The problem with heart disease is the first symptom is often fatal.

Swimming is normal for me. I’m relaxed. I’m comfortable, and I know my surroundings. It’s my home.

It’s the Olympics. If you can’t get up to swim early in the morning, don’t go.

I’m kind of a creature of habit. Once I get used to doing things, it’s like second nature.

We’re all a little tired.

I like to get in my own world. When I’m getting ready for a meet, I always have headphones on, listening to rap music to get myself fired up.

If you say “can’t” you’re restricting what you can do or ever will do.

Things won’t go perfect. It’s all about how you adapt from those things and learn from mistakes.

When I race, I don’t think about it; it just happens.

I don’t want to be the next Mark Spitz; I want to be the first Michael Phelps.

People say to me, ‘You’re so lucky. You get to see the world.’ But I don’t. I go to the hotel and to the pools and back again. That’s it.

I got the stamina. I can close.

I want to test my maximum and see how much I can do. And I want to change the world of swimming.

My goal is one Olympic gold medal. Not many people in this world can say, ‘I’m an Olympic gold medalist.’

I won’t predict anything historic. But nothing is impossible.

If I want to achieve the goals I’ve set, I’ve got to be in tip-top shape.

I have reached a place in my life where I need to sit down and say, ‘Well, what do I do? What’s best for me?’ I need to look into options for the future.

Why is it such a big deal what I’m swimming?

If you’re not on your ‘A’ game in our workouts every day, you’re going to get absolutely smoked.