Bellevue Reporter: I saw a previous interview you did for television where you said as a child, your parents had to literally drag you to the pool some of the time. Swimming has obviously worked out pretty well for you later on in life, so have you got the chance to thank them for exposing you to such pain and suffering in your youth?

Victor Hsiao: Yeah, I was at a championship (around age 12) where it was multiple states and that was the first time I realized how my parents putting me in the sport and really encouraging me and in a way forcing me has turned out well.

BR: So when did you really begin to develop that love of competitive swimming?

VH: I swam my first competition when I was eight. I thought it was fun having friends- it’s like a community, you kind of fit into this family where you have older sisters and brothers and then you have younger siblings on the team.

BR: What drives you in the pool?

VH: I really enjoy the challenge of striving towards success and working towards a goal. Swimming is such a good way to learn life lessons and experiences, the journey is what’s important.

BR: Outside of swimming and school, how does Victor Hsiao spend his time?

VH: I really enjoy working with kids, that’s why I want to be a pediatrician. I also enjoy serving and getting involved with the community. I do a lot of things with my youth group and Interlake Key Club and Honor Society.

BR: During the high school swim season, basically all of your waking moments are accounted for during the day. Aren’t there times where you just want to lie in bed all day?

VH: Yeah, definitely, especially if there is morning practice. Fridays are always really tiring. Saturdays are a little better because I don’t have to worry about homework and I can go right to bed on Friday.

BR: So with that being said, what is it that gets you out of bed on those mornings where you know it’s going to be a long day?

VH: Something I read a couple years ago from some Olympic swimmers. They said “Remember that when you aren’t working towards your goals, other people are working towards theirs.” Even if you aren’t competing against other people, you have to build that mental toughness and drive. A lot of that comes from the day-in, day-out stuff.

BR: What is the most interesting part of swimming?

VH: I really enjoy looking into nutrition and I really like looking into the kind of “science-nerdy” side of swimming like the physics of stroke technique.

BR: Tell me something about yourself that I would never guess.

VH: I like doing arts and crafts, decorations type stuff.

BR: Like aesthetics?

VH: Yeah, I just like making things look good whether it be with food, class presentations or anything like that. I move around the furniture in my room every couple months.

BR: You are a state champion swimmer, 4.0 student and you work an internship developing computer programs dealing with data conversion. Is there anything Victor Hsiao can’t do?

VH: I’m not very good at public speaking or interviews, anything on the spot. For me, a lot of it is getting the preparation in so anything on the spot, like this, I’m not very good at.

BR: Finish this sentence: Victor Hsiao hates…

VH: Giving up.