TUCSON – Nick Thoman is excited to be back in Tucson, where he spent two years as a freshman and sophomore representing the University of Arizona. In an interview with Swimming World today, he said that when he was thinking of a new training base, southern Arizona was at the top of his list.
“Tucson was definitely my top choice,” said Thoman. “When I said I wanted to go somewhere else, this was definitely the place I had in mind. I had thought about a few other places, though.”
Thoman had been training with the elite squad at SwimMAC Carolina since 2009, and he enjoyed much success there, including breaking breaking the short course meters world record in the 100 backstroke in 2009 and setting the American records in short course yards 50 and 100 backstrokes at the 2013 nationals. The highlight of his time with SwimMAC Carolina would be the Olympic silver medal in the 100 backstroke, as well as the gold medal as a prelim swimmer in the 400 medley relay.
“It was time for a change,” Thoman said. “I’d been in Charlotte for five years and it was going well, but it was time for something different.”
The move comes with many advantages for the 28-year-old. He’ll be training next to Matt Grevers daily, learning from the reigning 100 backstroke Olympic and world champion. Thoman was second in the 100 back at the 2012 Olympics behind Grevers. Thoman left Arizona before Grevers’ arrival in Tucson in 2007, so this will mark the first time the two will train together beyond international team training camps.
“Matt’s a great guy and a great competitor,” Thoman said. “He’s an animal, and he’s quietly become one of the best backstrokers in history. He’s very level-headed when it comes to racing, and I hope to be able to learn from him.”
The two won’t be training together right away. Thoman arrived in Tucson last night and said he’ll spend the next two weeks swimming with the high school swimmers on the Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics while he prepares to get in the shape he’ll need to hang with Grevers on a daily basis. Thoman spent the latter part of 2014 working on healing the shoulder injury he sustained almost one year ago, and he said that his shoulder is getting better each day.
Notably, the move will also mark the first time Thoman will work directly with Rick DeMont. Thoman said he was rarely a part of DeMont’s sprint group when he was a student-athlete at Arizona, working instead with Frank Busch in the stroke and IM group.
“I saw with he (DeMont) was doing with the sprinters and I thought it was really innovative,” Thoman said. “I’m excited to start working with him.”
Thoman’s immediate focus is this summer’s Pan American Games, where he’ll swim the 100 backstroke. He said the 200 backstroke is still on his event program for the 2016 Olympic Trials.
“I’ll definitely do the 200 back at Trials,” he said. “If you have a lane, you have a chance.”