With less than a week until the end of the 2016 summer Olympics, I feel like this is the right time to talk about something extremely important: swimming.
With swimming as one of the most popular Olympic sports, I feel like there are some swimmers who deserve special recognition. So without further ado, let's get into it and talk about the U.S.A. Men's Swimming team. But more importantly, let's talk about Nathan Adrian. If you don't live under a rock next door to Patrick Star, you've probably heard of him. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound 27-year-old swimmer from Bremerton, Wash., is stealing the hearts of millions of admirers from around the globe, and winning medals left and right as he competes in the Olympics. If you haven't heard of him, it's OK because I've got your back. Here's a list of nine things that make Nathan Adrian a total babe.
1. His smile.
I mean, look at it. This, ladies and gentleman, is a smile that can cure cancer. It can make the Grinch's heart grow three sizes. As BuzzFeed has stated, his smile "deserves a gold medal."
2. He's an experienced Olympian.
He made his Olympic debut in the 2008 Bejing Olympics when he was only 19 years old! In those Olympics, he won a gold medal in the men's 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay. In the 2012 London Olympics, Nathan won two gold medals in the men's 100-meter freestyle and 4 x 100-meter medley relay. He also won a silver medal in the men's 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay. And in the 2016 Olympics, being held now in Rio de Janeiro, he has won two gold medals in the men's 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relay, and two bronze medals in the men's 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter freestyle.
3. He's a family man.
He started swimming lessons at age two due to his two older siblings being swimmers. By age five, he began swimming competitively, wanting to be able to keep up with his older brother and sister. On his website, it states that his family has "played a key role in his success." Fun fact: when Nathan competed in the 2012 London Olympics, his whole family was there to witness him win the gold in his individual event.
4. He makes the puppy dog filter on Snapchat look amazing.
While these pictures aren't selfies of his, we can all still agree that he makes the puppy dog filter a thousand times better.
5. He's got quite the list of achievements.
Including his Olympic wins, Nathan Adrian became a five-time individual NCAA Champion while attending the University of California, Berkeley, with wins in the 50-yard freestyle in 2009 and 2011. As well as wins in the 100-yard freestyle in 2009, 2010 and 2011. He's earned a total of 11 medals while participating in both short-course and long-course world championships. In the 2008 World Aquatics Championships, he won a gold medal in the men's 100-meter freestyle and 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay. As well as winning a silver medal 4 x 100 medley relay. In the 2009 World Aquatics Championships, he again won gold in the 400-meter freestyle and 4 x 100-meter medley relay. In 2011, back at the World Aquatic Championships, he won gold in the men's 4 x 100-meter medley relay and bronze in 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay. During the 2013 World Aquatics Championships, he received a silver medal in the 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay and a bronze medal in the 100-meter freestyle. And in last year's 2015 World Aquatics Championships, Nathan won gold in the 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay and silver in the 50-meter freestyle.
6. He's pretty fit.
I think this is a good time to quote Hannah Montana by calling Nathan Adrian "hottie Lamotti with the swimmer's body."
7. Speaking of puppies, him and this golden retriever are a fantastic duo.
As if Nathan Adrian wasn't a total cutie patootie himself, he's got to go ahead and hold an even cuter golden retriever puppy. Excuse me while I go cry in a corner, there's too much cuteness in this picture. I mean just...just look at that puppy.
8. He's killer at carpool karaoke.
I never thought that someone belting out the lyrics to The Proclaimers' song, "500 Miles (I'm Gonna Be)" and the Pokémon theme song could be so attractive. I wonder who his starter Pokémon is. My money's on Squirtle.
9. He's a literal ray of freaking sunshine.
Case closed.
