Vol Profile - Chris Swewart - University of Tennessee Athletics

Nov. 19, 2001

Vol Profile: Chris Stewart

Vol Profile: You're from South Africa, so not only did you make the decision to come to the United States, but you picked Tennessee, what had an influence on that decision?
Stewart: "Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to come to the states to swim and race. I had heard so much about it and there were a lot of other swimmers that were training with me that came to the states. I knew I had to swim fast to get to a university so a lot of training and planning went into it. I got recruited after I graduated from high school and there was this thrill to come over here and Tennessee gave me that opportunity to come here and race. I really enjoy it."

Vol Profile: What was your biggest shock when you got here?
Stewart: "The intensity of training and the level of competition. In South Africa, the only time we have a big meet is when we have Nationals. Coming to train and race for Tennessee, with a whole team of about 26 guys, it's all intense. All the guys' train hard, race hard, and I came here not really knowing that, but it has done a world of good for my racing."

Vol Profile: What is your favorite thing about UT?
Stewart: "I love football games. I had never experienced actually going to a football game and seeing 107,000 or 108,000 fans, and everyone is Tennessee crazy. All that orange in the stadium it gives me goose bumps every time I walk into the stadium. I've never experienced that before."

Vol Profile: Is there anyone you look to for motivation or a hero you try to mold yourself after?
Stewart: "I try to be my own person and not really have any influences, but there have been some great swimmers who have come out of South Africa. John T. Skinner used to be a world record holder coming from South Africa. I've also had my coach back home, Peter Williams. He was a world record holder in the 50(m) free-style, he went to Nebraska. I was talking to him before I came to the states, seeing how he actually motivated himself to become a world record holder being from South Africa and not doing as much base as the Americans had coming over here. I pretty much look up to him and listen to what he has to say."

Vol Profile: What kind of expectations do you have for the season?
Stewart: "Last year I improved a lot in my 200(m), surprising, I won the console at NCAA for 200(m) breast (stroke). I don't want to make any consoles I want to make finals. I've won the consoles at SEC for three years, ever since my freshmen year. I'm sort of the console kid but I want to change that and make finals and medal. Hopefully Jeremy (McDonnell) and I can go one and two at SECs this year, that would be really big for us."

Vol Profile: Do you have a favorite or most memorable moment at UT?
Stewart: "My most favorite moment is probably when I went 1:57.6 in the 200(m) breast (stroke) at the SECs, 200(m) breast (stroke) has never really been a strong point of mine. It's been 100(m) breast (stroke) my whole life. Going from a 2:01 in the morning to a 1:57.6 at night, the whole team was behind me. I looked in the crowd and I had all this support. I surprised myself and I surprised the coaches and that was the moment that I saw the team and I really felt appreciated."

Vol Profile: Do you have any mental preparation you go through before a meet?
Stewart: "A few nights before you start thinking about the race and start to visualize how you are going to achieve your times and goals at the meet. I don't think there is anything I really go through, I listen to music before I race and just get pumped up before I swim."

Vol Profile: What are your hobbies and interests outside of swimming?
Stewart: "I like playing golf. I grew up in South Africa playing golf, and I've played a few rounds since I've been here."

Vol Profile: After you graduate, what would you like to be remembered for?
Stewart: "I would like to be remembered as being fun, being a good team leader, a hard worker and a great racer."