DREW KIBLER

Drew Kibler is a man of many talents, in and out of the pool. Drew has won awards for photography and poetry, he draws and paints and was such a fine student he was recruited by Harvard and Stanford.

Add into the mix the Indiana state titles won with Carmel High School and NCAAs with the University of Texas.

In 2021, Drew became the first Olympic swimmer from Carmel, a city north of Indianapolis although he almost didn’t compete at the Trials in Omaha when he was diagnosed with a sinus infection.

“I didn’t know if he was going to swim at all,” his mother, Tracy, told the Indianapolis Star. “It could have been a weird blessing in disguise because it took his mind off any jitters he might have had.”

Drew is hard of hearing and although he doesn’t race with his hearing aid since it can’t get wet, he relies on it for everything else. According to USA Swimming, he can’t hear higher pitches like whistles so he watches and mimics when the competitors step on the blocks and sometimes uses a strobe light at his block for the start.

“I’ve always had to adapt. I read lips. I ask for help. And I have great people who are very patient with me,” he said.

Drew lost his hearing aid at Trials, a huge challenge which meant he relied on the support of his teammates and coaches to energise him. “It was a fight or flight situation. Everything was on the line.”