As swimmers steady themselves, the officials command, “Take your marks!” signifying the start of a race for senior Samuel Lorenz. With a heart-stopping “beep,” the race erupts into action. The atmosphere contains the sharp scent of chlorine, cheering from the crowd and splashing of water onto the blue tile. It’s a moment where anticipation and adrenaline collide.
Lorenz has spent 12 years in this atmosphere filled with hours of dedication and training to work towards his dreams of making it to the Olympics.
His inspiration for swimming competitively came from his father, Charles Lorenz, who was an All Academic Big 10 swimmer for the Wisconsin Badgers in the 1990s. Following in his father’s footsteps, Lorenz announced his verbal commitment to competitively swim at the University of Wisconsin – Madison in December of 2022, and officially signed with the Badgers in November of 2023.
“When comparing Madison with some of the other schools I was recruited by, I have thought that Madison is the school that best provides me with the tools for greatest success,” Lorenz said.
As far as being a current student athlete, an essential part is learning to balance athletic training with academics. It can be a test of discipline, time management and determination. In addition to 35 hours in school per week, Lorenz trains seven days a week and lifts twice.
“I try to balance the demands of training and school by managing my time well. For me, this usually means setting aside a block of time after a practice or lift to get as much homework or school work done as I can,” Lorenz said.
In the past two years, Lorenz has competed in the 2023 US Nationals/World Trials as well as the 2024 US Open, and holds high expectations for the upcoming years.
“I have goals of qualifying for Junior pan pacific championships held in Australia this summer and making the USA national junior team this year. In the next couple years I hope to make USA nationals teams, compete at NCAA championships for the badgers, and potentially make an Olympic team in 2028/2032,” Lorenz said.
Ensuring that an athlete is both mental and physically prepared is crucial for success in swimming competitions. When both mental and physical sides align, athletes are able to compete at their highest abilities. As for Lorenz’s personal preparation ahead of a race he shared that, “There is a lot that goes into an important competition. I need to pay attention to the amount of sleep I get, what I’m eating, how much physical activity I do outside the pool, and everything I do in the water and weight room,” Lorenz said.
As a nationally recognized swimmer, Lorenz is well on his way to achieving his dreams of competing in the NCAA Championships, the World Championships, and the Olympics. It is his love and passion for swimming that will help him reach the highest levels.
“I really enjoy the work that goes into the sport. I feel that swimming is different from many other sports because of the volume of training that is required to be competitive at a high level,” Lorenz said.
He further expresses what it was like swimming at national levels and his achievements.
“It has been incredibly fun and somewhat nerve racking competing against people I’ve watched on tv. I’ve raced at the 2024 US world team trials and 2023 and 2024 US Open. I am a 4x ymca national champion, Wisconsin state record holder, and Olympic trials qualifier,” Lorenz said.
In June of this summer, Lorenz has plans of competing in the US Olympic Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, continuing on his road to success.
