If we can continue to come together and work on small things little by little, at least it's something. It's a start. At least now there's a lot more talk about climate change and the Earth's state than when I was a kid. I guess it's better late than never? But it's also very tricky because this is something that's so important to so many of us, and a lot of people don't see it that way. But hopefully, we can get all our points across to them - one by one, one person at a time.

I want to be able to look back and say, 'I've done everything I can, and I was successful.' I don't want to look back and say I should have done this or that. I'd like to change things for the younger generation of swimmers coming along.

We wanted to see how close we could get to the world record. We'll take that for right now.

I learned how fast you can go from being an international hero to being a reference in a joke on a late night talk show.

I feel most at home in the water. I disappear. That's where I belong.

If I didn't swim my best, I'd think about it at school, at dinner, with my friends. It would drive me crazy.

I knew I was not a failure in any way, and so did those close to me. It doesn't matter if you fall short; it is never a failure to go after your goals with everything you've got.