Blake Pieroni, Mizuno USA‘s first sponsored swimmer, has been making a splash since he joined the team. Between taking classes as a full-time student and training for the next Summer Games, he took the time to let his fans know a little more about him.
Can you tell us how you got started in swimming?
My dad swam at Purdue University and was my first coach. I started swimming competitively when I was 7-years-old. However, I didn’t know I was going to swim collegiately until my junior year of high school.
Why do you love swimming? 
I love the competitiveness and the objectivity of swimming. There are no officials. Every distance is the same and it’s a way to test my competitiveness against everyone else.
Can you share some of your favorite career moments?
My first international team was in 2013 at Junior World Championships in Dubai and I made it on the 4 x 200 relay. Some of the guys from this competition were on my same Summer Games team. And of course the 2016 Summer Games!
Who has been your mentor?
There isn’t one person that stands out more than the other. Each coach that I have had has been almost perfect for me at that point in my career.
What tips or advice would you give to swimmers who want to reach your level of success?
Don’t let yourself get burnt out and maintain your love for the sport.
What would you want people to remember you as?
Just being a tough and relentless competitor. Regardless of who I am racing against, the person knows that I am always going to give 100%. I also want to be remembered as someone who moved the sport forward and left it better than when I came in.
To stay updated with Mizuno Swim and Blake Pieroni, follow on Instagram @mizunoswimnorthamerica.
Published: March 2019