Viewers of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials were privy to an entertainment bonus: the signature dance routines performed by Erdenheim native Sierra Schmidt, writes Layla A. Jones for Billy Penn.
Thanks to the rhythmic moves she performs while wearing noise-canceling headphones or earbuds before scaling the platform, Schmidt has been dubbed the “Dancing Queen.”
“Everyone has their own pre-race routine,” said Schmidt. “And for me it’s, it’s the dancing. Mine’s just a little bit more unique.”
She also encourages all the swimmers she talks to, especially the younger ones, “to experiment with pre-race routines.”
And the accomplished swimmer’s results are even better than her choreographed warm-ups.
These include breaking the Pan American Games record for the 800-meter freestyle in 2015; gold and silver medals in the World Junior Championships; a bronze medal in the 2017 World University Games; a relay gold medal in the 2019 World University Games; and a 2021 Big Ten championship in the 800-meter relay.
Although she did not qualify for this summer’s Olympics in Tokyo, she will still swim and dance on.
Read more about Sierra Schmidt at Billy Penn.
