Swimmer Nathan Adrian Hopeful For An Olympic Repeat

Hailing from Bremerton, Washington, swimmer Nathan Adrian, 23, is preparing for a new role as he takes part in this Summer’s Olympic Games in London. Four years after winning his first gold medal in 2008, all signs point to Adrian as the likely new candidate to anchor the US men’s swimming team in the 4 x 100 relay for this summer. But for a position that involves so much pressure, Adrian seems nothing but poised and ready to take on a new challenge. “There's a lot of pressure associated with that. Sometimes I wish I wasn't going last. But at the end of the day, it's a cool place to be," Adrian told USA Today. Due to the success achieved in the Beijing games four years ago, which also included Michael Phelps’ historical performance, this year’s US men’s swimming team will considered a failure if they don’t bring home the gold.

Starting from the young age of 5, swimming was almost natural not only for Adrian, but also within his family as both his older sister, Donella, and older brother, Justin, took part in the sport. Adrian would go on to have a successful high school career as he set the state’s record in the 200 free in 2006, according to the Seattle Times.
As a student for the University of California, Berkeley, Adrian would achieve even more success competing in World Championships, the Olympics and setting records. Adrian currently holds the Pac-10 records in the 50, 100 and 200 free, 200 and 400 free, and 200 and 400 medley relay. He also holds numerous school records, which include the 50 (18.71), 100 (41.08) and 200 free (1:32.98) and 200 medley (1:22.50, freestyle leg), 400 medley (3:01.69, freestyle leg). When he wasn’t setting records, Adrian was being awarded as he became the recipient of several honors such as 2009 Pac-10 Swimmer of the Year, 2010 Pac-10 champion in the 50 and 100 free, and 2010 NCAA champion in the 100 free, just to name a few.

In 2008, Adrian would take part in the Short Course World Swimming Championships by winning gold in the 100 free with a time of 46.67, a championship record, according to the Cal-Berkeley website. After finishing fourth in the 100 free at the Olympic Trials, Adrian became qualified for a spot on the 2008 US men’s swimming team for that year’s Olympics. Because of this, he would be the first Cal male swimmer to qualify for the Olympics since Anthony Ervin in 2000. He would go on to win a Gold Medal that same year as he helped the US team what was then a world record in the prelims with a time of 3:12.23.

Despite winning a gold medal four years ago, Adrian remains even more motivated. He is one athlete that takes absolutely nothing for granted. “It was really uncomfortable and not fun. I use that a lot in training, in preparing for races, to try and motivate myself to make sure I'm going to throw up a good leg. Because that's the only thing I can control,” Adrian told USA Today, regarding his third place finish at worlds. As this summer’s leading candidate to anchor the US men’s swimming, Adrian is confident that this year’s squad can remain focused and determined on bringing back another gold medal.

—SIGMUND SICANGCO