Dakota Tucker

Team Speedo Athlete - Dakota Tucker

Hometown

Johannesburg

Activity

Butterfly, Freestyle and IM

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Team Speedo Athlete - Dakota Tucker

Dakota is a South African swimmer from Johannesburg who competes in butterfly, breaststroke and IM events. 

Tell us about your earliest swimming memory.

My earliest swimming memory would be when I was about 9 years old and after begging my mom to start club swimming, one day when I was sitting with my sisters my mom came up to me and told me that I was signed up to start swimming lessons at our local club. I vividly remember having felt overjoyed when she told me that I was about to start swimming and my passion for swimming has not changed ever since.

Why is swimming such a special sport for you?

Swimming is such a special sport because although it is not a team sport, you are constantly surrounded by others who are in the same position, at training and galas, as you which makes it such a motivating environment to be in. Apart from the “team” aspect, swimming also provides you with an opportunity to escape from your world.

Which of your achievements are you the proudest of and why?

My most memorable event to date was taking part in the junior CANA African games held in Tunisia in 2019, it was my first time representing South Africa as part of the national team. I was extremely happy with my results from that gala, where I received medals in all my events and could not have gone to that event with a better team! I had made lifelong friends on that tour who I am still in close contact with now and could not have asked for a better experience with the Junior National Team.

How do you stay motivated throughout the season?

As an athlete, there are always days when you might face many challenges and find it difficult to keep going, especially as a young athlete who is still busy with academics and busy social life, I have learnt that it is always important to stay focused on your goals and be inspired by the people around you who are also in the same boat and give the very best to try and achieve their goals. The team and support that I am given keep me inspired and help me stay motivated even when it gets tough.

What are your goals for the year ahead?

My goal for the year ahead is to go to a college overseas, in the States, and chose a college that will both benefit me with my swimming and academics for the years after swimming. Another goal of mine would be to represent South Africa the next year at an international event. I was meant to participate in Junior Worlds and World Short Course Champs last year but I was unable to attend because of restrictions at the time.

What do you do to prepare for a race?

Before a big event I usually do a lot of mental preparation (visualisation) for a few weeks leading up until the event and during training before a major gala a lot of race strategy so that when I get to the event, I feel confident in myself and know that I am in the best state that I can be in that moment. Right before a race, I like to distract myself by talking to my friends around me about topics that aren’t related to swimming just so that I don’t stress myself out.

Apart from swimming, what do you do for fun?

Right now, I am still currently in school, so when I get “free time” which is not very often because of schoolwork and training, I like to spend time with my friends and family whenever I possibly can during the holidays and weekends.

Why are you excited to be a part of the Speedo family?

Speedo is an incredible brand, not only in South Africa but across the entire world. The speedo family is full of incredible athletes which I can look up to and being a part of the same family, motivates me to become like these athletes and it also enables me to help inspire the upcoming generation of swimmers younger than me.