Q and A with Jason Lezak

Jason Lezak grew up in Irvine, California and started swimming with Novaquatics when he was just 5, but he also competed in a lot of other sports and was apparently a pretty good soccer, baseball, water polo and basketball player. At 10 he was forced to choose between a baseball event and swimming at the Junior Olympics and swimming won out. He was forced to choose again in high school and after dropping basketball his times improved enough to earn him All-American honors and a scholarship to UCSB. In the years following college he established himself as a top sprinter winning 7 US Championships, numerous World Cup events and World Championship medals, and making 2 Olympic teams winning 2 gold, a silver and bronze medal. He was part of the WR setting 4x100 Medley Relay team in Athens, along with Brendan of course, and also holds the American Record in the 100 meter free (LC).



1. Where are you training these days and how is it going?

I'm training in Irvine most of the time, but I also train at Rose Bowl where my team is that sponsors me. Training is going really well and I'm looking forward to the upcoming year.

2. You had an amazing anchor leg in the 4x100 free in Melbourne. Do you think swimming the fastest relay leg, as well as swimming faster than every other swimmer in the pool, save Magnini, should put to rest all the talk of your age?

I hope so but I still hear talk of it. I have seen other people have success at an older age and as long as I understand what I can and can't do with my body in training there is no reason I can't still swim fast. It is difficult at times because I want to work harder but my recovery takes longer so sometimes I need to back off.

3. You had a really controversial DQ in Paris this summer. Were you ever given an explanation? How do you feel about swimming going to video review for officials like it's used in other sports? How do you refocus after something like that and move forward?

The explanation that was given to me after I wrote a long protest was that according to the starter, "I am 100% sure of movement". That's it and nothing else. They told me before the protest I was wasting my money and I wouldn't win the protest. I think having instant replay would be great in situations like this because there are very few times when they would actually have to use it (Unlike in the NFL where it seems like the games take forever because coaches are always challenging). It took me a couple weeks to calm down after that happened but fortunately it wasn't the Olympics or Olympic trials. I just needed to put my focus on next year where it really matters.

4. What activities do you enjoy when you aren't training? Have any hobbies?

I used to love to play basketball but the last thing I need is to roll an ankle so over the last several years I've been strictly an observer. I split season tickets with my cousin to the Lakers. Besides that I would have to say just relaxing and enjoying some TV with my wife.

Getty Images

I can't get over how young Brendan looks in that photo. That Medley Relay race was so exciting and perhaps the most memorable for me from Athens. It was great seeing the guys come out and just dominate the race from start to finish. If we're fortunate we'll see it happen again in Beijing with the same 4 guys. How great will that be? Read more about Jason at his official website and wish him luck this season and at Trials.