Olympic gold medalist swimmer Nathan Adrian chatted about competing in Season 3 of the reality TV series “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.”
Adrian on his experience competing in Wales in ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test’
“It was an incredible experience,” Adrian admitted. “I don’t think that, on TV, it really comes through how real the entire experience feels.”
“They are an incredibly gifted directing staff, and I am extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to join in on Season 3,” he added.
Lessons learned from this reality TV competition series
On the lessons learned from “Special Forces,” he stated, “I think the show helped me get out of the ‘performance comes from perfection’ mindset and a little more into the ‘grind it out’ type of mentality.”
“When swimming, you had to align the stars as much as possible; however, in real life, I think there is a lot more grinding that needs to be done,” Adrian noted.
Takeaways from ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test’
On the takeaways from this TV series, Adrian said, “There are tons of takeaways from it. I do think that if I had been able to stay longer, I would have been able to do things I never would have thought possible beforehand.”
“I see the power of belief and the importance of having others help push you there, whether it is teammates or coaches,” he noted.
“I have really missed that aspect of my life, and I will definitely do what I can to build that back into my life,” he added.
Nathan Adrian — The Co-owner of the AC Swim Club
Presently, Adrian co-owns the AC Swim Club along with Will Copeland.
“The AC Swim Club is going great,” he said. “We are about to start up our spring semester next week.”
“We have the best teaching staff we have ever had, and we also have the most enrollments we have ever had at this point in the year, so 2025 is looking to be a good one,” he exclaimed.
Owning a business and balancing a family
“Owning and operating a business is a bit tricky to manage when you have a family,” Adrian said.
“On one hand, I am able to spend a ton of time with the girls during our slow season; however, during the summer, I am usually at the pool quite a bit,” he noted.
“I think this year we have the right people in the right places to be able to spend a little more time off the pool deck, focusing on areas outside of operations, which also includes more time with my family,” he elaborated.
Greatest lesson that competitive swimming has taught him
On the greatest lesson that competitive swimming has taught him, Adrian reflected, “There are too many to list. The first thing that comes to mind is that consistent hard work will pay off.”
“It may not pay off immediately, but it will pay off eventually. I think that is a really valuable lesson that I will take with me forever,” he underscored.
Adrian on his personal life: The husband and father
In his personal life, he is married to Hallie, and they are parents to two daughters: Brooklyn and Parker. “The girls are fantastic. They are growing quickly and becoming the best of friends,” Adrian said.
“It took a lot of work to get here, and there is still a lot of work to be done, but Hallie and I are enjoying every moment of it,” he acknowledged.
Message for his fans and supporters
For his fans and supporters, the five-time Olympic gold medalist remarked, “Thank you! I feel very blessed to be in the position I am in today, and it is in large part due to those who have supported me for all these years!”
To learn more about Nathan Adrian, follow him on Instagram.
