SwimSwam Podcast: Gary Hall Jr on Olympic Experience: ”I hate the spotlight”

We had an open discussion with Olympic legend Gary Hall Jr about his Olympic experience, what his training was like throughout his career, and dealing with the spotlight.

If you know one story about GHJ, it's that he was rumored to have brought an inflatable raft to a practice during the 2004 Olympic training camp and set up shop in the dive well during a workout. Hall explains that this was true, and actually had physiological benefits - that was just what he needed that day. 

Hall also explained that his reasoning behind the famous behind-the-blocks shadow boxing was not initially mind-games or intimidation, but rather just horsing around and loosening himself up before a big race.