Every new stable owner or Stylish Stud Club member is worthy of celebration. Still, when a former Olympic medalist swimmer makes it be known that he’s getting involved, it warrants a proper welcome.
This past week, Great Britain Olympian and 2016 silver medalist swimmer Chris Walker-Hebborn joined the Photo Finish™ community after acquiring a Stylish Stud PFP. He’s since taken the plunge by acquiring his first-ever horse and, thus, began a deep dive into the PFL community and the racing ecosystem as a whole.
Now a full-fledged PFP and racehorse card-carrying member, we caught up with CWH to discuss his thoughts on the game, what attracted him to PFL, and diving deep into web3 after a life in the pool.
Photo Finish™ First Impressions
Having been introduced to the community by a friend and new to all things PFL, Walker-Hebborn — owner of Heavens Gate stables — says his initial reactions are that the community and its kindness are what stand out most.
“The first big standout since joining has been the incredible response from the community, both in Discord and on X.”
CWH — as he’s known on X and in the web3 space — says the most startling part has been how bonded fellow PFL players have been and how quickly and open they have been to giving advice, “I can’t say enough about how helpful the community is,” CWH shares, adding the game itself is complex. Still, the community has been more than willing to answer his inquiries.
“PF has a huge depth, so I’ve had plenty of questions! Their help has stood out the most.”
Diving Headfirst: Discovering NFTs and Web3
Reflecting on his first encounter with NFTs, CWH recalls discovering digital assets a handful of years ago, ironically and fittingly, within the Solana ecosystem.
“I first joined the NFT scene in late 2020, and my first ever mint was the SolPunks – they will always hold a special place in my portfolio.”
As he puts it, his experience in web3, as with many, has been “a complete rollercoaster,” but he completely believes in and acknowledges the potential, which is a big reason he’s joined PFL.
Being a Celebrity in Web3
If we’re keeping it real — anytime you see a public figure taking notice in NFTs or web3, it’s cool, but to have them join your community can be surreal. Like company is coming over, you almost want to clean up and look your best. But according to CWH, being an Olympic medalist in the NFT/Web3 world can open some doors, but for the most part, he doesn’t ever want to be deemed different from others,
“My background usually helps when interacting with projects and communities, but I try my best not to ‘use’ it as a means to get something.”
“The whole attraction to web3 is being part of the community.”
Past Gaming History
Asked about his past blockchain gaming history, CWH says he’s dabbled in games on SOL and ETH, but Photo Finish™ has been his first significant engagement. He says that while others haven’t stuck, he’s drawn to PFL for various reasons.
“There is a huge array of routes you can take in PF – but breeding has always been such an exciting talking point in many projects, so I’m looking forward to exploring more with PF,”
Life Beyond the Pool
As to what he’s up to these days, Walker-Hebborn says his main focus has been balancing a hectic life, “running my own business, recently married and a new dad!”
CWH says the little time he does have to chill is spent on dry land, exploring web3, not in the pool he is so well known for dominating.
“I spend most of my spare time in web3 and can honestly say I haven’t spent much time in a swimming pool since my retirement!”
Accustomed to podium finishes, CWH remains cautiously optimistic about his future in Photo Finish™.
“There’s nothing better than a podium finish, but I’ve got so much learning to do before I can predict when I’ll be standing on the PF podium — time will tell!!”
