Olympics 2016: Your Guide to the Men’s Swim Team
The 2016 Summer Olympics are on the horizon, with the opening ceremony set to take place on Friday, August 5 in the Maracanã Stadium of Rio de Janeiro. During the past few weeks, several Olympic trials have taken place, and the official teams have been formed.
As we get ready to count the days until the opening ceremony, there’s really only one thing to do: check out the Instagram pages of all the athletes that are going to be going for the gold. Obviously we appreciate these accomplished dudes for their athletic skills, but let's be real: they're not bad to look at either, and their social media accounts are a perfect way to get an up-close look at the summer games. Here’s a quick guide to the men on the USA Swim Team.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@NathanAdrian1/17Nathan Adrian
Instagram: @NathanAdrian
A quick look through Nathan Adrian’s Instagram page lets us know that he looks just as good in a swimsuit as he does in fashionable street clothes. (He's not a Tommy Hilfiger brand ambassador for nothing.) Also, he wins the gold medal for smiles — he’s got the best one of the entire team, in our humble opinion.
2/17Gunnar Bentz
Instagram: @TheGunnyBunny (we respect it)
This 20-year-old from Atlanta started swimming at age 3 because he “wasn’t any good at other sports.” We’re pretty glad that he didn’t feel the sports calling anywhere else, as it's paid off in a major way.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@KevinCordes3/17Kevin Cordes
Instagram: @KevinCordes
Kevin Cordes is from Arizona, and studied physiology in college. His Instagram is filled with (really cute) selfies...and plenty of cat pictures. We’re hooked.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@ConorJDwyer4/17Conor Dwyer
Instagram: @ConorJDwyer
Here is Olympian Conor Dwyer with a puppy. You are welcome.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@AnthonyErvin5/17Anthony Ervin
Instagram: @AnthonyErvin
We're not sure what's more impressive: Anthony's swim times, or those sleeve tattoos. Can we say both? Let's go with both.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@jimmyfeigen6/17Jimmy Feigen
Instagram: @jimmyfeigen
TBH, we could look at pictures of Jimmy Feigen working out all day. This Texan started swimming at age 5, when his mother wanted him to be trained in water safety. Aww.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@ChaseKalisz7/17Chase Kalisz
Instagram: @ChaseKalisz
If pictures tell a story, Chase’s Instagram makes us think that he’d definitely be fun to hang out with IRL. His ‘gram feed is filled with travel pictures, food shots, and even pics of him holding a baby monkey. So cute!
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@RyanLochte8/17Ryan Lochte
Instagram: @RyanLochte
Three-time Olympian Ryan Lochte needs no introduction.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@RyanLochte9/17Ryan Lochte's puppy, Yeezy
Instagram: @RyanLochte, by default
Okay, okay, Yeezy isn't an official member of Team USA. BUT JUST LOOK AT HIM.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@CodyMiller10/17Cody Miller
Instagram: @CodyMiller
Theory: the swim team had a competition to see who could take the cutest animal picture. If so, Cody Miller might be winning with this adorable koala ‘gram. The rest of his Instagram page is filled with pictures of his fluffy dogs as a bonus.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@Ryan_F_Murphy11/17Ryan Murphy
Instagram: @Ryan_F_Murphy
No, the other Ryan Murphy. This is Ryan’s first year swimming in the Olympics, and we’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for him in the competitions.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@Jacob.Pebley12/17Jacob Pebley
Instagram: @Jacob.Pebley
Jacob Pebley seems to be new to Instagram, but we predict his follower count will go waaaay up after the Olympics get started. Look at how excited he is in this pic! This is Jacob’s first Olympics, after claiming championships in other national competitions.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@M_Phelps0013/17Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps is no stranger to the Olympics, after all, he's the most decorated Olympian in history. He has 22 medals, including 18 gold. A quick scroll through his Instagram will show you that Michael and his fiancée — and their new son! — are total relationship goals.
Getty Images14/17Blake Pieroni
Instagram: @BlakePieroni
Blake Pieroni was born in Indiana, and this is his first year in the Olympics. He swam in multiple national and international competitions, and won a bronze medal at the 2013 World Junior Championships.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@BeefyTShields15/17Tom Shields
Instagram: @BeefyTShields (again, we respect it)
Ever wonder what an Olympian eats for breakfast? According to Tom Shields, it’s Frosted Flakes. Tom is making his Olympics debut this year, after swimming 7,000 meters a day in training. That definitely requires a lot of cereal.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@JWilimovsky16/17Jordan Wilimovsky
Instagram: @JWilimovsky
Jordan Wilimovsky seems to have a sense of humor in addition to a strong backstroke; his Instagram is filled with funny pictures (a lot of which are animal-related.) His friends also seem like funny guys — they made a sign to cheer him on that read, “Don’t drown.”
