Hard work, sacrifices have paid off for Chan

The secret to Olivia Chan's success is no secret.

She'd love to be a kid having fun, but she'd rather be a champion. And that drive is what took her from someone splashing around in the pool to one of the top talents on the Island.

Chan, a sophomore who swims for Sewanhaka District and attends New Hyde Park High School, emerged into the Long Island spotlight in 2008, when as an eighth grader she broke two Nassau records at the county finals.

Now, she has her sights set on county records in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke.

Last season she won the 200 IM (2:06.35) and 100 breaststroke (1:04.48) at the state public high school championships. She placed first in the 100 free (52.91) and 50 free (24.73) at the 2009 Nassau finals and was part of the first place 200-medley relay (1:51.2).

Chan possesses graceful but ferocious speed in the water and has the concentration of a seasoned champion.

What's easy to overlook is what she, and many other elite athletes, had to give up to compile that kind of resume.

"Definitely it's really hard work," Chan said. "Sometimes it just gets in the way of personal life and school. But over time you just learn to balance it out. And if you just want to achieve a personal best or record, you've just gotta work harder than others."

When athletes talk about working harder it generally brings to mind active images: running on treadmills, lifting weights or endless laps in an indoor pool. But what can get lost in the translation is what they don't get to do.

"When I was younger, [the training] was definitely in the way. I would feel left out, and like I had less time to finish my school work, or less time to be with my friends," Chan said. "Obviously, school comes first, and then I would try to make all the practices I could for swimming. But that definitely cuts out relaxing or hanging out times.

"Right now I feel like I'm planning it out pretty well with things like the movies or the beach. But sometimes I still have to make that sacrifice. I know what I want in terms of swimming and records and best times, and I've definitely let my want for having a regular life get in the way sometimes. But you learn from your mistakes."