Namita Nayyar:
Five foods you absolutely love and five you keep to a minimum.
Anna Hopkin:
Love: eggs, salmon, sauces (hot sauces, mayo etc), Greek yogurt, chocolate.
Keep to minimum: pizza, crisps, fizzy drinks, chocolate, sugary cereal bars.
Namita Nayyar:
You have glowing skin and gorgeous hair. Share with us your hair care and skincare routine.
Anna Hopkin:
The main priority for me is moisturizing because swimming a lot makes your skin and hair incredibly dry. I will always wash my face in the morning then use toner and moisturizer, and again in the evening. Post swim I will always use a body moisturizer and face moisturizer and if I am washing my hair I’ll use shampoo and conditioner that add moisture as my hair gets quite dry and frizzy. At weekends when I’m not swimming I will always try to do a hair mask to add extra moisture and repair my hair from a week’s swimming.
Namita Nayyar:
Tell us about your swimming coach who has been a catalyst who helped you pave the way to rise in your career with discipline and a never stopping attitude. Elaborate about his/her influence on your professional life?
Anna Hopkin:
I would say in my latter career and ultimately getting me to Olympic Gold are two incredibly inspiring coaches. The first is my coach Neil who coached me in America. Although I competed at commonwealth games and was achieving well I wasn’t quite good enough for funding within the UK system. Neil gave me the opportunity to go to the US and be supported to study for masters and fully commit myself to swimming without the financial concerns. He saw so much potential in me and had so many different thoughts and ideas about how I could improve. We became a really strong team; I trusted his vision and felt I could also give my input to my training programme and what I needed. He made me believe in myself more than I ever had before.
When I had to leave America in 2020 the only person I wanted coaching me after Neil was Mel. She was very similar to Neil in that we were a team and she listened to me and we worked together to figure out what was best for me. She was very motivational, inspirational and boosted my confidence again. Confidence and belief has been the thing I struggle with most and therefore having both of these coaches who believed in me so much was exactly what I needed to accelerate my career.
Namita Nayyar:
Five athletic leisure brands you love to wear.
Anna Hopkin:
Abyl, Ellesse, adidas, nike and USA Pro.
Namita Nayyar:
Five travel destinations on your wish list.
Anna Hopkin:
Canada, see more of Italy, Prague, New York and Singapore.
Namita Nayyar:
Quote you live by.
Anna Hopkin:
“If you don’t like the road you’re walking, start paving another one” I like this because it’s very easy to feel stuck and unhappy with the life you’re living but everyone’s life is their own and we all can have control over how we live it.
Namita Nayyar:
Tell us about a day in the life of ‘Anna Hopkin’.
Anna Hopkin:
My day in the life as a swimmer would be: Alarm at 7:30, get ready and grab a coffee and head to the pool at 8. Pre pool from 8:15-8:45 (this is stretching, rolling and activation). We would then swim 8:45-10:45. Then I have a protein shake and head to the gym until 11:45. Then I head home and have eggs on toast. I might have a lie down or nap if I need to then have lunch at 2:30. This would be a tuna salad or sandwich and a coffee. Then I head to the pool at 3:15 and we have pre pool 3:30-4 then we swim 4-6. I will get home and have my tea and watch some tv before winding down and going to bed. I’ll often have a high protein snack like Greek yogurt before bed to aid recovery.
Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
