EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic Swimmer Brendan Hansen Talks About London – And Losing His Olympic Medal

In light of the sometimes intimidating success of swimming superstar Michael Phelps, many other Olympic swimmers find it hard to enjoy the spotlight. Not so with Brendan Hansen, who will be competing this summer in the 100m breaststroke and is considered one of the greatest American swimmers of all time. Hansen is a four-time Olympic winner, though he’s still approaching the London Games as if they were his first. “You don’t know what to expect, so you just expect anything — just go in there and race,” remarks Hansen in our exclusive interview.

Brendan, 30, who is originally from Haverford, Pennsylvania, is a little bit older than his fellow Olympic athletes, and he recognizes that the 2012 games could be his last. Nonetheless, in his later years, Brendan’s training focus has switched to recovery. “Recovery at my age — I’m thirty years old — is probably the most important thing for me. The only way I recover is with sleep and with food, and it’s really important that you focus on that.”

Let’s hope he gets enough sleep and good food to win this August.