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Beisel: It's awesome here. All the energy and excitement just training here in California, at Stanford, is awesome. And to be surrounded by past Olympians and future Olympians, and just training with Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin and all the other superstars who are here is amazing. I mean, it still hasn't hit me that I'm actually going to the Olympics. So, it's a great opportunity and I'm so excited about it.

Q: You've made some really incredible strides in recent months. We were looking at your times, for example, in the 400 individual medley at the National Junior Championships last year and then just recently at the Olympic trials, and you've cut almost 16 seconds off your time. What do you think has been the secret, if there's anything that you can identify?

Beisel: I've been working harder than ever right now. My coach took me aside -- I came off a season last summer that wasn't so good, [and] I wasn't expecting -- and he just took me aside and said, 'Alright, if you want to make the team and you want to perform well at trials, you've got to put in the work now.' So starting in September it's been hard work day in and day out. We took a training trip in Colorado Springs for two weeks and all I focused on there was swimming, twice a day, which I think helped a lot because I never really get the opportunity to focus only on swimming, because I have school and everything else going on. So just being here right now, and back in Colorado, and just focusing on training I think has helped me .. drop time.

Q: I mentioned the individual medley; the other event you'll be competing in is the backstroke. Which one of those two is your favorite to do?

Beisel: I've been dropping so much time in the 400 IM lately, I think that's probably my favorite lately. But I just dropped four seconds off my 200 backstroke as well. I'd been in sort of a slump in that event and I hadn't dropped time in about a year or two years. I think they are pretty much equal, but, I mean, the 400 IM, because it's so new to me and I was never really considered a 400 IMer, now that I am I think it's really cool. It's just something new, you know, switch it up from the backstroke. But I'm glad I also hung on to the backstroke.

Q: When you're getting ready to begin a race, and maybe just in the instance before the race begins, how much do nerves come into play, and if they do come into play a lot, do you have any techniques for overcoming nervousness?

Beisel: Yeah, definitely. Before the 400 IM -- it was the first night at trials, the crowd was like 13,000 people, and I walk out, and I'm like, 'Oh my God.' I was a mess before my race, I was so nervous, and basically my teammate took me aside and said, 'Alright, you know you can do this; you've got so much hard work behind you. Just go in and race, it's what you love to do.' You know, I played the field a little bit in my race, I figured out what the pace was and stuff, and it all worked out really well. It was one of the best races of my life. Nerves definitely can help you, I think, in some instances, but you really can't let them get to you. Otherwise you'll just crash.

Q: Do you feel completely wiped at the end of it all, after a race is done?

Beisel: Oh yeah, definitely. I have no energy; i feel like my legs are going to fall off. But it's so worth it. I mean, just seeing second place next to my name and knowing I made the Olympics -- it was a dream come true. I mean, I couldn't even explain to you what I felt at that moment.

Q: There's been a lot of talk -- I'm sure you've heard it -- at these Olympics about these high-tech, full-body swimsuits that some of the top American athletes have been wearing. Do you have any experience with them, and do you think you might be wearing one of them them when you get to Beijing?

Beisel: Yeah. I actually wore them at Trials. Speedo has put so many hours of work, they worked with NASA on the suits, and it is the fastest suit that I have ever raced in, that anybody will probably ever race, in until the future styles are made. But it is definitely the suit I will be wearing in Beijing, and I'm just excited to be representing Speedo at that, and wearing their suit, and it's going to be great.

Q: Could you tell us about some of the other things you love to do? If you didn't have this going on this summer, what do you think you'd be doing with your time?

Beisel: I'd probably be hanging out with my friends right now, either at the beach or movies. I don't know what I'd be doing. I think I'd be taking a break from swimming -- I would certainly continue swimming, but toward the end of August I would definitely be on a break. But right now it's train, train, train, harder than ever. I mean, no breaks. But ... this is awesome, and I can't believe I'm here.

Q: Have you done any international travel before? Did you ever imagine yourself going to China?

Beisel: Yeah I have. I traveled to Australia last year for World Championships, and I've been on a few training trips to Scotland and Canada. But I think Beijing is by far the farthest I've been, and I'm just really excited to see the culture and just to get to know the place. It's not every day you get to go to Beijing for the Olympics, and it's definitely an experience I'll remember the rest of my life."

Q: You're the first Olympic swimmer from this state since the 1960s. Have you given much thought to that, and what does it mean to you?

Beisel: It means so much. Coming from Rhode Island, which is definitely not known as a swimming state, and to represent them in Beijing is awesome. Just to be from Rhode Island is awesome, and I'm so excited to represent them."