“I usually try to eat lot of calories. With so many events, it is important to sustain a high level of energy through the entire meet. I usually eat two hours before a meet.”

Once I’m already in my room, I still have to open a door to get into my bed. It’s like a giant box. It’s like the boy in a bubble.

I have a lot of goals, but I think that I just want to take it day by day.

I think goals should never be easy, they should force you to work, even if they are uncomfortable at the time.

There were times I wouldn’t come to practice, because it didn’t excite me. It wasn’t interesting. I was kind of going through the motions.

I consider myself normal. I’ve spent 20 years in the pool. I consider that something that’s normal.

I used to always go to church on holidays, but I don’t go much any more.

I haven’t swam in any of the rivers outside of Baltimore. I try to keep it in the pool.

Growing up in high school, I wasn’t hanging out with friends every day or on the weekends. Doing normal high school kid things was something I was willing to give up.

I can’t remember the last day I didn’t train.

You can’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get.

I won’t predict anything historic. But nothing is impossible.

I have reached a place in my life where I need to sit down and say, ‘Well, what do I do? What’s best for me?’ I need to look into options for the future.

Swimming is normal for me. I’m relaxed. I’m comfortable, and I know my surroundings. It’s my home.

Any Olympic sport is great to watch.

This is my 20th year in the sport. I’ve known swimming and that’s it. I don’t want to swim past age 30; if I continue after this Olympics, and come back in 2016, I’ll be 31. I’m looking forward to being able to see the other side of the fence.

I’m so sick of the water.

It is the only sport that shares its name with an insect. It is the only sport in which spectators burn as many calories as players – more if they are moderately restless.

I eat pretty much whatever I want. I don’t have a strict diet. It’s all about cramming in as many calories into my system as I possibly can.

Excuses don’t burn calories

I’ve got to have my cookies and cream! But I work out a lot, so I burn a lot of calories.

But what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are.

I don’t burn any calories trying to be masculine; I just happen to be from that world.