Q and A with Megan Jendrick

Megan Jendrick is a two time Olympic Gold Medalist and ten time US National Champion. As one of our top Breaststrokers, she's going to be fighting some stiff competition to make the US Olympic team, but her 2007 World Silver medal proves that she's got more than enough talent to do that and more.


Photo credit: Nathan Jendrick

1. You had an amazing first Olympics, winning two gold medals in Sydney and then JUST missed making your second Olympic team in 2004. Now you have another shot at it. What have you learned about yourself since 2004 that will help you in 2008?

I think the biggest thing I took away from 2004 Trials was that my confidence level has to be 100% on. To be entirely honest, going into Long Beach, I wasn't sure that the training I had received in the couple of prior years was what I needed to make that team. It wasn't a comfortable situation I came out of; I was training by myself and the atmosphere wasn't one that just urged high-level swimming. In 2000 if someone asked me about making the Olympic team I said, "Yes, I'm going to make the team." In 2004 it was, "I hope so." Now, going into 2008, it's back to "Yes, I'm going to make the team." I think you'll find just about every athlete at our level who does great things has that same attitude, and I think it's necessary.

2. You were dealing with several stress fractures back in 2006. Have you fully recovered from them now? How is your training going?

I have actually been dealing with multiple stress fractures since very early 2005. They hurt all the time (one in my knee, two in my opposite fibula) and aside from affecting my training in the pool, they pretty much rendered my lower body useless when it came to dry land training. For quite awhile I couldn't even walk long distances without pain.

The longest break I've had since coming back to swimming was just over two weeks, and my doctors say I need 6-8 weeks off at the least, assuming I haven't made them worse, to let them heal. Obviously, that isn't going to happen, but for the most part the only one that still bothers me is in my knee. When it's really flared up, pushing off the wall is extremely painful, but most of the time it's ok. My trainer has had to do some major revamping to my weight routines since I can't do squats or leg pressing movements, but luckily he's very good and has found a way to have me get all of the work I need in with movements I can do.

3. A question I've been asking all the breaststrokers - How do you feel with the new dolphin kick on the pull-out? What was your feeling about the rule change - Overdue or unnecessary?

I could actually answer that both ways. At first I was against it merely for the fact that it just doesn't seem right to have a dolphin kick in breaststroke. In that sense, I feel it's unnecessary because breaststroke had so many beautiful components on its own without it. But in the way of it being overdue, I think they had to add it to make it fair. The athletes who were doing it when it wasn't legal were cheating those who were swimming fairly, and they weren't getting disqualified for it. So, to make it a level playing field, it was one way to do it. It was either that or really step up the officiating of the rule, which may have just caused a lot of problems, I don't know. But, just like morning finals, it's one of those things we can complain about now but that won't change anything, so we adapt and everyone has the same requirements.

4. FINA has pretty much said that underwater cameras in officiating is inevitable but that they won't have it in place for Beijing despite already testing them last season. How do you feel about the addition of underwater cameras?

I would love to see underwater cameras in officiating. We already know of one major butterfly race that would have seen a different gold medalist, and there are some breaststrokers too who do several dolphin kicks during their actual race but don't get disqualified for it. I think it could do a lot of good. As for there being a delay, I'm not sure why it would be hard to implement. There are already dozens of cameras on the bottom of the pool and so many ways to watch them, but I'm sure they have their reasons, one of which may be differentiating what is considered "Natural movement" of the legs after the kick. Whenever they do get put to use though, I say it's for the better.

5. Are there any other athletes you've met during your career that made you feel a little starstruck?

Just two. Leading into the Sydney Olympics, I was on several occasions in newspapers and on television, called the "Muhammad Ali of swimming" because of the things I said. Ali would say what he was going to do, and then go and do it. I feel I did the same leading into Sydney and at the Games themselves. Well, then I saw him in person, and I was so much in awe that I couldn't even introduce myself! Then, awhile back, Jack O'Callahan (1980 US Olympic hockey team) was doing a presentation, and even though I've been asked for my autograph thousands and thousands of times, I was too nervous to ask him for his!

You can read more about Megan on her website or go over to Swimroom.com and check out her blog.