Ariana Dirkzwager is from Wichita, Kansas, and prior to qualifying for the Olympics, she spoke to 11Alive recently about her excitement to represent Laos.
ATLANTA — A Georgia Tech sophomore has been selected for the Laos swimming team and will travel to Paris to compete in the Olympics, where she will compete in the 200-meter freestyle.
Ariana Dirkzwager is from Wichita, Kansas. Prior to qualifying for the Summer Olympics, she spoke to 11Alive about her excitement to represent Laos and her culture at Georgia Tech.
“I can already see myself in the pool staring at the stars. Just imagining the size of the pool, the number of spectators, the number of fast swimmers, it’s awe-inspiring,” she added. “I don’t think there’s ever been an Asian American swimmer in Laos before.”
Dirk Swagger’s mother is from Laos and she still has family there. As she gets older, she says she has come to value Lao culture and traditions more. Representing her country motivates her to be a role model for the younger generation, she said. She added that the sport is not that popular in Laos.
“It’s very inspiring to have younger kids look up to me as a role model. It’s definitely a big motivator and makes me want to swim faster for them,” she added.
Dirkswager added that being a part of Georgia Tech’s diving and swimming team has been an exciting experience, as the sophomore will be coached by two-time Olympic gold medalist coach Courtney Seely-Hart.
“When you’re in that environment, you feel motivated and you feel like you can run faster. You’re around people who are faster and who have been through a lot,” she added.
Dirkswager added that getting the chance to compete in the Summer Olympics was an exciting experience that “seemed surreal.”
Dirkswager said the Olympics is when swimming is truly showcased.
“I think the fact is that for swimmers, the Olympics comes every four years. We don’t have the NBA or the Super Bowl that happens every year. The Olympics is a big event that everyone trains for, but I don’t think swimming is as big a sport as football or baseball,” she added.
11Alive will be following Dirk Zwagger’s journey to Paris, as well as those of dozens of other athletes with ties to the state.
