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Dara Torres is changing the definition of the word older.
For those of you who don’t know, Torres is an Olympic gold medal swimmer who has lived a remarkable life both in and out of the pool.
She is the first Olympic swimmer to compete in five Olympic Games and she has won a total of 12 Olympic medals (four gold, four silver, four bronze).
Torres said the best advice someone has given to her is to never let those who are doubters of your dreams dash them.
Clearly Torres has never listened to any of her doubters.
And, if Torres has her way, she will be competing in the London 2012 Olympics as the oldest swimmer ever to earn a place on the U.S. Olympic team.
In an email statement forwarded to EmpowHER.com, Torres said, ʺI always tell women and moms, that age is just a number. You can’t be bound by others' perception of your abilities regardless of age. The best is in front of you, not behind you!ʺ
Currently Torres trains five days a week. She does a great deal of resistance training. According to her book ʺAge is Just a Number,ʺ she works on perfecting her swim strokes. ʺI make sure that what I put in my body, what I do with my body and how I recover are always front and center,ʺ said Torres.
Her training is non-traditional because she is a more mature athlete. Torres focuses on specific muscle groups and repetitive workouts that mimic her stroke. ʺI don’t swim for distance but for perfecting my stroke. I work out in the gym and follow my trainer Andy O'Brien's customized routine. I believe in massage and stretching as part of my weekly schedule, ʺ Torres said.
Torres basically eats what she wants. She takes Fitness Nutrition Amino acid to help her recover but other than that she eats very normally. Rice Krispie Treats are her favorite junk food and she loves steak.
Torres is also a parent and finds motherhood incredibly rewarding. Her daughter Tess has given her purpose that Torres never had before. Torres wrote the best rewards of motherhood are the small things and waking up in the morning to unconditional love. ʺ Being an athlete and selfless doesn’t always line up but I have become much more about others and that has made this journey so much more rewarding,ʺ she said.
Also, Torres is currently involved in helping raise funds for her coach who has a form of blood cancer. She does anything she can to help him out. She also does a great deal of charity appearances associated with colon cancer, which claimed her father in 2006.
Torres doesn’t have a lot of spare time but when she does she loves to take her daughter to the beach. Another fun-filled fact about Torres is that she loves the New York Yankees.
Torres has only one goal and that is to win.
Stay tuned because this determined powerhouse is sure to capture the hearts and minds of Americans when she participates in her sixth Olympics in 2012.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dara_Torres
http://celebritybabyscoop.com/2010/11/05/olympic-swimmer-dara-torres-breaks-the-middle-age-stigma