Nathan Adrian, a 34-year-old swimming legend, is pondering one more Olympic Trials, after last competing at the highest level in Tokyo.
What's Next for Nathan Adrian?
He still spends his days at the pool, and even entered a swim meet in April, winning a 50-yard butterfly at a masters meet.
Nathan Adrian's days are now filled with family and business, as a father of two and a small business owner with the AC Swim Club in San Rafael, California.
Balancing Life and Swimming
Adrian and former Cal teammate Will Copeland bought a four-lane pool in the Bay Area in 2019, and now teach lessons there, allowing Adrian to stay in shape.
He can still achieve an Olympic Trials qualifying time, with the 50m free time standard for trials being 22.79 seconds, and Adrian having gone 21.73 in his last race at the Tokyo trials.
A Possible Comeback
Anthony Ervin, the 2016 Olympic 50m free champ, set a goal to qualify for a Tokyo trials farewell at age 40, and Adrian is not ruling out a similar bid.
Nathan Adrian's first taste of major international swimming came by qualifying for the 2008 Olympics in a relay, and he later received his first Olympic gold medal in a vacuum-sealed packet at a team meeting.
Nathan Adrian's Legacy
He won the Olympic 100m freestyle by one hundredth of a second over James Magnussen of Australia in 2012, and came back less than a year after a testicular cancer diagnosis to win two more relay golds at the 2019 World Championships.
Adrian may be best remembered for succeeding Jason Lezak as the U.S. anchor man for 4x100m free and medley relays, holding that position for two Olympic cycles.
Nathan Adrian is grateful for his career, knowing that few can last more than a decade at the highest level of the sport, and he still loves to race and enjoys being part of the swimming community.