Katie Ledecky
“I remember walking in to the Century Link Center for the very first time and just getting goose bumps. It was the first time that I was going to be swimming in that kind of stadium with seating all around, and just I knew it was going to be an amazing meet and an awesome experience.”

Nathan Adrian
“Olympic Trials is just a really unique thing. There's nothing like it. Olympic Games aren't like it. World Championships aren't like it. Pan Pacs aren't like it, nothing. Even down to the smell. It's fresh construction. You got that padding around the pool that has a very distinct smell and you just know, you're like, we're here again. I remember in 2012 being like, ‘all right, it's time to go again.’ I think USA Swimming does a phenomenal job of making it an incredible spectacle. I have friends who are on other countries' Olympic teams, who are medal contenders for other countries who are like, ‘man, I want to take a little bit of time off and I want to come watch you guys' Olympic Trials, I've just heard it's so cool.’ The word has spread about how cool and exciting Olympic Trials is. It's just something you've got to see.”

Ryan Murphy
“That was one of my first big meets I would say. You know I got there and I had no idea what to expect. But there aren't many times when I walk into a pool and I get chills and that was one of the times when I walked into the pool and I was like ‘man, this is cool.’ So I remember my first warm up I was just like sprinting the whole thing because I was just so excited to be there. And then just as the meet went on I tried to settle down. Get more into my zone. I think I could have done a little bit better job of that. But it was super cool being able to swim in a final, a semifinal and seeing stands all filled. I remember specifically before my 100 back final I decided to just look around and see it and I just like stood up, looked all the way around got the whole 360 view …”

Cullen Jones
“There's nothing like it. The Olympic Games, it's just different. Omaha, there's fire shooting out of the floors. They do it right. The Trials are very, very intimidating for us. I remember last Trials for London. We were standing there ready for the 50 free and Nathan and Anthony and I and Nathan's like, 'is the ground shaking?' We were coming out for the 50 and people were just stomping … You couldn't simulate that sound. It was just like being a gladiator walking out for the first time, I would assume, in Rome. It was amazing. And quite a bit nerve-wracking actually. For me personally, I try to thrive in those moments and live in those moments. I've been put in some awesome scenarios where I've had to perform there and my coach always says, ‘when the lights are brightest, that's you find another gear.’ I try to live in those moments. There's nothing like Trials. There's nothing like it.”