Former Auburn star Adam Brown is returning home to his native United Kingdom to train for the 2012 Olympics.
During his senior season at Auburn, he placed 2nd in the 50 free and 3rd in the 100 free under Auburn sprint coach Brett Hawke. He put up some great short course times at Auburn, but at Worlds he didn’t perform quite as well. He failed to make the semi-final in the 100 (49.13), and placed 13th in the 50 free semifinals (22.21); and he didn’t put up even a season best in either race.
Brown will be training back at the Hatfield Swim Club, which has been his official domestic representation throughout his time at Auburn. He will work under Nick Juba (who also coached former USC star Richard Charlesworth, among others) at the club in the far north of London. Juba is a former head coach of the British Junior National Team.
Of his decision, Brown said that he was “Sad to leave Auburn but excited for the future. Turning into a full time athlete!”
His first goal after being back in England will be the European Short Course Championships in December.
He doesn’t have much domestic competition in the sprint freestyles; he shouldn’t have much trouble making the Olympic team. But once he makes that team, performing well (at least an Olympic final) will be his goal. The move also makes sense from a post-grad position: with the surge of attention to swimming in the UK, his marketing opportunities as one of the top British athletes are ten-fold what they would be training in the United States.
