Gold medalist’s new challenge to beat cancer
FIVE-TIME Olympic swimming gold medalist Nathan Adrian says that his success won’t be on his mind at the end of his life.
Maybe that would have been him some years ago. But not now, not since his latest race against the clock to beat cancer.
“It has completely changed my outlook. At the end of my time here on Earth, whenever that may be, I don’t think that the first thing on my mind is going to be how many gold medals I’ve had,” said Adrian, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in December. “I’m actually very confident of that, whereas you know, maybe five or six years ago, my answer to that might’ve changed a little bit.”
“So, my priorities are still competing and achieving at the highest level. But to take a deep breath, or to try to enjoy the company of those around me, that’s something that I’m trying to be aware of as much as possible. My reaction was probably what most people experience, a little bit of everything, you know: being scared, a little bit angry, just questioning why? Like wondering if I had called my mom enough.”
Doctors told him the cancer had been caught early, and he begun treatment. A month later, he underwent surgery, and he decided to continue to train for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The 30-year-old recently earned silver in the 4x100meter medley relay at the world swimming championships in Gwangju, South Korea.
The silver medal felt like victory for Adrian, who was competing just months after the cancer diagnosis.
“I’m still in the process of conquering it,” he said. “Between a couple of surgeries, treatment and ongoing surveillance, here we are, a little more than six months later, and I just feel fortunate to compete.”
At the 2012 Olympics, Adrian won the 100-meter freestyle. Four years later, he earned bronze in Rio de Janeiro. He has four other Olympic gold medals as part of US relay teams.
Adrian has been swimming since the age of 2, and competitively since the age of 5. The decision to get back in the pool had the backing of his loved ones. Everyone is rooting for him back in his hometown of Bremerton, Washington, where a street was named after him.
Endurance is everything to a swimmer. But Adrian said he’s been in touch online with others who endured the same things as he did outside of the pool.
“A lot of my messaging this point has been for men out there: If you feel that something is going on, you have to go see a doctor,” he said.
“A lot of guys wait. They feel something going on there and then they wait until their treatment options are a little narrower and the prognosis isn’t quite as good. But if they get in there early, and early detection is key, hopefully everyone can live a little bit longer.”
Like any race, his goal is to beat cancer in the shortest amount of time possible. His other goals are also clear.
“In the future? Of course Tokyo 2020,” he said.
“And then for life, probably spending a little more time at home with my wife and a little less time on the road training and competing, once this is all over.”
(AP)