Hajnal Makes Big Splash With H2Okies
Erika Hajnal, a sophomore wildlife sciences major, came to Virginia Tech from Budapest, Hungary, last January and has been breaking women’s swimming records ever since. Excelling in the individual medley, butterfly, and distance freestyles, Hajnal has represented her native country in multiple international competitions, including the World Championships and EuropeanChampionships, and has given the women H2Okies a shot in the arm.
Two semesters into her transition to a new school, new team, and new country, Hajnal already holds the records for Virginia Tech’s 500-, 1,000-, and 1,650-yard free and 400-individual medley (IM), as well as the War Memorial Pool’s 500- and 1,000-free and 400-IM. Hajnal was recently named ACC Women’s Swimming and Diving Performer of the Week and Rookie of the Year. The first-ever Virginia Tech distance swimmer to earn All-American honors, she now has her sights set on breaking Virginia Tech’s 200-free and 200-fly records and qualifying for the next Olympics.
Hajnal credits her coaches, Ned Skinner and Braden Holloway, for her award-winning swimming and describes the H2Okies as a big family. “We train three or four hours a day together, support each other, and trust each other,” she explained. The strong bond she has with her coaches and teammates resonates in her swimming and is a large part of why her performance has improved since coming to Virginia Tech. “I am stronger, my turns are better, and my finish is my secret weapon, but this is all just a part of my growth,” she added.
Despite the miles that separate her from her loved ones, Hajnal feels comfortable with her move to Blacksburg. “The most important thing is that mentally I’m absolutely fine here. I love swimming, I love working with this team and these coaches, and I think I made the best decision of my life by coming to Virginia Tech.”