Nathan Adrian is racing for a spot on the Tokyo team at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials. On the final day of trials, he must finish in the top two of the 50m freestyle finals to qualify.
What happened?
Adrian failed to make the final of the 100m free, an event he won by .01 at the London Olympics. He finished 13th in the semifinals.
Why it matters for Nathan Adrian
Adrian's comeback story is different from others, having been diagnosed with testicular cancer two and a half years ago and undergoing two surgeries. He entered Olympic Trials ranked eighth in the U.S. in the 100m free since the start of 2019.
What comes next?
The men's 50m freestyle final is set for 8:15 p.m. ET on Sunday. Adrian will face tough competition, including world champion Caeleb Dressel, who swam 21.51 in the semis, and Michael Andrew, who went 21.55.
Adrian went 21.78 in semis and hasn't gone 21.55. He will need to swim faster to make the team.
Nathan Adrian has made the last three Olympic teams and is looking to add another medal to his collection. He has a combined 44 Olympic and world championships medals with Simone Manuel.
Manuel finished ninth in the 100m free on Thursday and disclosed an overtraining syndrome diagnosis in March, taking three weeks out of the pool, and depression. She was pleased to swim 24.50 seconds in her Saturday semifinal of the 50m free.
Adrian's faster time from prelims, 48.37, would have qualified fifth into the eight-man final. He said he threw a little bit more emotional energy into prelims than he should have.
Adrian, 32, got married and became a father since the Rio Olympics. He said having a family has helped him let go of bad practices immediately and focus on his loved ones.
The U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials will conclude on Sunday, with the men's 50m freestyle final being one of the last events. Nathan Adrian will look to make a strong finish and secure a spot on the Tokyo team.
On Sunday, Adrian will face a tough field, including Dressel and Andrew. He will need to swim his best to make the team.
The 50m freestyle is the shortest and fastest event in swimming, and fractions of a second will decide the winners. Nathan Adrian will look to use his experience and skill to make the team.
Adrian has been open about his cancer battle and has used his platform to raise awareness. He has also been praised by Michael Phelps, who said the U.S. needs Adrian on the team.
The final day of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials will be an exciting one, with many events still to be decided. Nathan Adrian will look to make a strong finish and secure a spot on the Tokyo team.