Erik Risolvato Breaks 23 Seconds in 50 Meter Free For First Time In Two Years

One-time high school sprint star Erik Risolvato had the best swim of his 2014 comeback this weekend at the Florida Gold Coast Swimming Senior Long Course Championships in Coral Springs.

Risolvato swam a 22.95 in the 50 free, which is his first time under 23 seconds since the 2012 Olympic Trials more than two years ago.

“I’m just happy to be back and to swimming fast,” Risolvato said. “I’ve only been back in the water for 10 weeks so to have made my national cut in the 50 and be back under 23 is a big accomplishment. Now heading into taper my dad (my coach) and I feel I have another second to drop in my start, my breath control and with a fast pool.”

Risolvato was a sub-20 second 50 yard freestyler as a high school senior in Lima, Ohio, making him a highly coveted, if under-the-radar because of his late bloom, recruit in the class of 2012. He originally committed to the University of Arizona, before deciding he was going to take the Junior College route and swim at Indian River State College.

And then Risolvato fell off of the proverbial map, and didn’t swim a single USA Swimming recognized race in all of 2013.

Starting in the spring, though, Risolvato started to work his way back into shape with some yards meets, including a 20.91 in the 50 yard free.

Risolvato credits new-found faith for his successful return to swimming. “The past two years after the (Olympic) Trials have been rough for me, and I wouldn’t be talking about my goals at Nationals if it wasn’t for my life being saved by Christ.

“My life has made a complete 180 and I’m so happy and thankful to be able to swim at this level again.”

Now he’s slowly started to ramp up his racing in long course. In the 50, his best event, he was a 23.7 in early June; a 23.4 in early July; and down to a 23.0 at the Greensboro Sectionals last week.

Now he’s back at a 22.95, just off of his best of 22.74 from the 2011 Junior Nationals, and with the pace at which he’s improving and really getting back into a groove, he’s got a shot at making the finals at Nationals in two weeks if he races (it only took a 22.71 last year – though our guess is that the cut-line will be a bit faster this year).

He also swam a 52.71 in prelims of the 100 free before a 52.80 in finals, and a 25.78 in the 50 meter fly.

As for his future, Risolvato says that he’s putting college on hold for now to see where swimming will take him, and said that he’s looked to the career path of Anthony Ervin as a motivator.

 “I’ve always wanted to swim for a living and then coach afterwards so my dad and I are looking to start a swim team and I will continue to swim,” Risolvato said of his aspirations. “Just like Anthony Ervin said when he came back it’s just different this time I’m really having fun and love what I do and enjoying the gift god has given me. I’m really looking forward to being back at the national level and getting in a stroke for stroke battle with some of the best, especially Anthony.”

Full 2014 Florida Gold Coast Senior Championship results available here.