Swimmer Lia Neal on Living in the Olympic Village and Winning her First Medal
Though the London Olympics just wrapped, we're already thinking about Rio 2016. Turns out, Lia Neal is too. Fresh off a successful, medal-winning Olympics debut, Lia's now preparing for her senior year of high school. As colleges around the nation court Lia, she's being picky—and rightfully so. The next four years of training will be integral to her success, as she hopes to qualify for the individual swimming events in the next Olympic Games. Keep an eye on this up-and-comer; we expect her to be a household name four years from now.
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Photo: Getty Images1/6Are you happy with your performance in London?
"Going into the Olympics, we weren't sure which swimmers would be in the relay. I was really excited when I heard the news that I had been put in; I wasn't nervous at all. I always thought when people said that the Olympic Games weren't as nerve-wracking as the Olympic Trials, they were just saying it to calm me down, but it's true! After I was done swimming, I wanted to get in the pool and race again."
How did it feel to stand on the podium and receive your medal?
"When we were in the ready room before we lined up to get on the podium, there was a mirror, and we all checked our hair! It was funny. When we walked out, I tried to find my family in the crowd. I saw my brother and Team USA cheering in the audience, and I smiled. It was a really long ceremony, but it was cool for the first five minutes!"
2/6This seventeen-year-old athlete brought a bronze medal in the 400-meter freestyle relay back home to Brooklyn.
Photo of Lia's Olympics-inspired nail art courtesy of the Neal family3/6What was it like to live in the Olympic Village?
"It reminded me of The Hunger Games—it was an arena where all the athletes lived! It's cool to see so many fit people walking around; you see a lot of speed walkers. The dining hall was huge! There's a food section for each culture. It was cool for the first few days, but then I realized they kept serving the same food at each section."
Photo of Lea at age nine with future teammate Michael Phelps. Courtesy of the Neal family4/6Is there a particular swimmer who you look up to?
"During training, I was still in awe that I was on the same team as so many of the swimmers. One of the first swimmers I knew about was Natalie Coughlin. She was the golden girl, and she still is. It was so cool to be on the same team as her. I've been on a few swimming trips with Michael Phelps. He was really happy and friendly during the Games."
Photo of Lia, Allison Schmitt, Jessica Hardy, and Missy Franklin: Getty Images5/6What was the dynamic like on the Olympic swim team?
"Everyone got along well—no drama! A lot of the veterans said that it was the closest and nicest team they've been on. I watched our 'Call Me Maybe' video one of the last few days that I was in London, and it made me realize how we weren't so close before the Games, but we came together while in London."
Photo courtesy of the Neal family6/6You're going into your senior year of high school. What are your plans for the next few months?
"I start school in September. I have recruiting trips that go on from September to November, but I think mine will be over with by October. I have four schools in mind. They're on the West Coast and in Texas."
Are you going to begin training for the next Olympics?
"I'm aiming for Rio 2016. I'm excited to see what I can get out of college training—by 2016, I'll hopefully be good enough to make individual events in addition to the relay. The 100 meter free race is my best event right now."
