Two-time Olympian Anthony Ervin is heading to Los Angeles and Dave Salo’s Trojan Swim Club in his quest to add another Olympic appearance to his resume.
Ervin, 34, had been training for the past four years at his alma mater, the University of California-Berkeley, with the postgrad team there. His comeback to the sport in 2011 culminated in a spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic team and the finals of the 50 freestyle in London. He placed fifth in the event with a 21.78.
His London swims came 12 years after he tied for the gold medal in the 50 free with teammate Gary Hall Jr. at the 2000 Olympics. Ervin was also a part of the silver medal-winning 400 free relay in Sydney.
After the 2003 world championships, Ervin retired from the sport. In that time, he auctioned off his 50 free Olympic gold medal to raise money to help the victims of the 2004 tsunami in southeast Asia.
Ervin had one the best training partners in Nathan Adrian while in Berkeley, and will be working with another top sprinter in Los Angeles: Vlad Morozov.
Ervin was born and raised in the Los Angeles area, and said in a press release that returning home was always a goal of his.
“After 16 years, the time has come for me to return to the city of my birth, a journey home that I always knew I would make,” Ervin said. “I will always have the blue and gold of a California Golden Bear in my mind and in my heart, for Berkeley as a city and university has, with a liberal education, matured a wily teen into this 30-something adult. I will always be grateful for the support of those personal relationships forged in Berkeley, and though I move forward, I will remain in touch with the friends, mentors, coaches, and teammates as we all continue to grow. The time and place for structured learning has passed; and as the dusky twilight of my competitive career closes in on me, it is time to move forward into the wilds of life with my friends and family.”