Liliana Alvarez is a master of the breaststroke and has displayed her talent to the world in numerous occasions over the past couple of years.
From finishing 23rd at the NCAA Championship to placing ninth in the Aggie record book to competing for the Olympic Trials, Alvarez has proved that she is a worthy competitor time and time again.
Alvarez took the time out of her busy training regime to answer a few questions from Aggie Sports Writer Veena Bansal about her experiences and preferences.
What’s your favorite stroke and why?
I do the breaststroke. I’m actually only good at the breaststroke. It’s funny though because Pete, our coach, says that in order to swim the breaststroke well you have to be weird … so I guess I’m weird.
Do you have any superstitions before you compete?
I have to compete on a full stomach. A lot of people like to never eat, but I have to have a big breakfast.
What got you into swimming?
My older sister swam so my parents signed up me and my twin sister up for swimming. At first we hated it because we were so tiny and the water was so cold, but we stuck with it. We actually didn’t start competing competitively until high school, which I think was a good idea because we aren’t burnt out now.
What was it like being a part of the Olympic Trials? How was the entire experience?
For me, it was a really big learning experience because I’m not really used to competing at meets that are at such a high level. It was really out of my comfort zone, but it was also really fun.
I didn’t really know anyone except my teammates, but it was really fun swimming and getting to see all of the Olympians up close. I met a lot of the former Olympians and a couple of the current Olympians. It was a really humbling experience.
How did being part of the Trials affect your performance back at home?
It only just motivated me to try even harder and go faster.
So far, what has been your most memorable moment for this season?
I swam the 100 breaststroke three times one day at Missouri so I could get a faster time. I swam at 9 p.m. by myself which was pretty memorable because I ended up doing pretty well. I had everyone on my team wait for me!
Are there any particular goals you have going into the future?
In terms of personal goals, I want to get into the NCAA meet. It’s pretty hard to qualify for, so I want to continue to go to that. I might go to the Olympic Trials, but we’ll just wait and see what happens.
VEENA BANSAL can be reached at sports@theaggie.org.
