From left, Cullen Jones, Nathan Adrian, Ryan Lochte and Brendan Hansen |
From Glamour.
The Barrier Breaker: Cullen JonesMore at Glamour.
The only African American swimmer on the U.S. national team, Jones, 28, is on a mission: “I want to erase the belief that black people don’t swim. I see swimming as a life skill rather than just a sport.” Watch him in the 50-meter freestyle.
The Phenom: Ryan Lochte
The 27-year-old, known for his backstroke, could be the story of the Olympic Games, as he strives to defeat Michael Phelps in the 200-meter freestyle and 200-meter individual medley.
The Comeback Kid: Brendan Hansen
At 30, Hansen is trying to come out of retirement to compete in the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke—events he held world records in as recently as 2008.
The Speed Demon: Nathan Adrian
The 50- and 100-meter freestyle swimmer, 23, is the top-rated sprinter in the U.S. He’s also a public health major at the University of California, Berkeley.