With silver and bronze medals in Tokyo, Allison Schmitt has ascended to elite status in the Olympic world. She’s a four-time Olympian and swimming team captain. But when she first realized she was a 10-time Olympic medalist, the breadth of her accomplishments overwhelmed her with emotion.

“The first time I heard it I started crying at the press conference after the swim,” she tells friend and In The Village host Elizabeth Beisel. “I thought I wasn’t going to be able to finish the rest of my sentence. It hit me.”

When you click the play button for this episode of the In The Village podcast, you’ll eavesdrop on Beisel and Schmitty, two old friends chatting about experiences in the Athlete’s Village and the honor and privilege of being a U.S. Olympian. For more episodes of In The Village, check out Apple Podcasts or listen below: