“I live a simple life,” says Rūta Meilutytė, a resident of Šilainiai, whom I recently met at the Kaunas Picture Gallery. While Rūta and her friend were exploring the exhibitions, her dog patiently waited downstairs and was showered with affectionate attention. I remember the first time I spoke with Rūta in person; we had to protect her from the overwhelming attention. The Kaunas native had just returned from the Rio Olympics, and there was a surprise waiting for her in Kaunas Town Hall Square – a concert by her favorite artist, Benas Aleksandravičius. I remember it was raining.
What will this August be like, when eight years have passed since Rio and twelve years since the golden London? As I write these lines, Rūta is one of fifty members of the Lithuanian Olympic team heading to Paris, having just sent me greetings from Naples. By the time you hold this magazine in your hands, you will already know more. Though perhaps you already do, after all, there’s no shortage of ‘sofa swimming coaches’ in Lithuania. But what exactly is the path that this young woman is taking?
Why do you choose to live in Kaunas when you could be living anywhere in the world? Tell us what is important to you, and what you pay attention to in your living environment.
When I was 13, I left Kaunas for almost ten years, not entirely by choice. Circumstances led me to Los Angeles, where, without planning it but perhaps subconsciously wanting it (that’s a whole other story), I missed my third doping test in 12 months (as an athlete, I am regularly tested for banned substances), and without much thought, I had to return home. So, it’s been six years now that I’ve been back in Kaunas. This is my home; that feeling won’t be the same anywhere else. And it feels great when everything you need is here. Kaunas is beautiful, interesting, full of life, full of culture – just try to keep up. I haven’t fully discovered Kaunas yet; I’m still in the process of exploring it.
Which public – or maybe secret – spaces, streets, and buildings of Kaunas like the most, what inspires and calms you down in the city?
It’s always fun to find a roof or a slope with a beautiful view of the city. It’s Romantic. But perhaps the coziest is where I usually hang out: around the city center, Žaliakalnis, Šilainiai. My favorite buildings, of course, are the interwar period ones, the modernist beauties of Kaunas and I keep discovering new ones all the time. I also like the wooden houses of Žaliakalnis. The Nemunas island, parks, and rivers are what calm me down.
What do your days consist of when you’re not at camps, and you don’t have to prepare for competitions?
It consists of all kinds of life, home, and creative activities.
Do you enjoy spending your free time by the water?
I do. I like the Nevėžis River.
What kind of music is playing in your headphones when you are getting ready for the day, or maybe at the end of it? Is there a place for music during training?
Yes, music can be used as a tool to help get yourself moving or to add a bit more passion to what you’re doing, for example, when running. For me, it’s more of a spiritual support throughout the day. The music varies. Sometimes I think of a song, or it comes to mind, and I start my day with it. Other times, I rely on Spotify or YouTube suggestions and dig into them.
You take a lot of photos! Your Instagram stories, full of nature, people, and moments, always catch the eye. Is it a visual diary or a way to collect memories? How do you decide what’s worth capturing?
I’d say it’s a visual diary, for myself. And, of course, I’m collecting memories. Sometimes it’s about precious moments or people close to me, the time spent together that I want to solidify, capture, and later remember. But mostly, I probably take photos of whatever beauty catches my eye, intrigues me, or moves me. It’s also a way to connect with the world. It’s just creativity on the spot, a fun activity, a play, and meditation – an expression of a feeling or impulse.
In 2022, together with like-minded individuals Berta Tilmantaitė, Aurelija Striužė, and Neringa Rekašiūtė, you shook not only the art world but also the political sphere with the performance Swimming Through near the Russian Embassy. How would you assess the success of this work today, considering that the video was acquired by the National Gallery of Art? Did the message reach its target?
It was important for us to create it for ourselves, to somehow express and process the overwhelming feelings that accumulated at the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. I received many thanks from Ukrainians for this message. So, I believe the performance was successful.
I liked your point about life being about more than achievements. Did you know this all along?
Definitely not. There was a time when I thought differently; it seemed obvious: you do things, you strive, you want to win, and if you win – great (even if you didn’t enjoy the process or the journey to get there), and if you lose – you find even less joy. Everything seemed to be measured by success, not by what brought pleasure or what the process taught you. It’s a dry path to success, where you’re motivated only by the result, the record, the medal. After spending some time in that mindset and realizing that there’s no real life in it, I understood that I couldn’t continue to chase achievements to be happy. I had to let go of the result and focus on the process, the pleasure and challenges that strengthen me spiritually and physically, not on money or the future, but on the present moment.
How do you find beauty in the bumpy periods? Or is it better not to deceive yourself and go through those potholes with all the resulting pains instead?
I don’t know. Sometimes I realize that it’s tough right now, and I can step back a bit to understand what’s happening and then navigate through those bumps. But sometimes they seem like bottomless pits, and it’s hard to maintain the bigger picture and the knowledge that this too shall pass. Those are the most challenging times. Otherwise, when I can understand that I’m going through a rough patch, acceptance helps a lot: fully accepting the situation, no matter how it is. You shouldn’t change it or run away from it. I found this practical advice in Tara Brach’s book Radical Acceptance. It contains many practices related to mindfulness during intense emotional experiences. I tell myself, “Yes, I feel a lot of anxiety. Yes, it’s really bad right now.” And the pressure eases. It seems to me that this is not self-deception. Sometimes all it takes is acceptance to soften that bumpy road and regain control.
I believe that you have to really love yourself to see beauty. When there is inner self-support, there is compassion. You must be on your own team.
Do you like to plan? If there’s an A then I will do B, for example.
Yes, I plan to some extent. But more than that, I refine and weigh what I truly want, and then I know what to do.
Your achievements have inspired many younger and maybe even older people. First of all, to just learn how to swim but perhaps also to choose the desired path in life with more courage.
I don’t think too much about it. I’m not trying to convey any specific message, but if I feel that I can share something useful, I do. And it’s just fun and interesting to interact with young people because they are full of enthusiasm and ambition, and they are receptive. So, I want to share the best things with them. The feedback is immense and gives a sense of purpose.
I must admit, I was a bit surprised to realize that you’re already 27. What do the passing years mean to you? Do you feel like life is speeding up, the years are getting shorter, or maybe vice versa?
I’m a bit surprised too, as I often still feel like a child inside. Time flows in different ways. I like feeling the maturity and the strengthening sense of self over time, but still not fully understanding everything and living with the knowledge that I’ll never fully understand everything. I just want to live more fully, waste less time, and take better care of my health.
