Tokyo Olympian Zach Harting has traded his token walkout costumes and 200 butterfly races for a bit of a different type of racing atmosphere, with Grown-Up Swimming, a different twist on the sport, allowing adults to reignite the flame of racing short and fun races, as many athletes did as children.
The concept of Grown-Up Swimming is to give its members a low-pressure, fun environment, involving athletes of all skill levels, featuring shorter races, such as 25s and 50s, and sometimes a 50 IM race.
Some races even involve using swim floaties as a part of a relay,
Harting was featured in an Instagram post by Grown-Up Swimming in Denver, where he will be participating in the 3rd season.
Harting last competed at the World Short Course Championships in December of 2024, where he finished 20th in the 100 fly with a time of 50.36.
He represented the US at the Tokyo Olympics in 2024, qualifying to swim in the 200 fly at those games, finishing 9th in the semifinals in 1:55.35, missing the Olympic final by just one spot.
This is not the first time that Harting has taken part in Grown-Up Swimming, having participated last summer in Denver as well.
Over the last year plus, Harting has been working as a Project Manager with Myrtha Pools, the pool manufacturer that is responsible for the 2025 World Championships pool in Singapore, the 2024 Olympic pool in Paris, and the 2024 US Olympic Swimming Trials pool inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
