Australian Office

AO Ask Uniroos: Ashley, Ben and Lana from swimming team

AO Ask Uniroos is a series of mini-interviews with Australian young athletes, administrative managers and local volunteers who are attending the 2017 Taipei Universiade. This time, we catch up with Ashley, Ben and Lana (left to right) from swimming team.

 

What role are you three playing at the Universiade?

Lana: We’re all in the swimming team but we are playing different roles. I’m the team leader.

Ben: I’m an athlete.

Ashley: And I’m the swimming team coach.

 

What is the difference between the team leader and the team coach?

Lana: As the team leader, I don’t do anything technical. Ashely does all the training. I do all of the stuff out of the pool, the management side of things.

 

What is the biggest difference between your hometowns and Taipei?

Ashley: We arrived yesterday and we’re still getting used to it all! I’m from Brisbane and the temperature here is much warmer. Much more humid.

Ben: Living in the athletes’ village is different too, very different from living at home, there are thousands of athletes all living there.

 

Have you tried local food yet? How about stinky tofu?

Lana: Haha yes we have had lots of delicious food but not stinky tofu! All the food here has been delicious, there is lots of stuff that we don’t get at home.

Ben: We’re getting around all the noodle restaurants. I’ve had noodles every single meal so far! I am also loving all the egg things and spring rolls.

Ashley: I heard somebody say something about snake blood, I think maybe I will try that! I don’t think I can handle stinky tofu.

 

Besides the swimming, what event would you want to see?

Lana: Anything that we can! We have a really full schedule though with training and stuff and we do a marathon swim at the end of the competition, so I guess we will just have to see what we have time to get to.

Ben: I really want to go to the night markets here in Taipei, and try to see Taiwan culture. I’ve heard the night markets are amazing.

Ashley: I don’t know when I will be back here so I really just want to see as much of Taiwan as I can.