The question is, however, where a young person finds the time to spend 400 hours plus in the water of an indoor swimming pool. And why is this so important to other people? For Markus Rogan this is both natural and puzzling at the same time.
The most difficult thing isn't that which everyone thinks it is, the sweat and the tears.

Rather?
The patience. When you've trained everything that you can, when you've worked your body so hard that it can't go on anymore, then you simply have to rest and to rely on the training chapter that you've undergone and only work on the finer points with the utmost concentration. That sounds simple.

It doesn't sound simple at all. But, then again, it does when he states it so simply. He is sitting in the office of his manager and step-father, Michael Schmitz, and talks like the well-brought up son from a good family. Talks about himself, as Picasso perhaps talked about the "Blue Nude". With a proud and ironic distance to his own work, and an almost weightless interpretation of the drive and the creative process. Rogan has established a world record over 200m backstroke. In autumn 2005, at the short track European Championships in Triest: 1:50.43. Would his career be incomplete if the Operation Olympic Champion were to go wrong in Peking 2008?
For me, it's already been complete for a long time. I have reached all that I dared to believe I was capable of as a swimmer.

Since the world record - or even beforehand?
Actually, even beforehand as well. Now more than ever. I can tell my grandchildren that I was once the best of all times. It's clear to me that "these times" will be long over by then, but that's really enough for me. I can't prove much more to myelf. Except for stamina, to demonstrate that I can keep going.

Discipline?
More like stubbornness.

But it's no longer so important?
It's no longer identity-building. This can merely be congratulated. Before, I wanted to prove to everyone that I can swim. Everyone believes it now. I don't need the swimming to fulfil a later purpose. It's also not talked about so much within the family.

Markus Rogan was the experiment of a liberal-minded Austrian, who those at home observed with mistrust. He lived in America for many years, went to school there and learnt to swim, and built up a self-confidence that makes Elisabeth Gehrer look like a self-flagellator. At the Olympic Games in Athens 2004, he won two silver medals (100 and 200 m backstroke) behind double Olympic champion Aaron Peirsol (USA). As Rogan declined a protest against his friend following the threat of Peirsol's disqualification in the 200 m final, he won a great deal of sympathy and a 'Fairness Award'. (The 'Ami' actually did turn sloppily one time; the US team, the only great swimming power, deflected the catastrophe with a show of diplomatic strength.) Back in Austria, as quick as a flash, Rogan became the 'Seitenblicke' darling and was almost as quickly envied for this and blamed for laziness. How are things with Austria and America?
The Americans are superficial. A tendency towards loftiness. For historical reasons, they have less incentive for self-refection. Because they didn't get a good tongue-lashing for all of the wars that they started in the last years. It's only now that they've begun, out of geopolitical necessity, to question their own power and morals. This has been happening in Europe for longer on account of various bad experiences, which have made it clear that our way wasn't the best one. Those Europeans who emigrated, especially between 1939 and 1945, have begun to question their own social morals in America. In America, there is most certainly a process of intellectual reflection, which - for whatever reasons - does not spill over onto the population as a whole. Things are more relaxed on account of the lack of personal responsibility.

A lack of personal responsibility in the USA? Where each individual is much more reliant on his or herself, and the social network is much thinner? Where more than 40 million people are unable to afford a health insurance?
Yes, but this also refers to the lack of personal responsibility for the consequences of one's own actions. In Europe, there is more pressure on you to take responsibility for your actions than in the USA. In America they tend to say, 'It doesn't really matter'. In Austria, they say, 'That's fine, but at the same time we share the responsibility for every action, in the sense of: How does the other person feel about this?'

Aha. There is a greater ruthlessness in America?
Yes. There is great mobility and understanding for ruthlessness. In America it is okay to say, 'I am ruthless'. When someone in America says, 'My goal is only to be happy for myself', people say, 'He knows what he wants'. In Austria, one says, 'He is an old hippy or a fool.'

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