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With the Winter Olympics just wrapping up, we thought this was the perfect time to revisit one of our most popular episodes from the archive — a conversation between Andy and one of the greatest names in Olympic swimming history.
In this episode, Andy sits down with his old college friend Rowdy Gaines — three-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time world champion, member of the Olympic Hall of Fame, and NBC’s voice of swimming for eight consecutive Olympic Games.
What you’ll hear:
- Why the 1980 U.S. Olympic boycott was a gut punch
- What it took to train three more years while working the overnight shift
- How razor-thin the margins are between gold and silver
- What a 160-pound swimmer training 10 miles a day actually eats
- What it means to stay passionate even when you dislike doing it
Tune in to hear Rowdy share the story of his unique childhood in Winter Haven, Florida, and how he was cut from five different sports before trying swimming at 17 — a last-ditch attempt that changed the trajectory of his life.
