He won gold with Michael Phelps. Here is what Matt Grevers enjoys about still competing at 34
Four-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Matt Grevers is not ready to put the goggles away. He has unfinished business.
The 34-year-old hopes to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“I have a great relationship with swimming and it’s been one of my longest relationships, and it’s been so positive,” Grevers said. “Really nothing but great experiences in the sport. I just really enjoy competing and want to keep going with it. Luckily, I’m still pretty good. As soon as people kick me out of my spot, I’m going to have to retire and get a real job, but until then I’m staying in the water.”
Toward his goal, the 6-foot-8 Grevers is competing in top-level competition including the four-day TYR Pro Swim Series that ended Saturday night at the Clovis North Aquatics Center.
Grevers won the 100-meter backstroke on Friday. He’s on the U.S. National team that will swim next month in the World Championships in South Korea.
Grevers’ Olympic drive is fueled by success and disappointment. He was third in the 100 backstroke at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials; the top two qualify for the Olympic team.
He was part of two gold medal-winning relay teams in the 2008 Olympics, then got two golds and a silver in 2012.
One of those 2012 golds was his only individual win. It came in the 100 backstroke.
“I remember when the medal was put around my neck, all the moments were flashing through my career up to that point,” he said. “it’s not sacrificing. It’s life choices that I made that I enjoyed and appreciated and it was such a rewarding feeling to accomplish a goal that at that point was 17 years to get an individual gold medal.”
Grevers got another lasting memory with his last gold, in the 400 medley relay in what was supposed to be Michael Phelps’ last race. (Phelps returned and won gold in 2016.)
“Being a part of the relays was incredible” Grevers said. “I can tell my grandkids one day, ‘Hey, this is the same gold medal the most decorated Olympian of all-time ... it’s his last last Olympic gold, but now he’s got a whole bunch more.’
“Maybe I got to get him back out of retirement so I can say that again.”
Also
Former Clovis West High star Justin Wright was second in the 200 butterfly Friday night.
Clovis North sophomore Claire Tuggle finished third in the 400 freestyle. The 14-year-old’s time of 4 minutes 14.37 seconds was just 4 seconds off winner Erica Sullivan (USC Class of 2018) who was 1 second off her lifetime best. Runner-up Evie Pfeifer, a junior at Texas, swam her lifetime best of 4:11.77.
In the same event, recent Clovis West graduate Abby Samansky won the B final.
