Today we interview Javiera Odeclás, former Olympic swimmer and current CEO of Odeclás, a premium brand of sports swimsuits designed for those who experience water as a space of challenge, performance, and self-improvement.
With a career marked by high-level competition, Javiera knows firsthand what it means to train under pressure, prepare every detail, and face the mental challenge that defines great athletes. Today, she brings all that experience to the design of technical swimsuits made for training and competition, where fit, comfort, and confidence become part of performance.
In this interview, we talk about discipline, mindset, success, pre-competition nerves, and how design and science influence modern swimming.
We talk about everything with the swimmer behind Odeclás.
Do you remember the first time you felt that swimming was more than just moving your body?
Yes. What made the difference was when I understood that water was not just a place to train, but a space where I could express myself, improve, and find calm. That’s when a very deep relationship with swimming began to form. It was when I started to notice that my mind influenced me as much as my body. The day I understood that what I thought before diving into the water completely changed how I swam.
What did swimming give you personally, outside the water?
It gave me discipline, tolerance for frustration, consistency, and a very strong way of working to achieve my goals. It also taught me to live with pressure and not give up when things don’t work out the first time. This shaped me as a person.
How has your view of success changed from when you started until today?
Before, success was winning or achieving a good time. Today, for me, success is feeling that I have built my whole life thanks to swimming. And thinking that I did everything I could to perform well, regardless of the result, changed the way I face life.
What can you tell us about your focus before an important competition?
The focus was very internal. I tried to isolate myself a bit from the environment and concentrate on my sensations, my body, and what depended only on me.
Did you use any specific visualization or concentration techniques in your routine?
Yes. I visualized the entire event before competing: the start, the sensations in the water, the rhythm, the turns, and the finish. It helped me feel like I knew exactly what I had to do because I had done it a thousand times.
Did you use any breathing or mindfulness practices in your routines or training?
More than formal techniques, I used breathing a lot to lower my heart rate and calm my body before competing. I focused on reminding myself that I controlled what I was doing and that I had trained for it.
What did you do when nerves or mental noise threatened your performance?
I went back to basics: breathing, physical sensations, and a small pre-race routine that helped me mentally switch into competition mode.
Have fear or anxiety been part of your career? How did you manage them?
Yes, absolutely. I learned not to fight them but to accept them as part of the process. When you understand that nerves also mean you care, they stop being an enemy, and you try to enjoy the moment because you know you are living something unique.
What did you learn about yourself in the most tense moments?
That I am much stronger than I thought, especially mentally. That you have to take risks if the reason is worth it. And that, even with fear or insecurity, I am capable of performing.
Did you ever feel underestimated? How did you turn that into motivation?
Yes, at times I felt that people didn’t fully trust me. That pushed me to work harder in silence and wait for my moment, focusing on proving it in the water, not with words.
How does feeling comfortable in your swimsuit affect your mental performance?
It affects it a lot. If you don’t feel comfortable, your mind goes to the swimsuit and not to the event. Feeling secure, supported, and free from adjustments allows you to focus solely on swimming.
What technical details are “non-negotiable” for you in a competition swimsuit?
A good fit, that it doesn’t move, that it doesn’t cause chafing, and that it respects the body’s natural position in the water. The pattern and seam placement are key.
Have you had experiences where you felt that the design of your swimsuit helped you feel stronger or more confident?
Yes. When a swimsuit is well designed, it gives you a sense of control and security that is very noticeable mentally. You feel more stable, more prepared, and more focused.
What role do you think science and design play in the evolution of swimming performance?
A fundamental role. Performance doesn’t depend only on training: materials, pattern, compression, and the study of movement directly influence how the body behaves in the water.
