By Terin Frodyma on SwimSwam
An induction into any hall of fame is an honor, one that provides an opportunity to give credit to those who helped guide someone along the road to success. In the case of Nathan Adrian, one of the newest inductees into the International Swimming Hall of Fame, he made the most of his moment, giving a heartfelt speech and using his platform to contextualize what many swimmers, and those around them, do that makes the sport what it is.
Adrian, a five-time Olympic gold-medalist with Team USA, was inducted into the ISHOF alongside 10 other honorees: Laszlo Cseh (Hungary), Ranomi Kromowidjojo (Netherlands), Ferry Weertman (Netherlands), Tania Cagnotto (Italy), Simone Fountain (Australia), Heather Simmons-Carrasco (USA), Richard Burns (USA), Jane Figueiredo (Zimbabwe, Russia, Great Britain), Stephen A. Cassidy (USA), and Beatrice Hess (France). Both Ryan Lochte and Greg Troy, who are part of the 2025 induction class, were also in attendance, as they were unable to attend the ceremony in Singapore last year.
Adrian’s speech begins by talking about the swimming community as a whole, not himself; giving credit to the swimmers who wake up at the crack of dawn, the coaches who put years and years of their lives into the growth of others, the volunteers and officials who help make competitions happen, and the parents who sacrifice to give their children the opportunity in the water.
He adds that this “chain of generosity is not accidental,” and that he was a “recipient of that generosity long before I understood what it was.”
Adrian went in to talking about the generosity both on and off the pool deck, thanking those who have saved lives though the education in water safety and fundraising for cancer research.
“The same people who get up before dawn to stare at the black line also show up to fight for people that they’ve never even met. That is who we are.”
The rest of the speech thanked his family, coaches, teammates, and friends, who “made the hard days bearable and the great days unforgettable.”
The full speech transcript can be read below, courtesy of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Thank you. I thought I would be first. I usually do go first when things like this happen because of alphabetical order. And here I am fifth. And after those incredible athletes. I mean, I just feel so honored to be up here in front of you all. But what’s a little imposter syndrome if not to tell you that you’re doing something right and you’re in the right place?
Standing in this room, I find myself wanting to talk about something other than me, or to start off by talking a little bit about the aquatics community as a whole. Swimming is not the most glamorous sport. We don’t necessarily fill the largest stadiums — yet. Outside of an Olympic year, most people can’t name the world champion in the 100 freestyle. We get up before the sun. We stare at a black line for hours and then we do it the next day. Our coaches pour decades into young swimmers for compensation that bears no relationship to the value that they’re giving. Our officials volunteer thousands of hours so that meets can happen. And our parents give up their weekends year after year after year after year. That chain of generosity is not accidental. It is what this community, that everybody here is a part of, is made of. I know this because I’ve lived inside that chain my entire career. I was the recipient of that generosity long before I understood what it was.
Coaches believed in me before I had earned it. Teammates carried me through the mornings when I had nothing left. People in this community gave me more than the sport required them to give, and they did it all without keeping score. And then there’s what swimming gives beyond itself. This community saves lives — literally. Every child who learns to be safe in the water, every drowning prevented, every family spared. That is this community’s work too. The generosity doesn’t stop at the pool deck. There are people in this room who have helped raise over $150 million for cancer research. I don’t think I need to explain to you all why that number means something to me personally, but I do want to say it out loud because I think it deserves to be said out loud. The same people who get up before dawn to stare at the black line also show up to fight for people that they’ve never even met. That is who we are.
Being inducted into this Hall of Fame means I get to be permanently associated with this community, with these people, and with you all. With what this sport does quietly every day without asking for recognition. For that, I am profoundly grateful. That chain of generosity that I just described, I do want to take a moment to talk about who was in mine. Mom and Dad, you put me in the water, you drove me to practice, and you gave me every opportunity to see how far I can take this sport. I’m forever grateful. My brother and sister, Justin and Daniella, as younger siblings do, I chased you into the sport. Your belief in me and support throughout meant more than you could ever know. My wife, Hallie, you have been my constant. In the best moments and the hardest ones, you were there and you never made me feel like I had to face anything alone. To our little girls, you are the best thing that’s ever happened to me — and it’s not even close. To every coach and member of the support staff, you gave me your expertise, your time, and your belief. I was a better swimmer because of you and I am a better person because of you.
I do want to single out Dave Durden. Dave, to steal a quote from you, ‘this stuff ain’t easy.’ That was censored, of course, for the innocent ears in the room. But you somehow made it look easy. You gave your athletes everything, every single day. And you made the hardest sport in the world feel like it was exactly where we were all supposed to be. And last but not least, to my teammates and friends, you made the hard days bearable and the great days unforgettable. I would do it all again just to be in that pool with you all. I talk tonight about a community that shows up for each other. You were my first experience with that. Everything I said up here, I learned from being around you all. Thank you.
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