Shields on Motivation Through 2024: “You’re starting to train your replacements”

2022 US SUMMER NATIONALS

After swimming in the B Final at the 2022 US Nationals in Irvine on Thursday, 2x Olympic champion Tom Shields spoke with the media about his future in the sport. Shields is committed to training through 2024, skeptical that he will earn his 3rd Olympic berth but nonetheless dedicated to putting in the work until then. Shields reinforces that he loves swimming and loves having it be his career but is also realistic with the fact that multiple Americans have now surpassed him in his primary event, the 100 fly.

Shields also discusses losing 50lbs over the past few months, adjusting his diet, and being a soon-to-be-father.

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chris debari
1 year ago

i’m also surprised that he says he sucks at surfing. With his build and power, i would think he would get good quite fast.

chris debari
1 year ago

50 lbs?! how is that even possible? That’s weight that typically takes years to accumulate. For an athlete to put that kind of weight on, i am amazed.

ArtVanDeLegh10
1 year ago

50 lbs is a lot to gain and then take off. It reminds me of Huegill from Australia years ago getting up to over 300 lbs only to get serious again and I think he made the Olympic Team or another big interational team.

Joel
Reply to  ArtVanDeLegh10
1 year ago

He won gold then in 2010comm games after losing the weight.

M L
1 year ago

Raw honesty from my man Shields. You rarely get that from top athletes. Wishing him the best.

Walter
Reply to  M L
1 year ago

I hope he has an exit plan.

M L
Reply to  Walter
1 year ago

I imagine it involves having a great work ethic, uncommon attention to detail, a strong support network, and a degree from Cal…

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