Olympic Hopeful: Nikki Dzurko
How did you get involved in your sport?
My mom did synchronized swimming in Canada and when we found out one of my ballet friend’s moms had a small club she asked me if I was interested in trying it out when I was 5 or 6. I wanted to quit the first week and then came to the conclusion that I actually liked it a lot and as I continued with the sport I just grew to love it more and more!
What has your sport meant to you and taught you?
The sport taught me perseverance and the value of focus and hard work.
It’s at the end of a competitive year, winning Nationals or doing well internationally, when I really appreciate the details from the coaching, training, and the life long friends I’ve made along the way. All those details and disciplines come together because I committed to them all year, and the result is being able to perform at my peak. This sport has given me a space where I can express myself and push my physical, artistic, and mental boundaries. These are lesson and traits that I will be able use for the rest of my life.
What is one moment that has defined you as an athlete or person?
In 2016, I suffered a pretty bad concussion weeks before Junior Worlds where I was competing solo and team. I didn’t have enough recovery time prior to the competition and I was taken out of the team due to risk of getting hit again. It was really difficult to see my team that I trained with for the past couple months for 9+ hours a day compete without me, but I was thankfully allow to compete solo. As my first big world meet, I pushed myself more than I maybe should of for the condition I was in, but despite the drawbacks and occasional pounding headaches, when I was able to stand on the world stage and receive my scores after competing for my country, I knew that was a feeling I wanted to chase for as long as I could no matter how hard the road was.
What was your experience like making the US National Team last year?
This year has been full of surprises one of which being able to tryout for The US National Team for 2021. A month before I made the team I was planning on heading back to Ohio State in the fall, but when the opportunity arose I knew I couldn’t pass it up. I can say confidently that this was the best decision I’ve ever made. While the training has been hard, I love this team and I love chasing this lifelong dream even with all the obstacles we’ve come to face. We have a tough position for qualifying but the fire within this team is like no other I’ve ever competed with and I really do think with the passion we hold for our sport, the sky is the limit.
Based on your experiences as an athlete, what advice would you give to a younger version of yourself?
Looking back all I would say to my younger self is that it’s all worth it. The hard days and hard times will continue to come and go, but the experiences, the friends, the connections, and the lessons you will learn are ones you cherish for the rest of your life.
What goals do you have for 2021?
A huge goal is qualifying for the upcoming Olympics, but more so than that I want to rebrand the sport and inspire people around the world with our innovation, drive, and creativity.
