Howard: The Olympic experience

Lopes View provides GCU's student-athletes a platform to express their lives through stories within their sport, academic studies and community outreach.

GCU student-athlete Jade Howard is a member of the GCU women's swimming and diving program. In August, Howard had the opportunity to swim the 100-meter freestyle, representing her home country of Zambia, at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. This was Howard's second Olympic experience after competing at the 2012 Olympics in London.

JADE HOWARD / SWIMMING & DIVING

T his summer I was give the opportunity to experience something that most athletes can only dream of. There is no higher stage of competition than the Olympic Games and words cannot explained how incredibly blessed I felt when I found out I was going to be representing my country in the games—for the second time.

Home, for me, is a small country in southern Africa called Zambia. Growing up in Zambia was a unique yet incredible experience and it is where I developed my love and passion for the sport of swimming.

This passion has taken me all over the world including to GCU and this summer it took me to Rio de Janeiro for the games. It was extremely comforting to be able to bring GCU's head swim and dive coach, Steve Schaffer, along with me to Rio as my personal coach.

Howard and Schaffer taking part in the Olympic Opening Ceremony in Rio.

Although Steve and I have only been working together for the past two years, we have established a great coach/swimmer relationship and having him in Rio with me allowed us to prepare effectively and ultimately enjoy the entire Olympic experience together.

After a long summer of hard work, training and competition I was very excited to see how things would come together once we got to Rio.

Although Steve and I have only been working together for the past two years, we have established a great coach/swimmer relationship.

Of course, along with the excitement came nerves. The Olympic Village was just incredible, filled with the world's best athletes. Brazil did a fantastic job as the host country and the entire experience was definitely something unexplainable.

One of my favorite parts of this experience was walking in the athlete parade of the Opening Ceremonies. I felt very emotional as I walked out into Maracanã Stadium waving the Zambian flag. I also got great TV time, which was cool!

My nerves continued to grow as it neared to race day, but Steve and I worked together to ensure that we were doing everything possible to ensure fast swimming on the days prior.

Howard set a personal best and Zambian national record in Rio.

I raced my favorite event, the 100-meter freestyle on August 10. The morning of the race was actually a terrifying time for me. I felt a lot of pressure and anxiousness as I got ready to race.

The race is somewhat of a blur but I was happy when I saw that I had finished fourth in my heat with a new personal best time and a Zambian national record.

My parents had flown all the way from Zambia to see me race and I saw them—for the first time in over a year—in the stands after my race.

Howard's parents flew to Rio from Zambia to watch her compete in her second Olympics.

There were a lot of emotions once the experience was over. Firstly, there was relief. Once reality had set in a couple days later, that is when I truly began to feel honored, thankful and so happy that I have been lucky enough to be able to do what I love while representing my country on the biggest stage possible.

Swimming and this experience will forever hold a special place in my heart.

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Grand Canyon University Athletics

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