Van Mathias: From Retiree to Record-Breaking Swimmer

In 2018, Van Mathias, a 17-year-old from Beaverton, Oregon, represented the U.S. junior national team at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Fiji. Today marks his debut on the U.S. senior national team at the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California.

Since then, Mathias completed five seasons with Indiana University’s swim team, retired, then served as director of operations for the Hoosiers. He returned to swimming after a two-year hiatus, transitioning from butterfly and individual medley to sprint breaststroke, becoming America’s fastest in the discipline.

At this year’s Pan Pacific Championships, Mathias will compete wearing a national team swim cap featuring both the American flag and his last name, a mark of senior national team status. Reflecting on the event, he expressed excitement about finally having his name on the cap, a symbol traditionally associated with top-tier swimmers at major events.

During the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Trials, Mathias placed 41st and 48th in two butterfly events. His best NCAA Championships result was 25th before shifting to breaststroke. At the 2023 Big Ten Championships, he impressed with a second-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Despite these achievements, Mathias planned to retire, having stated post-2023 NCAAs that his swimming journey was complete. However, his former coach at Indiana, Ray Looze, convinced him to apply for an operational role within the team, sparking his return to Bloomington for the 2024-25 season.

While Mathias had limited swimming activity, he engaged in weightlifting, guided by his mother and uncle, both former competitive bodybuilders. This regimen pushed him from 200 to 235 pounds by the time he resumed involvement at Indiana.

Curiosity led Mathias back to the pool, where he occasionally trained with the help of associate head coaches John Long Jr. and Cory Chitwood. Impressed by Mathias’ performance during these casual swims, Long saw potential in his 50m breaststroke, especially as it was newly added to the 2028 Olympic program.

A return to competition saw Mathias achieving remarkable results. In two months, he clocked the fastest 50m breaststroke time by an American that year, ranking him 14th globally. He set American records in 2026 for both the 50m and 100m breaststroke events.

This success led to his participation in the Pan Pacific Championships, airing live on Peacock and NBCSN. There, he competes in the 50m fly, 100m breast, 50m breast, and 50m freestyle events.

Transformed by his unique training approach, Mathias follows a high-intensity regimen similar to Australian sprinter Cam McEvoy. While typical sprinters cover 2,000 to 5,000 yards per practice, Mathias completes about 1,000 to 1,500 yards, attributed partly to his job commitments.

As director of operations, Mathias handles various logistical challenges for the Indiana swim team. Notably, he managed an emergency rebooking of travel arrangements for the team during a weather-related disruption, showcasing his multitasking skills.

This week, Mathias embraces the opportunity to compete at an elite level, focusing on personal-best performances rather than medal expectations. Contemplating his chances for the Olympics, he remains focused on the present, balancing his professional responsibilities with his athletic aspirations.