doing so in London 2012, he proved that you should never put a limit on your dreams.

“我只是感觉我可以做一些特别的事情。”
--查德•勒克洛斯
小南非是唯一在200蝶上击败过Michael的人。这位奥运会、世锦赛和英联邦运动会冠军承认他从小就梦想着击败Michael。在伦敦奥运会上他成功做到了，也证明我们从不应该给自己的梦想设限。

成功不是结局，失败也不是致命，而勇气最有价值。
--艾丽西娅•考特斯
伦敦奥运会这位澳大利亚明星夺取5金回国后，她的金牌总数与索普和Shane Gould相当。 Coutts在过去四年中大型锦标赛上共为澳大利亚夺取21金。她的成功让她2014年获得了澳大利亚的OAM奖章。

5. “It’s what you do with the rough patches that will define the athlete that you’ll become.” – Dana Vollmer
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Dana Vollmer left the London Olympics with three gold medals and new world records in the 100m butterfly (55.98) and the 400 medley relay. Vollmer is also the ambassador of the American Heart Association. Vollmer’s previous experience with heart conditions certainly didn’t stop her from becoming the world’s fastest female flyer.

应对困境的方式决定你将成为怎样的运动员。
--达娜•沃尔默
Vollmer在伦敦奥运会共获得3枚金牌，刷新了100蝶和4*100混接世界纪录。Vollmer还是美国心脏协会的形象大使。她曾经的心脏病经历不会阻碍她成为世界最快的女子蝶泳选手。

罗宝说了什么？

8. “The water doesn’t know your age.” – Dara Torres
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
The five-time Olympic athlete is arguably the fastest female swimmer in the nation. By the time she turned 41 (yes, 41) Torres had collected 12 Olympic medals throughout her career, not to mention that she had given birth to her first child at age 39. Torres is the author of her memoir, “Age is Just a Number: Achieve Your Dreams at Any Stage in Your Life,” and is currently a motivational speaker.

“水不知道你的年龄。”
--达拉•托雷斯
这位五届奥运选手毫无疑问是美国最好的女游泳选手。在她41岁时，她在整个生涯中已经拿到12枚奥运奖牌，不用说她在39岁时生下了第一个孩子。托雷斯大姐是自己的回忆录《年龄只是数字：在任何年龄你都可以实现梦想》作者。她现在是一位鼓舞人心的演讲家。

9. “There is no single way to train, or do anything well. You have to keep thinking, keep doing things.” – Alexander Dale Oen
Photo Courtesy: Presse Sports-USA TODAY Sports
Alexander Dale Oen was the face of swimming for Norway. Oen made a splash in swimming history at the Long Course European Championships in 2008 when he became the first Norwegian to medal at a major international meet. Oen tragically passed away in 2012 due to a sudden heart attack.