US Olympic Swimming Trials: Stunning Sprint in Strange Journey of Anthony Ervin

Anthony Ervin's second place finish in 50-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials is improbably sending him to his second Olympic Games—his first since 2000.

In the time that has transpired since his last trip to the Olympics, he has, among other things, suffered from burnout, retired from the sport and sold the gold medal he won in Sydney. If you are like me, the rest of the story does not go like you think. 

In this bitter world when hearing of an athlete who sells off their rings/trophies/medals, the cynical mind instantly flies to the assumption that the athlete in question is losing a battle with drug addiction that has left them in financial ruin. The not quite as cynical mind may just assume that a mismanagement of funds has left the athlete desperate for cash. 

Anthony Ervin's departure with his medal was not due to money issues or a drug problem, unless you consider the can-be murky world of soul searching a drug. 

The Star Tribune's Rachel Blount offers up this quote from Ervin on auctioning off his medal:

"

I classify myself as somewhat of a mystic at that time. Even with all my vaunted talent, facing that wall of water, I would have died, as well. In order to kind of cleanse myself, I wanted to do something I thought would help, to kind of give myself away.

"

As Blount reported, he received $17,101 for the gold medal he won in Sydney after tying with teammate Gary Hall Jr. for first place in the 50 free, and "donated the money to relief efforts for the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia." The altruistic act came not long after his shocking retirement from the sport in 2003.

It is not hard to imagine how Ervin, or any other Olympic athlete, would become burnt out. Most of these athletes have essentially devoted their life to their sport, and their time is dominated by rigid training schedules all geared to improving in one very specific activity. 

Ervin, in this quote provided by Splash magazine correspondent Bob Schaller, sheds some insight on another unique set of circumstances that can strike Olympic champions: 

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When you strive for something and do well, it’s always going to be a double-edged sword. You reach your goals, but you will get cut in the process.

"

So here is Ervin, who felt a little disenchanted with the process, staring at the realization that he had just accomplished his life-long goal by the tender age of 19. There are a precious few other professions where someone can achieve their goal by such a young age, and that is awfully early to be staring at questions of, "What's next?"

Adding to the uniqueness of Ervin's situation was the fact that people were quick to label him in roles he hadn't considered himself filling. His father is African-American and his mother is Jewish. This left many throwing him under the label of the first African-American to be a member of the U.S. Olympic swim team, while many in the Jewish community were also quick to identify with him. 

Ervin expands on that in this quote also from Schaller:

"

The thing that I wasn’t the most comfortable with is that all of the sudden, I come on the scene, all of these people are putting these labels on me.

They wanted to make me a part of whatever pertained to them. Don’t misunderstand me; I have always known that I am of mixed blood, part African-American and many other things. But I was naive, because I didn’t know that meant anything—or would have the ramifications it did at trials. I’m just me.

"

With all of these things weighing on his mind, he walked away from competitive swimming. During his time away, Blount reports that Ervin filled his time by teaching swimming to kids (which Blount points out he attributes to helping him rediscover the joy of swimming), playing in a rock-and-roll band and finishing college (at Cal Berkeley).

When hearing him speak or following his Twitter, it becomes quickly apparent that his educational pursuits were not just for show. He is well-spoken and uniquely insightful. 

Check his Twitter account and you will find tweets like this: 

"

One of my last mornings in Berkeley. Leaving for Olympic Trials on Friday, bearing plans for a gilded future...

— Anthony Ervin (@AnthonyErvin) June 20, 2012"

That is a quote that would be more at home in a great American novel than the typical Twitter account. As for that gilded future? Well, he is well on his way. 

Ervin, who resumed competing in 2011, finished just behind Cullen Jones in the 50 free at the trials, and he did so with a career-best time of 21.60—just .01 behind Jones. Not bad for a 31-year-old.

The fact that this is an improbable journey back to the Olympic stage is not lost on Ervin. Blount had this quote from Ervin during the trials: 

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I didn't think I'd be in this position again. In a lot of ways, I'm very much surprised. But the vicissitudes of life, I guess, we're always thrown for a loop at some time or another. I'm just going to go with it.

"

At this rate, he is going to "go with it" all the way back to the medal stand. Maybe this time he will decide to keep his medal—although, I certainly wouldn't bank on that. 

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