[Magazines] Best Race Ever: Nathan Adrian

The Nov.-Dec. 2012 issue of Splash magazine is now available online on the USA Swimming website. Although this issue is heavily focused on the Greatest Olympian of All Time Michael Phelps, Nathan Adrian is still featured as the Best Race Ever for his 100-meter freestyle in the London 2012 Olympic Games. Here is Nathan Adrian’s story as told to Rachel Lutz.

The best race I ever swam was a series of races I sawm during the London 2012 Olympic Games – the 100 freestyle. It just kept getting better and better for me. No matter who you are, or how well you think you can do, you have to remember that even the prelims count. You can’t blow them off.

I felt great after I swam in the 400 free relay. I knew I still had a lot to give. During prelims, I felt the same way. For the effort level I had to put into that race, that was the best I had felt when it was over. I tried a little bit harder during the semis. I knew it was important that I won my heat, and I did.

Going into finals, it was almost like a game. I knew, strategically, that I would have to be able to come back in a 24-mid-to-low to compete with the rest of the field. I almost woujdl’ve preferred to be in the outside lane, where all that fresh water was, but that wasn’t the case. It’s much better for me to build during the last 50 meters, but it was all-out sprint from the breakout.

I got my hand on the wall first, beating Australian James Magnussen (by the smallest margin in the sport, one one-hundredth of a second) in a time of 47.52. I’m looking forward to going back to our respective training centers and competing next summer.

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