We recently interviewed former Olympic swimmer Gary Hall Jr. at the Grand Hyatt in Manhattan. Gary (who has won 10 Olympic medals), his dad and his uncle all swam in the Olympics. Gary, who is also a diabetic, recently tried for his fourth consecutive Olympic team, but didn't make it this year.
At what age did you know you were good enough to make it to the Olympics?
I was a little slow on the uptake. I didn't know that I was any good. When I was a freshman in high school I would jump out of the pool in the main set and run around waving my arms saying I am going to the Olympics! Everybody laughed so hard because nobody thought in a million years that I would go to the Olympics. I was a terrible swimmer and a skinny little kid.
How did you feel when you first heard you had diabetes?
I was older than you were when I was diagnosed, I was 24, and I didn't know very much about it. I think we are most afraid of the things we don't really know about. I think there was a combination of fear and shock and anger and frustration and panic all rolled into one. I remember thinking to myself later on that if I could make that day a little less scary for other people by not letting diabetes stop me that is what I would want to do.
Did you stop swimming for a while after you were diagnosed?
I did. I was told that day when I was diagnosed that I couldn't do the necessary training that needed to be done for the Olympic Games. I was told that I could continue swimming recreationally.
When you train for the Olympics how much and how often do you train?
I am training five to up to eight hours a day. That includes weightlifting, some running, some boxing, and a bunch of sit ups and pull-ups, push-ups and a lot of swimming. We do that about six days a week, we get Sundays off. I think Beijing is going to be the largest Olympics games for several Olympics to come. I think the Chinese are going to do an outstanding job putting on this event. This is an opportunity to show the world what they are capable of.
Do you prefer to swim in relays or individual events?
In '96 my best performances were for relays. I was very proud of that.
Would you like to carry the American flag for the team at the Olympics?
My father was selected. Each team captain for each Olympic sports get together and each sport submits a candidate. My father was selected as a candidate in 1976, and he was selected to carry the flag. He won three Olympics medals and had 11 world records. I remember growing up being more proud of the fact that he carried the flag. It is a tremendous honor.
Do you remember the first time you actually competed in a swim race?
I was a kid and my aunt was a lifeguard at a summer rec pool. That was the first time I swam and they gave me a blue ribbon. And I think they gave everybody blue ribbons.
Do you remember where and when was the first race you won?
No, I don't. You've got to start somewhere, and it is never the top. I've lost a lot more races than I have ever won. There is no failure in coming in second or 42nd.
When you were 10, was there anything else you wanted to do besides swimming?
I thought I was going to be a basketball player, and I probably would have been a very mediocre basketball player. I've always said that I could probably warm the bench for any professional team. I think I found my right sport.
What is the race club, and why did you start it?
It is a step beyond collegiate swimming. It's where top level swimmers from around the world can come and train and live together and compete against each other. We have a lot of guys who are in the finals for the Olympics down there every single day. It helps bring out the best in everyone.
Did any one thing happen in your life that made you think you had diabetes?
I was experiencing all the classic symptoms. I was thirsty a lot. But at the time I was living in Arizona, and everybody said it was a dry heat. I used that for a reason for being thirsty all the time. I was tired all the time. I figured I was training for the Olympics, I should be tired. I was swimming six, seven hours a day, but there were a few things I couldn't explain. I would get shaky in the middle of the practice. I thought just drinking some Gatorade was a solution.
Do you test your blood sugar?
I test my blood sugar all the time. Every single day, I have never tested my blood sugar less than five times a day.
Did you ever get discouraged when you were young and want to quit?
Look, everybody has bad days and everybody has obstacles that they have to face. For us it is having diabetes. Everybody has something they have to contend with. You would say that here is a guy with 10 Olympic medals he must be really, really motivated, but you still have those days.
Gary Hall, Jr. is a Type 1 diabetic and a spokesperson for BD. He relies the company's technology to manage his disease so he can swim at a highly competitive level. BD is a leading global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. For more information, please visit www.bd.com
