Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

GU’s Croatian Sensation

Name: Goran Bistric

Sport: Swimming

Event: Backstroke/Fly

Hometown: Saugus, Calif.

High School: William S. Hart High School

School/Year: MSB ’09

Major: Management and International Business

High School Highlights: 2002: Division II California Interscholastic Federation title; 2003: Foothill League Champion 100-yard backstroke, 100yd fly; 2004: Foothill League Champion 100yd backstroke; 2005: Foothill League champion 100yd back, Most Valuable, high school scholar.

Georgetown Highlights: 2005: school record in 100yd/200yd backstroke, Most Valuable

When did you first start swimming?

When I was 8, my mom got me to start swimming. After every race I used to always get angry and throw my goggles. One day, I just realized the point isn’t to get angry, the point is to have fun. My brother made me want to stick with swimming. He swam, I swam. Since he stuck with it, I stuck with it.

When he stopped I wanted to see how far I could go with it.

Why did you decide to join the Georgetown swim team?

Overall, I see it as a great opportunity, not just for swimming, but for my life. It is a great academic opportunity. Academics are more valuable; swimming forces you to stretch out your days according to a plan. It keeps me more focused and organized.

What do you do to get psyched for a meet?

Nothing. I just figure it’s just a race, it’s just swimming. I just go in there and swim. If I go faster, then I go faster. If I go slower, then I go slower. It’s not the end of the world. Mom still loves me at the end of the day.

Who is your biggest rival?

Probably myself. I always end up psyching myself out rather than worrying about anyone else. It happens quite a bit, and usually it has to do with an injury. I think about an injury before a race and go, `Oh, man.’

Why did you leave Croatia?

In 1991, because of the war. My mom is Serb and my dad is Croatian and we came here on asylum. I learned to value where you come from, and where you are now. There are a lot of people that are upset about their current life, but it is the overall picture that matters. If you look at it in the bigger sphere, your life is not that bad compared to other people.

What do you miss the most about Croatia?

Family. The only people in the United States are my mom, dad, brother and aunt. Everyone else – my cousins, aunt and uncle, and grandmother – I miss that whole family picture.

What do you do when you are not swimming?

I sleep a lot. I went to the [anti-war] protest last week. I like to see different realms of the city. I also saw the auto show over the weekend. Just taking advantage of what we have here. I really like the Capitol. It is really cool.

What was the best moment in your career so far?

Probably when I was a freshman in high school. My brother was a senior. At our league meet, he got first and I got second. He hugged me after in the lanes, and my mom took a picture of the two of us.

What was the last song you listened to on your iPod?

“Cupid’s Chokehold,” by Gym Class Heroes. I just listen to everything, except country. I don’t want to listen to people ranting about how their dog died.

Freshman residence hall?

Harbin. One of the times when it snowed, we made a 400-pound snow ball and wheeled it in a shopping cart into the shower. We didn’t really get in trouble, we just had to clean it up afterwards because it had dirt in it. It was a feat that took us four hours to perform.

If you could be great at any other sport besides swimming, what would it be? Why?

Basketball. There are so many good Croatian basketball players. I’d like to be another one of them.

What is the one thing you miss the most about home?

My family. Right before I go back, my mom always calls and asks what I want for dinner for the next couple of days. For that night I’ll have whatever I want. I like lamb and potatoes the most. y mom is a good cook. She bakes pastries and sends them to me overnight. My roommates always say that she should be a pastry chef.

Dream job?

CEO of either my own company or GE. My Dad works for GE. When we were back in the old country, he was director of one of the largest engineering firms in Europe. Because he married a Serb, he was overridden by the board and had to step down. When we got here, he was planting flowers for $3.75 an hour. His degree was not accredited in the United States at first, even though he has a master’s in electrical engineering. He worked his way up to where he is now. It is phenomenal to accomplish so much in such little time and that late of an age, and [with] an accent! He’s my hero.

Favorite movie?

I like the “The Lion King.” I like when Nala and Simba just sort of cuddle and sing that love song [“Can You Feel the Love Tonight?”.] That’s pretty cute.

Booey’s or Wisey’s?

Wisey’s. I like the Burger Madness and the California Chicken. It has avocados. Avocados on the East Coast? How do they get them here?

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