Anthony (Tony) Ervin is an Olympic Swimmer, writer, and tattoo enthusiast. I first swam against Tony in a dual meet between Arizona and Cal. Ervin won. Ervin is a seven-time NCAA National Champion, 4 x Olympic medalist, and former world record holder. In the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he tied Gary Hall Jr (his training partner) to win Olympic Gold in the 50m Free.
After Ervin competed in the Olympics, he renounced swimming and gave away his medal. He started sweeping the floors in a tattoo shop, racing motorcycles and he joined a band. He was chasing something, and it wasn’t in the pool.
Our paths crossed in New York City, when he taught swimming lessons at the same swim school where my 18-month-old was taking lessons. Then, I heard through the grapevine he was making a comeback.
This interview took place months before the Rio Olympics and Olympic Trials. Not only did Ervin qualify (as the oldest swimmer on the team) he won Olympic Gold, again.
I’ve often wondered what makes Ervin so fast, despite being a foot smaller than the rest of his competition. If you watch him, he slices through the water, while the other swimmers (including myself) fight it.
In this episode, we talk about his approach to mental training, what it takes to win, and what it feels like to compete in the Olympics.
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