Adin Williams: The Road to Tokyo

By: Bryn Heikes                                                                                                                             

During his first year competing collegiately, now-sophomore George Fox University (GFU) student Adin Williams won five gold medals in the U.S. Paralympic Championships, broke seven national records, and qualified for a spot on the U.S. Paralympic Swimming National Team. He is now vying for a shot at representing America at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games. 

Williams’s journey to Tokyo began when he first dipped his toes into the pool at the age of three. “Throughout my childhood, I went to a lot of different swimming pools around the Portland area for fun. I loved it so much that I wanted to start swimming competitively,” said Williams. 

About nine years after the swim lessons that started it all, he began to compete. He has now been swimming competitively for almost 10 years. “I spent around 4 years swimming for a recreational club in Clackamas, and then spent the next 4 years swimming for Gladstone High School, and have now been with the team at George Fox for almost 2 years,” said Williams.

The decision to attend GFU was partly influenced by the community, as well as the swim program. “I wanted a place that not only had a collegiate swim team, but also a friendly environment where I could be friends with everyone. George Fox seemed to be the best fit for me,” said Williams.

It was after the Paralympic Championships last December that Williams earned a spot on the U.S. National Team. Despite competing on the national scale, Williams is no stranger to pre-race jitters. “No matter how good or bad of a day I have leading up to it, I always get a bit nervous before a race. Since coming to George Fox, I have seen prayer moments as a good luck charm whether it would be for academics or swimming.”

Now, he is training in Colorado Springs at the Olympic training center. Williams outlined his plan to qualify: “In order to go to Tokyo, I keep my training schedule of 16 hours a week in the pool and 2 hours a week in the weight room consistent and maintain proper nutrition, hydration, and sleep habits as well.”

Looking ahead, Williams hopes to be named to the U.S. National Team, and then qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, followed by the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

Jessica Daugherty