Interview with Slovenian Olympic swimmer Damir Dugonjic

“Wow, you did so great. We are really proud of you.”

Damir Dugonjic is a 20-year old Slovenian swimmer who competed at the Summer Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing. He finished 16^th in the 100-meter breaststroke, setting a new Slovenian national record and meeting all expectations. Damir has lived in the US since Fall 2007 where he attends the University of California at Berkeley with two other Slovenian Olympic swimmers, Sara Isakovic, a freshman at Berkeley and silver medalist from Beijing (200m freestyle),  and senior Jernej Godec, who finished 18^th in the 50-meter freestyle.

We talked to Damir not just because he is a great Slovenian athlete with Olympic experience who has lived in the United States for a while, but also because he still calls “home” a town where I come from – Ravne na Koroskem*.

Damir, tell us how it feels to walk under your country’s flag at the opening ceremony and in general to participate in the Olympic Games. Can you describe the experience for us?

Unfortunately I couldn’t be at the opening ceremony, because I had a race the next day.

That’s unfortunate. Did you see it on a TV?

Yes, I saw it on a TV, and I liked it.

What did other team members who were at the opening ceremony say about the experience?

They said it was very nice but at the same time very hot. They were standing there for six hours and got pretty tired.

Those were your first Olympic Games. What kind of lessons did you learn in Beijing ? What’s the biggest difference between the Olympic Games and other big competitions?  

It’s much different. It’s definitely harder to get to the finals or win a medal. All the best athletes come to the Olympics, and they’ve been preparing for the Games for years or even all their lives. People want to be the best. The atmosphere is much better at the Olympics than at other competitions.

Congratulations on your 16^th place finish. What were you expectations before the Olympics?  

I wasn’t sure if I was going to go until just a little bit before the Olympics because I hadn’t had the qualifying time. So, I was working on that first. Once I had qualified I started aiming for the semi-finals.

So, you met your goal?

Yes, I did. I accomplished it.

How did you celebrate your success at the Olympics and then back home in Slovenia ?

I was done after the third day so I had ten more days there. I celebrated with other team mates who were also done with their competitions. We visited some clubs, went to silk markets, and took a trip to the Great Wall. We had fun.

When I got back to Slovenia I stayed out of the pool for one month. I spent time with my family, whom I hadn’t seen for an entire year. I went to the beach in Croatia with some friends.

Now, that you are an Olympic athlete with such great success at the games do people treat you differently?

I feel like more people know me in my town, Ravne. People I’ve never met are greeting me and congratulating me on the street.

A year before Beijing you moved to the US . Does it feel different here as well?

Yes, they go: “Wow, you did so great. We are really proud of you.”

How many swimmers are there at Berkeley altogether and how many of you went to the Olympics?

There are around 40 swimmers and five of us participated in the Olympics. However, more than 30 or 40 athletes from Berkeley competed in Beijing . All together, Berkeley students won around 11 medals in different sports in Beijing .

Let’s talk now a bit about your life in the US . This is your second year here. Have you gotten used to it? Are there things that you particularly like? Are there any habits that you have already adopted?  

I like living here in California . I don’t know about other states. Besides California , I’ve only been to Washington and Colorado . People in California are easy going, relaxed, at least at Berkeley . I like it a lot.

Is there still anything that’s hard to understand here?

I can’t decode the insurance system, for sure.

What do you study?

My major is Environmental Sciences.

How does this whole thing with school and practice work here? What does your day look like?

Morning swimming practice runs from 6 to 8. Then I chose to go to classes between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. I have practice again in the afternoon from 1 to 4. In the evening I study and do some homework, sometimes I have classes. It’s pretty busy, but manageable. 

So, basically you practice 5 hours a day and that’s it. Five, six, seven days a week?

Basically it’s five hours a day on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Tuesday and Thursdays a little less. Sundays are off and on Saturdays there is a two-hour morning practice.

That’s pretty much the same as it would be in Slovenia , isn’t it?

Yes, except I probably couldn’t go to school at the same time. You can’t pick what time you go to classes in Slovenia , and that’s crucial.

What are other differences between US and Slovenia , in terms of swimming practice?

It’s much more fun here. They make it look more like a game with mini competitions and so on. However, you still have to do all the hard work  Also, we have much more space here - we have an entire swimming pool to ourselves during practice.

Knowing what conditions are available here and in Slovenia , do you think you would have qualified for the Olympics had you not come to the US ?

I was thinking about that. It’s hard to say but I would say no. However, one can never know. One thing is certain; I wouldn’t go to college in Slovenia and would focus solely on swimming. Instead, here I did both. I finished a year of study and went to the Olympics.

With a schedule like that, do you have any downtime? What do you usually do on those days?

Usually I just hang out with friends. I try to leave Berkeley and go to the city. Sometimes I go to see a movie and sometimes I just sleep if I am too tired.

Have you had a chance to travel around the US ? You mentioned you’d visited Washington and Colorado . Have you been to any other parts of the country, not necessarily for swimming competitions but on your own?

I don’t really have time to go on my own. All my travel is related to when we go to competitions and training camps. In addition to Washington and Colorado , we traveled to Arizona last year. This year we are going to Austin , Texas for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship.

Have any of the places you’ve visited particularly fascinated you?  

Arizona was very cool.

Are you a professional swimmer?

I don’t think so because I can’t take any money. I am a student here and if you win something you are not allowed to take the prize.

Is that because you are a foreigner and you are here on a student visa, or is there a different reason?

No, no student, whether American or foreign, is allowed to take any money that may be offered to them for their sport-related achievements.

How about arrangements with sponsors?

You cannot have sponsors while a student.

Is Michael Phelps a student?

Well, he is a student but because of his endorsement deals with some sponsors he was forced to forfeit his right to swim for the varsity team because he was not considered an amateur.

Does that rule apply to every sport?

Yes, it applies to every sport.

How about if you are, such as in your case, from Slovenia , or other student athletes who come from other countries and you are offered a contract or sponsorship in your country, are you allowed to accept that?

Well, technically you could do it and then try to hide it, but if they found out they would kick you out of the school for sure. It’s not worth it.

So, no business deals for you until school is over?

No deals for another two years.

Have you gotten any offers, though?

I did in Slovenia , but I didn’t take them.

Okay, we’ve established you can’t make any money while you are a student. How about activities such as public speaking, such as, promoting swimming or a healthy way of living, and encouraging kids to be physically active? Are you allowed to do that?

I am not sure about that, but I think that’s allowed.

That means you probably haven’t done any public speaking so far?

No, not really. Here at Berkeley we sometimes have kids who come to visit. I talked to them about swimming, but nothing special otherwise.

What are your plans for the future? Will you swim for another two years until you are done with school or longer?

I think I will swim until the next Olympics and then I’ll decide if I want to continue, if I am competitive enough, or I may quit and find a job. That’s why I study now, that’s why I came here - to be able to swim and get an education at the same time.

So, you will swim for another four years until the next Olympics. Do you think you will stay here in the US all this time, or do you plan to move back to Slovenia or somewhere else once you are done with school?

I don’t know because I still have a lot of time. I see myself going back to Europe , but I am not sure. Anything can happen, anything is possible. I may find myself a soul mate and get married (laughter).

Is there any particular country in Europe that offers especially good conditions for  swimmers?

Maybe England or France .

What other competitions are there on your list before the 2012 Olympics?

Next year there is the World Championship in Rome , for which I have already qualified.

What are your goals for that one?

My general goal is to win a medal at a large international competition, such as the Olympics, World Championship, or European Championship. I haven’t won one yet as an adult; I only won one at the junior European Championship.

Let’s say you win a medal at the 2012 Olympics. You will still be very young for a swimmer. It wouldn’t be unusual to continue swimming, would it?

Yes, I’ll be 24 then and if I won a medal, I would probably continue swimming.

How about after your swimming career? I read the other day about Jure Kosic still being heavily involved with skiing as a business person. Have you ever thought about that, staying involved with swimming even after an active career?

I don’t know. I don’t see myself being a coach, but I would definitely like to help in some way. I’ve learned a lot about swimming, especially within the last year of being here.

You have started a new season already. How far into it are you?

Yes, the season started in September and the first half lasts until January. It’s going to be hard the next few months. Then we get a week long break, after which we go to altitude training camp to Colorado Springs . When we return, we start a resting period for a couple of months. Then we shave, put long suits on, and get ready for the NCAA. After that the focus will be on studying and exams. In the summer, there will be the World Championship in Rome where I’ll be swimming for Slovenia .

No doubt you have a very busy year ahead of you. We wish you all the best and thank you for taking time out for this conversation.

Subscribe to the newsletter! It's FREE

Enter your details into the form below to start receiving SlovInUS News