Hangzhou International School (HIS) recently hosted an exhilarating VIP event at ‘The Wave’, bringing in Olympic swimmer Andrii Govorov, the fastest butterfly swimmer in the world to train its Dragons.
Hailing from Ukraine, Andrii boasts an illustrious career in professional swimming, having visited 56 countries. He is currently the World Record Holder in the 50m butterfly and shattered the previous long-standing world record with an incredible time of 22.27 seconds.
During his exclusive four-day visit at HIS, Andrii brought a wealth of experience and expertise to the community, coaching sessions for the HIS school swim team, known as the Gold Dragon Swimmers. He trained side-by-side with students to strengthen their breathing, perform exercise drills, and coach swimming techniques, all the while boosting confidence and morale.
Outside of the pool, Andrii engaged in inspiring Q&A sessions with students and parents. He shared his personal journey and offered invaluable advice on what it takes to mentally and physically be at the top of your game and to achieve global success in a highly competitive world. “A happy swimmer is a good swimmer. It’s about keeping the mind just as healthy as the body. Most importantly, be consistent with your training. A little bit each day is better than going hard once a week.”
It is clear to see Andrii is passionate about developing the next generation of swimmers and inspiring young people. His dedication aligns with the HIS commitment to providing a well-rounded educational experience that develops not only academic excellence but also personal growth and character development through co-curricular activities outside of the classroom.
Aquatics Coordinator Natalio Liares, IV shares “This week has been a fantastic experience for our Dragon Swimmers. Students of all ages have been involved, even our youngest ‘Tadpoles’ have had a lesson with Andrii! The energy at ‘The Wave’ has been electric and our students have really enjoyed their time learning from a world-class athlete. Andrii has been kind, energetic and so generous with his time at HIS. Our students have gained invaluable insights into achieving peak performance. Overall, Andrii’s visit was a positive and enriching experience for all. I cannot wait to see our swimmers utilize these skills at their next competition.”
