Now & Then: Your Favorite Swimmers’ Evolution In Photos

With elite swimmers now remaining in the sport well into their late 20’s, we as fans get to see the evolution of our favorite aquatic stars unfold, both in the achievement sense, but also in simply the physical sense. Watching athletes such as American Caeleb Dressel and Australian Cate Campbell emerge from their beginnings as talented junior swimmers to now-international mega athletes enables us to connect with them and follow along as their careers flourish over the years.

Reminisce on the early days of several of the world’s most notable swimmers by taking in photos from then versus now as a reminder of the truly glorious era of swimming in which we’re lucky to be.

Caeleb Dressel, 2013 US World Championship Trials (Tim Binning, The Swim Pictures)

 

Caeleb Dressel, August 2018 (photo: Mike Lewis)

 

Nathan Adrian, 2012 (Tim Binning, The Swim Pictures)

 

Nathan Adrian, August 2018  (photo: Mike Lewis)

 

Katie Ledecky, 2012 (photo: Mike Lewis)

 

Katie Ledecky, September 2018 (photo: Mike Lewis)

 

Simone Manuel, 2013 (Tim Binning, The Swim Pictures)

 

Simone Manuel, September 2018 (photo: Mike Lewis)

 

Sarah Sjostrom, 2013 (Victor Puig)

 

Sarah Sjostrom, 2018 ( Fabio Cetti – ics Media s.r.l. www.facebook.com/kcsmediasrl)

 

Sun Yang, 2013 (Peter Sukenik)

 

Sun Yang, 2017 (Peter Sukenik)

 

Cate Campbell, 2013 (Victor Puig)

 

Cate Campbell, August 2018, (photo: Mike Lewis)

 

Ryan Murphy, Joseph Schooling, Santo Condorelli, Josh Booth, 2012 (Bolles School)

 

Ryan Murphy, August 2018 (photo: Jack Spitser)

 

Santo Condorelli, June 2018 (Giusy Cisale – SwimSwam)

 

Joseph Schooling, 2018 (Speedo)

In This Story

17
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

17 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
ANGELA
5 years ago

CHINA SUN

Swimjon
6 years ago

I am oooold, but now and then and we talk four – five years… zzzz… among the chos3n ones… Sarah Sjostrom eas world champion and world record holder in 2009…i am sure there are some GOATs in the vault, there is veteran champ Laszlo Cheh… etc

Jim C
6 years ago

You should have the photo where Ledecky gets Phelps autograph.

goloju
6 years ago

Ae GALAJUH

Swamfan
6 years ago

Why are there no photos of Kathleen baker so we can see the evolution of her eyelashes.

Dee
6 years ago

You missed out the best one: Ben Proud 2013 vs Ben Proud 2018.

Boy to a man.

Right Dude Here
6 years ago

Title promised pictures of God King Dean.

No pictures of God King Dean.

2/10

SwimGeek
6 years ago

I know Bolles can draw from the whole world, but it’s still ridiculous to think about a high school relay that contains Murphy, Schooling, and Condorelli (no offense to Josh Booth!). Oh, and there was a guy on the Bolles club team who went to public high school who could have made a good 4th…

swimmerTX
Reply to  SwimGeek
6 years ago

Yeah, he could have helped them out just a bit.

yinzerswimmer
Reply to  SwimGeek
6 years ago

Yes, pretty awesome relay, which puts into perspective just how impressive it was that last year, 4 boys from a public high school in Pittsburgh – all home grown talent – smashed that legendary record. Three of the members were underclassmen.
https://swimswam.com/north-allegheny-breaks-legendary-bolles-national-hs-record/

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

Read More »