“Everything about it is personal. The sport has taught me to look at myself objectively, identify flaws and find ways to overcome them. It’s addictive”, Christien said.
At just 12 years old, Christien was already making waves in the swimming world. With his impressive speed, he quickly rose to rank number 6 in his age group in Canada for the 50m freestyle. But as he entered his teenage years, his progress hit a plateau. Despite attending a US Division 3 school for swimming and training intensively, 10 times a week, he failed to qualify for the NCAA and his progress stalled.
“Swimming is an intense and demanding sport, with no break from counting strokes and breaths. The sport can consume your life, with every moment scheduled and accounted for.”
But Christien’s unwavering determination to reach the Olympics fueled him to keep going. “I want to prove to myself what I am capable of,” he says. And that determination has paid off, as he recently joined CAMO in Montreal and feels he is training better and making progress towards his goal of reaching the Olympic games.
Aside from his athletic pursuits, Christien is also a skilled data & software engineer, working in a full-stack engineering role. Despite the demands of his day job, he is dedicated to pursuing his athletic career.
During his journey, Christien has learned important lessons that enabled him to gain control over his training and make progress towards his goals. He learned:
The importance of getting enough sleep: In a demanding sport like swimming, where every moment is scheduled and accounted for, alongside a demanding job, it can be easy to sacrifice sleep for training. However, getting enough sleep is crucial for physical and mental wellbeing,and performance.
Being kind to himself: It is important to be kind to yourself, both in and out of the pool. This insight has helped Christien maintain a positive outlook and avoid feeling overwhelmed by the demands of the sport.
Recognising that swimming is not his entire life: While swimming is a big part of Christien’s life, he has learned to recognise that being a swimmer is just a part of his identity.
Understanding that the decision to continue swimming or not is ultimately up to him: This has provided Christien with the understanding that both options are valid choices, has given him a sense of control over his future and has helped him make progress towards his goals.
“Taking care of yourself is essential to success, both in and out of the pool,” says Christien. He encourages others to prioritise their well-being and seek help when needed.
Join Christien on his journey towards his dual career swimming and professional goals.