To top it all off, during the third day of the 2023 NCAA Championships, Ramadan earned the first national title in program history after clocking in 43.15 in the 100 fly, swimming the second-fastest time in NCAA history and breaking the school record. “It was unreal,” Ramadan said. “It was as if it was in a film or something. The way I won and the time that I went and the things that I said after the event, it was like a film. It was the happiest I’ve ever been.” But if there’s anything Ramadan has learned, it’s that success doesn’t happen overnight. After wearing a Tech swim cap for almost three years, Ramadan has witnessed the program’s growth and remarks that his win at the NCAA’s wasn’t just his. It was the team’s win. Overall, the Hokies started the season strong, with both the men and women securing their first wins early on against George Washington and Ohio, and as the season continued, four swimmers qualified for the Olympic Trials and the men placed second overall in the ACC Championship, marking the program’s highest finish since 2014. inside.hokiesports.com 19 The Hokies have proved their work ethic, time and time again, as they continue to take the program to new heights. Ramadan speaks to the team’s hard work, recalling how he consistently challenged himself before taking home the title. When Ramadan performed sets in practice, he would always do four strokes and kick to 15. He can’t remember a time when he had a five-stroke lap in sets throughout the year and explains how much that training helped him perform in meets. Little things like waking up at 5 a.m. for practice, diving headfirst into a cold pool and gasping for air in between strokes are physically taxing, but the team and successes make it all worth it. “The pain that I felt throughout this year was how I was able to stand and face the fastest in the world, have faith in myself and be sure that I can win,” Ramadan said. “In the race itself, towards the last 50, inside me, I knew that I won because I’ve trained to come back faster and to kick faster.” After he conquered the physical in practice, he learned to face the mental under pressure. “You have to have faith in yourself,” Ramadan said. “The mind is the strongest thing, but it can also be the worst thing for you. It’s you vs. you out there. If you win, there will be no one that will stand in your way, and you will never be afraid of facing anyone because the hardest fight is within yourself.” It’s safe to say that Ramadan has mastered winning against himself out in the water. Continued on page 20
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