Anthony Chen, Plymouth senior, earned double first-place finishes on Feb. 12, 2026 against Northville with the 400 freestyle relay and the 200 freestyle relay. During that meet, Chen grasped a second place finish with the 200-yard freestyle, and a third-place finish with the 100-yard fly. Chen sat down with the Perspective to discuss his experience on the team and what he hopes to do in the future. 

Molly Okon: How long have you been swimming for?

Anthony Chen: I started when I was eight or nine, but then I quit in middle school and I came back in ninth grade.

MO: Is there a certain person that inspired you to start swimming?

AC: Probably my brother. I joined the swim team shortly after he did.

MO: Do you play on any club teams besides the Plymouth Boys Varsity Swim and Dive team?

AC: Yes, Plymouth Canton Cruisers. We practice in the high schools.

MO: I heard that you won the 100 backstroke at the Wayne County Championships. Congrats! How did you prepare for this event beforehand?

AC:  I just made sure to not get too nervous. Don’t make it anything bigger than it is. It’s just a race.

MO: Tell me what’s going through your mind during a Park Rival meet.

AC: Just focus on your events, to your teammates and like, just stick to the fundamentals.

MO: How do you mentally prepare for a meet in order to get in the right headspace for it?

AC: I like to have conversations with other people. And just like, you know, prevent myself from getting nervous.

MO: What goals did you set for this season, and how many of them have you accomplished so far?

AC: So far, I wanted to get the top eight all-state for some of my events. Now I want to break the 100 backstroke school record and maybe beat my 500 freestyle school record as well.

MO: Your coaches must be a big help for trying to meet these goals. How do they help you become a better athlete, whether it’s in the water or outside of it?

AC: They do give a lot of good advice outside of the pool, you know, mental preparation and stuff like that. And also, not just my high school coaches, but I like my club coaches a lot. They really made me get a lot better, for sure.

MO: Congratulations on being accepted into the University of Michigan for computer science. That must be very exciting for you. Do you plan on continuing swim and dive there?

AC: Unfortunately not, because, you know, Michigan, they’re one of the best.

MO: Tell me a little bit about your life outside of high school. What hobbies or activities do you like to do for fun?

AC: I like to play a lot of video games. Sometimes I like to read, and it’s mostly studying. I study a lot.

MO: What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about joining the swim and dive team?

AC: Well, swimming is, in my opinion, probably one of the toughest sports. So I’d say find a way to enjoy it. And if you don’t like it, and you’re still going to practices and stuff like that, then you just won’t enjoy it. And you can’t really get better if you’re not liking it. 

MO: The last question is a hypothetical we like to ask all of our student athletes. If you could have dinner with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

AC: Probably Kobe Bryant. I like his mentality.