At the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships, Adrian took home the gold medal in the 4 × 100 meter medley relay as part of Team USA. He shared this feat with fellow swimmers Ryan Murphy, Andrew Wilson, and Caeleb Dressel. “I love being trusted with that last spot on the relay team. It is a huge honor and there’s a lot of pressure, but it’s awesome. That is a really special spot to be in,” he said.
Speaking of that aforementioned 4 × 100 meter medley relay race, it is nominated for a 2018 Golden Goggle award for “Relay Performance of the Year.” The award ceremony will take place on Monday, November 19 in New York City.
Throughout his career in swimming, Adrian has won a total of three Golden Goggle awards, two of which were for “Relay Performance of the Year” (2009 and 2016), and in 2012, his 100 meter freestyle race at the Olympic Games in London was named “Male Race of the Year.”
In his personal life, this past September, Adrian is a married man, who tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend Hallie Ivester. “That was great,” he said, expressing his contentment about the next chapter in his life.
Another memorable moment for Adrian was visiting the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in California last year, in partnership with the Jessie Rees Foundation, where they handed joy jars to the children, in an effort to spread more joy and hope. “That was a blast. They have been a really great program. It is growing certainly, and it started with a swimmer,” Adrian said.
On his plans for the future, Adrian said, “My plans are to win some medals in 2020. If I go too far beyond that, I know I will be taking away from what I am doing now. I am definitely not done swimming after 2020.”
Digital transformation of aquatics
When asked about any advancements in technology that have changed in aquatics, Adrian responded, “The recovery modalities have really changed. As technology improves, it gets cheaper. As we go on these national team trips, everyone has two giant suitcases, where one has a training room with your NormaTec, vibrating foam roller and your suction cuffs. At one point, all of these were only available at a college training room.”
In addition, Adrian noted that some places are doing Heart Rate Variability (HRV) monitoring and sleep monitoring. “With today’s accessibility, if you put it on your app, and you stick that data with your dashboard for your coach, your coach can see that and manage that for you,” he said. “We aren’t there yet at Cal.”
He acknowledged that they use a great variety of video technology, including GoPro and Dartfish.
Adrian praised his swimming coach at Cal, David Durden, for being a “phenomenal coach and a great leader.” “David knows how to elicit performances out of people,” he said. “David also develops interpersonal relationships with each of us, and he understands what makes us kick as he gets to know us as athletes. It is really fun for me to watch him coach the freshmen fairly similarly, and he makes adjustments in their sophomore year.”
Earlier this year, Adrian was interviewed by fellow world class swimmer Michael Andrew for his YouTube channel. “I love what Michael [Andrew] is doing. I think it’s great for the sport, and it shows a different side of some of the athletes,” Adrian said. “People don’t appreciate how much hard work that is.”
For his fans and supporters, Adrian expressed his appreciation with a “thank you.” “Their support has meant the world to me,” he said, effusively. “I don’t think the fans are properly appreciated.”
He defined the word success as follows: “Success is a matter of perspective.” “I have been taught by some of the best coaches in the world, and they taught me to set really high goals. To be totally honest, I am not sure if I ever have gone into a season and accomplished all of the goals that I have set yet I still find that I have been successful in a lot of seasons. At the end of the day, success is taking an objective look at all of the hard work that we have put in,” he explained.
To learn more about eight-time Olympic medalist Nathan Adrian, follow him on Twitter and on Instagram.
