Two-time World Aquatics Champion and World Aquatics Athlete Committee member Anthony Ervin is in Netanya to help guide the development of the next generation of junior athletes from across the globe.
The World Aquatics team dropped into the Building Dual Careers Workshop with Ervin on day two of the competition at the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships to check in with a group of swimmers from the Dominican Republic attending the session.
Camila De La Rosa | Dominican Republic
“It was an amazing experience. Anthony let me know the importance of having priorities, and that all swimmers will have problems and struggles. He explained to be a good swimmer, you also need to go to school and have good grades.
"For me, it was good to hear that all swimmers have struggles and that those struggles don’t need to be something to make you quit the sport. He showed me that everything is possible if you really want it.”
Pablo Solano | Dominican Republic
“The workshop was a great experience to meet and talk to someone that has gone so far in the sport. It was nice to see someone so inspiring and gave me confidence to know I can make it. He made the workshop comfortable and it is nice to know someone that has achieved so much is open to helping junior athletes.
"He told us in sport you can have ups and downs and even in this competition I am not going too well. But two weeks ago I had my best time and was ranked third in all of Central America. So it was good to understand from him that you are not always going to be up high and that if you want to aim high, you will always have lows along the way. That is part of being a swimmer.”
Lia Despradel | Dominican Republic
“It was very good meeting Anthony because you can be yourself with him and we had a chance to discuss our struggles in the sport. It was a very good workshop because he passed knowledge onto us and gave all athletes the chance to talk about their own struggles. It was important to see and made me happy that I am not alone in this sport, and that everyone faces challenges as a swimmer.”
The next Athlete Workshop with Anthony Ervin at the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships is at 11.00pm on Thursday 7th September at the Wingate Institute Hotel (located alongside the Competition Pool hall).