Dana Torres is a swimmer. She participated in the swimming trials for the U.S. Olympic team in Nebraska over the weekend, securing not only her place on the Olympic swim team, but setting a new American record in the 50-meter freestyle.
So Who is Dana Torres?
Flashback to 1984 when Dana, then just 16 years old competed in the Los Angeles Olympic Games and winning a gold medal in the 4×100 freestyle relay. In 1988, she competed in the Seoul Olympics where she earned a silver and a bronze medal. Torres initially retired in 1989, but then dove back into the pool to compete in the Barcelona Games of 1992 and won another gold for the 4×100 free relay. Then for the second time, at the age of 25, she decided to retire from competitive swimming.
7 years later in 1999, now age 32, a friend’s nudge sent Torres back into the competition. She not only got back into training, she entered in the Sydney Games in 2000 and won not won gold medal, but two as well as three bronze medals.
When Dana became pregnant in 2005, she continued swimming to keep herself in shape. Her daughter was born in April of 2006 and Dana began training once again for the 2008 Olympics. This weekend, she has secured her position on the Olympic swim team at the age of 41 and she is the first American swimmer to compete in five Olympic games.
Wow.
Hats off to Dana Torres! I’ve always been a firm believer that physical fitness is about more than just working out, it’s about being mentally and emotionally fit. Dana Torres demonstrates that growing older doesn’t mean that you can’t stay in top form, compete well and out swim kids half your age. I can’t wait to see how she does in Beijing in August! Good luck!