Catching Up With Freshman Swimmer Vlad Polyakov
2/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Swimming & Diving
By Ginny Trott
You've seen them around campus with their grayish-green hair, you've probably gotten a whiff of chlorine once or twice as they've breezed past you in the halls and you've definitely noticed the extremely tall guys speaking strange languages.
Who are they? They're the Alabama swimming and diving team, some of the only student-athletes crazy enough for 6 a.m. practices and wet hair in January.
To Vladislav Polyakov and the rest of the UA team, such a routine is not crazy at all; it's just what they do.
"You mean other people don't get up everyday at 5:30 a.m. and go swimming?" Polyakov laughs.
The freshman from Russia has a lot to laugh about. A perfect 4.0 GPA, an undefeated dual meet season and a winning attitude keeps a smile on his face, but even that's not enough for him.
Hopefully, the 200-yard breaststroke SEC title is next for the talented swimmer, but he's not making any promises.
"I don't like to be too confident and over think winning the title," Polyakov said. "I just want to help the team as much as I can and get as many points as possible at the meet."
His 200 breaststroke time of 1:58.32, which currently ranks him 5th in the nation, will do just that, not to mention his contributions in the 100 breaststroke and medley relay's.
"I think the breaststroke leg on the relay is very important, you can either lose or win the race there," Polyakov said. "I think I can help the team out."
The team thinks so too. When asked to describe Polyakov, his training partners and coaches used the words energetic, passionate, zealous and unstoppable.
It's hard to believe that Polyakov, now a successful, talented swimmer, almost never was. Polyakov came to America from his native home of Moscow, Russia when he was only 15. His mother sent him to swim for Michael Lohberg in Ft. Lauderdale hoping that he would be able to someday earn a college swimming scholarship.
"I was really tired of swimming when I came to America and was ready to quit," Polyakov admits. "I needed something new, and when I came to Florida, things just started to click."
Things definitely clicked for Polyakov three years later when he met the head coach of the Alabama team, Don Wagner.
"I looked at Florida schools and just really liked Alabama, and now I am so glad to be a part of a team that is improving so much," Polyakov said.
Polyakov has high goals not only for himself but also for the team as a whole. Seeing Alabama among the Top 5 teams in the nation is something he expects by his senior year. He also said that an SEC championship title would be nice and an NCAA title even better. In addition, Polyakov is not shy in admitting that making the 2004 Athens Olympic Team is never far from his mind, and he plans to see just how close he can get to becoming the world's best swimmer.
"Vlad's contributions have been great," Wagner said. "He will be a finalist this year in the 200 breaststroke at the NCAA Championships."
Polyakov said he believes his future is promising. "I set my goals high, and my competition is tough," Polyakov smiles. "But you know, anybody has a chance to win."
Polyakov not only values his swimming but also his education. Majoring in international business and earning straight A's is not an easy task, but just like swimming, he manages to do just fine.
"I'm just an overachiever and can't stand to be average," Polyakov said. "I compete with other people...If my roommate is studying for a class we have together then I will have to study harder."
Polyakov seems to have it all: great grades, top swimming rankings, and a bright future.
"In four years he will be one of the best in the world, no question," Wagner said.
