My New Favorite Olympian, Episode 1: Swimmer Nathan Adrian

In the first episode of the new sports podcast “My New Favorite Olympian,” we interview 2020 US Olympic swimmer Nathan Adrian about how he overcame cancer

Why My New Favorite Olympian is... Nathan Adrian

A cancer diagnosis is a life-altering event for anyone on the receiving end of it. Nathan Adrian, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2019, joined NBCLX's Ngozi Ekeledo and Olympic fencing medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad on our podcast "My New Favorite Olympian" to discuss how that shocking revelation changed his life and threatened to derail his Olympic dreams. As Adrian told NBCLX, "Basically, once that [diagnosis] happens, just everything else stops mattering."

Episode Summary

In this episode Adrian shares his initial shock and fears following his cancer diagnosis; his multiple surgeries and how he and wife Hallie welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Parker, despite initial concerns about infertility stemming from the disease. Adrian also discusses how he was able to jump back into training for the Olympic Games.

Quotables

"We have this idea of masculinity ... about how men connect masculinity to properly functioning genitals, and if you have something wrong down there, you just want to deny it. You don't go to the doctor and ultimately save your life because of it."

Recommended resources

Don't miss an episode of My New Favorite Olympian. CLICK HERE to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.