Summarized Swimming Superstitions from Athletes

USA TODAY

In a video featuring Paige Madden, a silver medalist from Tokyo, she and her teammates discuss their unique swimming superstitions. Paige shares that she prefers to race without painting her nails due to a past bad experience. Lily King mentions that she slaps her leg five times before each race as part of her ritual. Nick Fink always performs a second warm-up before a race due to a high school experience where missing it resulted in a significant loss. Another unnamed teammate likes to do a pull-out with arms in the air before stepping onto the block. Finally, Ryan checks the wedge on the block to ensure it's locked in place. These personal routines highlight how individual superstitions can influence swimmers' performances and give them a psychological edge.

Highlights

• Paige Madden doesn't paint her nails while racing due to a past bad experience.
• Lily King slaps her leg five times before each race.
• Nick Fink performs a second warm-up before racing due to a past loss.
• One teammate likes to do a pull-out with arms in the air before stepping onto the block.
• Ryan ensures the wedge on the starting block is locked into place before racing.
• These routines serve as psychological preparations for the athletes.
• Superstitions are personal and vary greatly among athletes.
• Many of these rituals stem from past experiences.
• Just as athletes have physical training regimens, they also have mental preparations.
• Superstitions can sometimes boost confidence and performance.