TheMagic5 Swimming Blog
“I’m a Dutch swimmer and I specialize in backstroke and freestyle and I’ve competed in three Olympic Games—that’s me,” Kira Toussaint says with a smile. But there’s much more beneath that humble intro. Kira’s decorated career spans decades, stages, and disciplines—marked by relentless drive and a fascination with the details that make champions.
Making the Dutch national team at just 13, Kira grew up in the pool. Her mother, an Olympic gold medalist in the 200m backstroke, and her father, a wetsuit designer, never pushed her into the sport—she found her love for backstroke on her own, claiming the stroke “chose her.”
She left the Netherlands to pursue both education and elite training in the U.S., first in Florida, then at the University of Tennessee. That transfer proved pivotal. It was in Tennessee that she became an All-American and qualified for her first Olympics in Rio 2016. A degree in kinesiology followed, and then her breakthrough began: qualifying for two more Olympics, setting multiple national and European records, and breaking the world record in the 50m backstroke (short course).
Her rise wasn’t just about time in the pool. Kira embraced a science- and tech-driven approach to performance. “I figured out early on that there was more to swimming than actual swimming,” she says. She began tracking sleep, testing lactate levels, and using recovery data to fine-tune her program. Even social habits changed—cutting alcohol and late nights for performance gains.
“All of that information added up to big drops in time,” she says. That analytical mindset helped her become one of the most consistent backstroke swimmers in Europe.
Eventually, it also led her to THEMAGIC5. “I was impressed with the technology that provides a perfect custom fit and the fast feeling,” she says. The trust she felt wearing THEMAGIC5 goggles gave her the ability to focus fully on her races. “When you’re behind the block, your goggles shouldn’t even cross your mind.”
Her only pre-race ritual? Cleaning the backstroke bar to ensure “no drops!” It’s a small habit—but like everything Kira does, it's purposeful, calculated, and personal.
Joining THEMAGIC5 as Athlete Advisor feels like a natural next step. With her performance-first mindset, she now helps build the gear that swimmers like her depend on. “Clear mind, full heart, can’t lose,” she says—a mantra that carries her into this next phase, championing performance from the inside out.
