Sport is not a place for weaklings. Many would say that ballet is even tougher than sports. To some extent, that’s true. The world of ballet is very cruel, and the physical condition is no worse than that of athletes. However, it is not easy to achieve success in the world of sports, even though no one puts broken glass in your sneakers. In sports, you compete with yourself, not just with competitors. Exhausting training, unbreakable strength of mind and self-discipline are the qualities that are inherent in swimmer Lia Neal. Find out more at brooklynka.com.
Freestyle
Lia Neal was born in 1995 in Brooklyn, New York. The girl has African-American roots on her father’s side and Chinese on her mother’s. Such a unique blend of nationalities gave the girl an unusual appearance. She could have easily become a model, but swimming captured her soul.
Her love for this sport came from her school days. In high school, she studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart in NYC, which is an independent Roman Catholic school exclusively for girls. It is one of the most prestigious and best schools in the city, providing its students with a classical education and a golden ticket to the future. Notably, Lady Gaga and Natali Germanotta, the renowned designer and sister of the aforementioned singer, are among its alumni.
The school had its own swimming club, of which Lia was a part. Her success in swimming helped her continue her studies at Stanford University. The university had its own swimming team, which she managed to become a part of. It was within this team that she participated in the first significant competitions of her sporting career.
As a student, she ranked among the top three in the 100-yard freestyle swimming events at the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Lia chose freestyle swimming, a style that allows the athlete to swim in any style and change it directly during the swimming process. Freestyle is considered one of the fastest swimming styles, although it is not the easiest.
Great achievements
In 2012, Lia Neal joined the American national team. Being a member of the team allowed her to make a name for herself on a national level. Her achievements earned her the right to compete at the Olympic Games in London. These were the first games in her career, she won a bronze medal there. She also secured a bronze medal at the FINA World Swimming Championships in Istanbul. It was a pretty good start for a beginner.
Neal’s path in the competition did not have large-scale jumps. She moved smoothly and confidently to new victories. In 2015, Lia took a bronze medal at the World Aquatics Championships in Kazan for freestyle and silver in the medley relay. She also won a silver medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. At the Summer Universiade in Gwangju, she claimed an undisputed victory. She never returned home without medals.
2018 could easily be called the year of Lia Neal. She won three gold medals and one silver medal at the Hangzhou competition. The following year, she won again at the Pan American Games in Lima.
The path to the winner’s podium is long and hard. In Lia Neal’s case, it was not just about self-discipline and fortitude. According to the US Swimming, 64% of African-American children either can’t swim at all or have very poor swimming skills. This is caused by moments of racism in American swimming pools. Lia Neal can be said to be lucky, but she understands how difficult it can be for other children. 64% is not just a number, it is a hidden potential. There may be new Olympic champions among these children. In her free time, she actively supports various platforms and ideas to solve this problem. The involvement of African-American children in sports and equalizing their rights in the sports world never ceases to concern the swimmer.