Martin Schweizer beat the Swiss National Record in Swimming

GWANGJU – Martin Schweizer is an athlete who seems to be very different from other swimmers. It is surprising fact, to know that before the competition he normally swim less distances. Meanwhile other athletes prefer to add kilometres at the training sessions. It doesn’t mean that he works less. It is only his way of training before the competition, which is different.

The Swiss student-athlete studies in the UK and competes for the local club and doesn’t study any sports related subjects at the university. “I am studying marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University. I think I should have balance in my life. That is why outside the swimming pool I prefer to concentrate on other fields like, for example, marketing”, he explains.

As a child, Martin was afraid water. “My parents wanted to make sure that I was secure. I grew up near a lake. Also my parents set up a swimming pool at home. Therefore, one day I should be found all those water opportunities. My parents didn’t want to see me drowning.” Since that moment, he started to take swimming classes from a patient instructor.  Competitive swimming started when he was 14 years old.

Here in Gwangju, Martin Schweizer fully accomplished his mission: he qualified for the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan and broke his first national record (50m breaststroke in 27.77 in the semi-finals). “The Worlds are my next goal. However, my long aim is the Rio Olympics. The Worlds are in Kazan. I was in this city before, due to participation in the 2013 Summer Universiade. I have only good memories about that Universiade. We felt secure and comfortable there. Kazan Universiade was like a test before the Sochi Olympics. So, it was very good organized”, Schweizer remembered.

Lubov Kudelko (BLR), FISU Young Reporter