ATLANTA — A Georgia Tech sophomore is heading to Paris for the Olympics after qualifying for the Laos swim team. She will be competing in the 200m freestyle.
Ariana Dirkzwager is originally from Wichita, Kansas. Before qualifying for the Summer Games, she spoke with 11Alive and shared her excitement about representing Laos and the culture at Georgia Tech.
"I can already picture myself being at the pool and just being star-struck. Like thinking about it, I'm in awe because I can imagine how big it'd be, how big the crowds are going to be and how many fast people are gonna be there," she added. I think for Laos especially, I don't think they've ever really had an Asian American swimmer there yet."
Dirkzwager's mother is from Laos and she currently has family there. She added since she has gotten older she is embracing her culture and heritage more. She said representing the country motivates her to be a role model for younger generations. She added that the sport is not big in the country.
"It's very inspiring and to have like younger kids, like look up to you as a role model. It's really definitely a big motivator and I feel motivated to swim faster for them," she added.
Dirkzwager added that being on Georgia Tech's dive and swim team has been a motivating experience. The sophomore is able to be trained by Head Coach Courtney Shealy Hart who is a Two-Time Olympic gold medalist.
"I feel like being in that environment helps me go faster because it's kind of motivating. You have someone who's fast and who's experienced all these things," she added.
Dirkzwager added that having a chance at the Summer Games was an exciting experience that just "doesn't seem real."
Dirkzwager said that the Olympics is the time when swimming is really showcased.
"It's the fact that it happens once every four years, I think, for swimmers especially and for, we don't have an NBA that happens every year. We don't have a Super Bowl that happens. And so, the Olympics is kind of the big thing that everyone trains for and I feel like swimming isn't as big as football, like baseball," she added.
11Alive will follow Dirkzwager's journey to Paris as well as dozens of other athletes with ties to the Peach state.