Swimming

What did/do you enjoy more: racing Cielo back in the day or racing Caeleb Dressel now? 

From Racing Cielo to Challenging Dressel: A New Level of Talent

These are two very different situations. With Caesar being a country mate, we try to have this kind of working together vibe, you know. And with Caeleb, I mean, he's just so much faster than what Caesar used to be. I believe he's so much more even talented and skillful. It's crazy. So it's a much-- it's a much bigger challenge, I think.

Comparing Caesar and Caeleb is like comparing apples and oranges. Caesar was a country mate, so working together was more natural, while Caeleb is much faster and more talented, making it a much bigger challenge.

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I find enjoyment in both racing Cielo back in the day and racing Caeleb Dressel now, but they are very different experiences. With Cielo, as a fellow countrymate, there was a sense of working together and camaraderie. However, racing against Caeleb is a whole different level. He is incredibly fast, talented, and skillful. It presents a much bigger challenge, which I find exciting.

What did you do differently to move from 23 to 21, in the 50m. Was it technique change? Strength? Or change in the program/diet?

From a 23 to 21: The Secret to Improving in the 50m Freestyle

Oh wow. That was a long path, especially because there was a 22 in the middle. But it's a technical improvement, and, of course, it's a physical improvement. And the 50 freestyle, it's a race of mistakes. So trying to minimize the mistake you make throughout the race, it goes a long way when you're trying to swim faster.

The long path, which included a 22 in the middle, is a technical and physical improvement that helps minimize mistakes in the 50 freestyle race.

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Moving from 23 to 21 in the 50m was a challenging journey, especially with a 22 in between. The improvement came from a combination of technical and physical changes. In the 50 freestyle, it's crucial to minimize mistakes throughout the race. By focusing on reducing errors, it significantly contributes to swimming faster.

Have you ever had a moment in your swimming career when you couldn’t drop time at all? If so, how do you overcome that phase? 

Overcoming stagnation: Believing in the process and persevering

I'm having this moment right now. Last time I saw my PB, it was 2017. It's been a little over four years. And I'm just believing in my purpose, coming every day to practice, to work, to put in some work, not being afraid of hurting, and believe in the process. And that's it.

I'm believing in my purpose, doing the work and putting in the effort, and trusting in the process to get me where I want to be.

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I'm currently experiencing a phase in my swimming career where I haven't been able to drop time. It has been over four years since I last saw a personal best. To overcome this phase, I focus on believing in my purpose and showing up to practice every day. I put in the work, even if it means pushing through discomfort. I trust in the process and remain committed to improving.

Why do you personally only race the 50 freestyle?

Elite swimmer shares secret to success: One race, one focus.

Well, this point in my career, I just read the focusing One race and try to be my absolute best at it. I don't see a lot of advantages, at least, not for me on focusing on a lot of races and just doing, I mean, just having soap, our performances

I focus on one race at a time and strive to do my best in it, instead of spreading myself thin among multiple races.

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At this point in my career, I choose to focus solely on the 50 freestyle race. I believe in dedicating my efforts to excel in one specific event. For me, there aren't many advantages in spreading myself thin across multiple races. By concentrating on one race, I can channel all my energy and strive to achieve my personal best performance.

What's the craziest thing you've done to realize "marginal gains" or to find an edge in your sport?

Athletes Reveal Extreme Measures for Marginal Gains

Oh, man, when he comes to marginal gains, I don't think there's anything as too crazy because if the thing for a while, everybody can go to practice every literally. I mean, everybody can go through a workout but the sleeping did dieting, the resting, the meditating, and everything else that makes you a real athlete. That's that's where the games come from. So you just got to make sure sure, you're sleeping, you're eating right and no excuses. Men. You either do it or you do not.

Everyone can go through a workout, but to become a real athlete you need to pay attention to the details like sleeping, eating right and resting. No excuses, do it or don't.

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When it comes to finding an edge or achieving marginal gains in my sport, I believe there's no such thing as too crazy. It's not just about going to practice or doing workouts like everyone else. It's about focusing on the little things that make you a true athlete - sleep, diet, rest, meditation, and everything else that contributes to your overall performance. There's no room for excuses. You either commit to doing what it takes or you don't.

What do you want to accomplish in swimming that you haven’t accomplished? 💪🏼

Swimming superstar's ambitions: World and Olympic champion with a mission to strengthen the sport

Daniel, that's a great question. Actually, [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH],, but I'll keep the answer in English. One of my goals is to be world champion at some point and even Olympic champion. But beyond that, I would like to help somehow to make Olympic stronger and bigger as a professional sport.

My main goal is to become a world and Olympic champion in Olympic, and also help make it a bigger and stronger professional sport.

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Daniel, that's a fantastic question. [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH], but I'll respond in English. One of my aspirations is to become a world champion in swimming and even an Olympic champion. However, my ambitions extend beyond personal achievements. I also have a desire to contribute to the growth and development of the Olympic Games as a professional sport, in any way that I can.

Bruno Fratus answers your Swimming questions. See all the advice Bruno Fratus has and get answers to your own Swimming questions.

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Bruno Fratus is a professional swimmer from Brazil. A sprint freestyle specialist, Fratus competed in the 2012 London Olympics and represented Brazil in front of a home crowd at the Rio Olympics. Fratus won several medals at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai and 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara. In 2012, he finished fourth in the 50m freestyle at the London Olympics and won a bronze in the 400m freestyle relay. He also underwent shoulder surgery in 2014 and had a great comeback year. At the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships, he won gold in the 50m freestyle and bronze in the 400m freestyle relay. At the 2015 World Championships in Kazan, he won a bronze in the 50m freestyle, and at the 2015 Pan American Games, he won silver in the 50m freestyle and gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay. In 2019, Fratus won a silver medal in the 50m freestyle at the World Championships, 2 gold medals at the Pan American Games. At the 2020 Olympic Games he won his first Olympic medal.