Carvin’s Long Journey Finally Has an Ending

The men’s 200 freestyle in the U.S. Olympic swim trials ended without fanfare Friday.

No records were broken, and, predictably, Michael Phelps and Klete Keller finished first and second.

Few were paying attention to the swimmer in Lane 6.

After finishing seventh, he climbed out of the pool and walked back to the warmup area. He paused to hug some friends and then bent over to lean on the railing, catching his breath from what he said was probably his last race.

For the swimmer in Lane 6, there was no fanfare. But, then, there rarely has been for Chad Carvin.

A year before the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Carvin was one of the world’s top swimmers. But then his times started to go up. No one knew why. Frustrated, the then 22-year-old overdosed on sleeping pills. A friend found him and took him to a hospital, where doctors discovered the reason for Carvin’s slowing times -- a heart condition called cardiomyopathy.

Carvin missed Atlanta but started swimming again. Then he was diagnosed with a degenerative back problem. Doctors told him he had to stop physical activity altogether.

He did -- for about four months. Then he started taking medication that relieved his back pain. He started swimming again.

He made the 2000 Olympic team in the 400 freestyle and the 800 relay. He finished sixth in the 400 freestyle and didn’t have an impressive showing in the preliminary relay. So Coach Mark Schubert took him off the team for the final.

The team won the silver medal, and, because he had swum in the preliminary race, he got a medal too. But not on the awards stand -- his came in the mail.

That was the story Carvin brought with him to Long Beach. He simply wasn’t prepared for this to be the last chapter.

“I haven’t thought too much about the future because all that was on my mind was going to Athens,” he said. “If I did have a negative thought and feeling about not making it, I would reinforce it in my mind with a positive thought. I would never dwell on it.

“I actually was surprised when I turned around and I was seventh. It’s heartbreaking. That’s why everyone loves sports, you know ... the agony.”

Still, Carvin didn’t dwell on his failure to make the team.

“At one time, all that made me up was a swimmer. I know there’s so much more to me and so much out there for me,” he said. “My swimming career had to come to an end sometime.

“Very, very few are fortunate to have some storybook ending. This isn’t the way I dreamt and envisioned it, but that’s how it happened.”

Carvin said he felt good during the race and wasn’t unhappy with his time of 1 minute 48.93 seconds.

About an hour after the race, he said he still hadn’t grasped the fact that it was over.

“I don’t have so much grief right now as you might think,” he said. “Right now I can hold my head high and be proud of everything I’ve accomplished.”