Felicia Lee – Swimming Team USA
SHENZHEN – Due to jealousy and a piece of chocolate, Felicia Lee, 19, and one of the swimmers of the Team USA at the 26th Universiade told a little bit about her history in swimming and her relationship with China.
“I started swimming when I was 3 years old because my mother wanted me to have swim class, so I wouldn’t drown when I fell into the water”, Felicia explained.
After her brother got on the swim team, envy hit her, “I was so jealous to see him joining the team that I wanted to do the same thing as well.”
“Later, I noticed that when he swam he earned a piece of chocolate, and I decided to join the team too, because I really wanted a chocolate too,” said Felicia laughing about the situation.
At the age of 13 Lee already had practiced many sports, i.e. volleyball, soccer, basketball. It was then that she decided to take swimming seriously. Born in New Jersey, she moved to Maryland to train with Bob Bowman, same coach of Michael Phelps.
“I went there because I wanted to get better in my performances.”
An butterfly expert, Felicia has been in international competitions defending the colors of the U.S. Junior team. First time here at the Universiade, she won a gold medal in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay and ended in 8th place in the Women’s 100m butterfly.
“I did pretty well, because we had the national championship two weeks before coming here but honestly I wish my 100 butterfly could have been a little better.”
“I learned a lot, I’ll take the experience with me and I want to participate at the next Universiade.”
There is a special relationship between China and Felicia, as her parents are Chinese.
“It’s nice to be in the land where my parents were born, but I speak very little Mandarin. I understand more than I talk.”
Asked if she would live in China Lee replied: No, I love America, but for sure I would come on vacations.
“Going back toAmerica, I will work on the mistakes I made here and as any other swimmer, I will try my best qualifying at the U.S Olympic Trials for London 2012,” Felicia ended.
(Source: Everton Melo, FISU-AIPS Young Reporter/Brazil)
