FREESTYLING

Olympic swimmer, Markus Thormeyer, 24, has a modesty that fits with the somewhat stereotypical idea of Canadians being the loveliest of people. Inspired to compete in the Olympics after watching London 2012, he — incredibly — got there in less than four years, making his debut in Rio in 2016. After competing again in Tokyo last year, he is beginning to look ahead to the Paris Games in 2024. Here, Markus talks to Attitude about striking a good life balance as an athlete and reveals how coming out impacted his performance.

How did you make the leap from watching the 2012 Olympics to competing?

I would have been 14 and I think I was actually at a competition at the same time as the Olympics. It was cool because it felt like we were doing the same thing. That kickstarted the drive.

What got you into swimming?

I was 10 and bad at every other sport, but my mum wanted me to do one. I tried soccer, hockey, skating and running. Swimming was the thing that stuck.

What’s your training regimen like?

It depends. In peak season,