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Adrian earned a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics as a member of the United States' 400 free relay. The Americans captured the event in the finals on Monday, Aug. 11 (Beijing time) when Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones and Jason Lezak swam a world-record time of 3:08.24. Adrian had competed in the 400 free relay heats for the United States on Sunday, Aug. 10, enabling him to garner a gold medal as well. He had helped Team USA set a then-world record in the 400 free relay heats on Aug. 10, covering the distance in 3:12.23. He had set the tone on the leadoff leg by going 48.82. Jones, Ben Wildman-Tobriner and Matt Grevers rounded out the foursome to advance the United States into the finals.
Adrian had qualified for the USA Olympic Team by finishing fourth in the 100 freestyle at the Olympic Trials in early July, 2008 in Omaha, Neb. with a time 48.46. The fourth place spot allowed him to compete in the 400 free relay at Beijing. Adrian was the first Cal male swimmer since Anthony Ervin in 2000 to qualify for the USA Olympic squad.
Adrian was outstanding at the 2008 Short Course World Swimming Championships, winning the gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle with a championship record with a time of 46.67. He also was a member of the U.S. gold medal-winning and world record-setting 400 frees relay. Adrian sat out the 2007-08 collegiate season to train for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. As a freshman for the Bears, he placed second in the 100 butterfly at the 2007 Pac-10 championships and had an eighth-place finish in the 100 free at the 2007 NCAA meet.
High School: A 2006 graduate of Bremerton high School in Bremerton, Wash. ... Set the state's record in the 200 freestyle in 2006 ... Represented the United States in the Junior Pan Pacific Championships, in which he placed fourth in the 50 freestyle.
Personal: Born Dec. 7, 1988, in Bremerton, Wash. ... Undeclared major ... Parents are James and Cecilia Adrian ... Has a brother, Justin and a sister, Donella ... His brother Justin, swam for Washington.
