The focus is simple, nice, easy and relaxed.

Just like Andrew Riser.

The Liberty High School junior swimmer doesn’t prescribe to the theory that anger will fuel him to swim faster. He uses a calm and focused mentality when it comes to swimming, and it has taken him pretty far to this point.

He wants to swim his 100-yard freestyle, and he wants to do it at his own pace.

Riser enters Thursday afternoon’s Division II state preliminary swim meet competition at the C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton with perspective.

“Some people think anger makes people go faster,” Riser said. “When I touch the water, I’m just chill. I just want a calm approach, I guess.”

He goes into state with the 23rd-best time at 49.07 seconds, with 45.31 being the best time from district competition. Riser, who placed sixth at last week’s district, earned his spot at the state meet with an at-large bid from the Division II district at Cleveland State University.

Howland junior Jared Mindek, who has been swimming with Riser since they both were freshmen, said a sharp focus will help him Thursday.

“Not get tired,” Mindek said. “He has to give it everything he’s got. He’s got four laps for 100 freestyle. He has to go for it.”

Riser’s motivation is different than others. He thinks about some of the struggles he’s had in school, academics. He uses his time in the pool to keep things in perspective.

“Experience the hard times is good mental prep for me,” he said. “It brings me back to see how grateful I am. When I go into the water, I race to have a more positive outlook. I think that helps me.”

Being 6-feet-1 helps as well.

“You’re base starting point is already a couple of milliseconds, in the grand scheme of things, ahead of other people, which could help. Which in my case, it did,” he said. “I think that’s how it could help you. It’s more hydrodynamic, I would say.”

Every split second counts in swimming, and it be of even more importance starting Thursday.