Embracing Fatherhood, Paralympic Champ Brad Snyder Aiming for LA 2028
Fatherhood has instilled a change in perspective for paralympic swimmer Brad Snyder, who is returning to paraswimming competition with a goal of qualifying for the 2028 Paralympics.
Snyder had taken a four-year break from competition after his daughter was born in 2022. But he stopped short of a full retirement. He didn’t have time to ramp back up for the Paralympics in 2024 in Paris. But now aged 42, he says his daughter is his “biggest reason” for returning to the pool.
“Of course, every athlete dreams of competing in front of a home crowd, so that’s certainly part of it,” Snyder said in a recent interview with U.S. Paralympic Swimming. “But for me, the idea that I could, in some sense, pass the torch to my daughter on a stage as meaningful as LA28 feels incredibly special.”
The Reno, Nevada, native is a five-time Paralympic gold medalist and seven-time medalist, winning consecutive golds in the S11 100 free and 400 free at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Paralympics. Long a multisport athlete, he transitioned to paratriathlon for the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, winning gold in the PTVI event with guide Greg Billington.
Snyder grew up as a swimmer and was a team captain at the U.S. Naval Academy. He lost his vision in 2011 while serving in Afghanistan after an attack with an improvised explosive device.
Training as a dad has taken on a different shape for Snyder. But part of that is the drive of having his daughter potentially getting to be there for his competition on the largest stage.
“For me, LA28 feels like an opportunity to put a meaningful bow on an incredible athletic chapter of my life,” he said. “In some ways, it feels like a final wave to the crowd before stepping fully into a new role. I’ve already started moving backstage over the last few years, and after this chapter, my greatest passion will simply be supporting my daughter and empowering her journey however I can.”
Read the full interview here.
