27 March,2014 08:28 AM IST | | PTI
US Olympic & world champ swimmer, who won Laureus sportswoman of the year award yesterday, says her ultimate achievement would be motherhood
US swimmer Missy Franklin at the 2014 Laureus World Sports Awards in Kuala Lumpur yesterday
Kuala Lumpur: A full-time psychology student staying in a dormitory and doing her own laundry is not the way a multiple Olympic and world champion is normally introduced, but then American swimming sensation Missy Franklin is one of a kind.
US swimmer Missy Franklin at the 2014 Laureus World Sports Awards in Kuala Lumpur yesterday
The kind who says that one of her biggest goals in life is to "be a mother". Though it's a big part of her life, swimming, Missy said, "doesn't define her."
Talking about her life in hostel a few hours before the 15th Laureus World Sports Awards, she said, "It's really a normal experience, it's the same struggle being away from home, from family, eating dorm food, doing laundry."
Nickname: Female Phelps
Missy, winner of a staggering four gold medals at the London Olympics and six at the World Championships in Barcelona last year, is a nominee for Sportswoman of the Year.
She has been called the 'female Phelps' after her staggering medal-winning spree over the past two years but the 18-year-old would rather be known as 'female Missy'. The teen is currently pursuing majors in psychology from the University of California at Berkley and swimming, she said, has taught her to "flip switches."
USA's Missy Franklin takes off for her gold-winning performance in the women's 4x100m medley relay final at the 2012 London Olympics. Pics/Getty Images
After the high at Barcelona, expectations have risen ahead of 2016 Rio Olympics, but Missy prefers to live in the present. "The fun thing about swimming is that it's very unpredictable. In 2008 (Beijing Games) I didn't qualify but four years later, I won medals."
Full-time student
Talking about her daily schedule, she said: "I am a full-time student. I normally wake up around 5 and then train for two hours, then I have class followed by training and class again and then homework and repeat it next day."
Asked about the sacrifices she's made, Missy said" "I love so much what I do, every sacrifice seems small, everyone sacrifices something. It teaches us so much about ourselves, it's part of the process."
About her new coach Teri McKeever, Missy said" "It's always better to have a woman as coach. Terry kind of understands the girly stuff better."
