Gold in the Water: The True Story of Ordinary Men and Their Extraordinary Dream of Olympic Glory [Paperback]

P. H. Mullen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 25, 2003

In California, a team of talented young men begin pursuing the most elusive dream in sports, the Olympic Games. The pressure steadily increases as two best friends (a mentor and his protégé) reach the top of the world rankings and unexpectedly find themselves direct competitors. Their teammates include an emerging star methodically plotting to retrace his father’s path to Olympic glory, as well as a super-extraordinary athlete desperate to walk away from it all. Led by one of the most passionate coaches in sports, a brilliant and explosive strategist on a personal quest for redemption, this team of dark horses and Olympic favorites works through escalating rivalries, joyous triumphs, and heartbreaking setbacks.

Author P. H. Mullen chronicles their journey to the 2000 Olympic Games and presents one of the most powerful and moving sports books ever written. Boldly sweeping in literary power and pace, this startling book will permanently change how you view the Olympic athlete.
It is a fascinating world of suspense and emotion where human desire for excellence rules over all, and where there are no second chances for glory. But above all, Gold in the Water is a triumph of the human spirit.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Olympic fans undoubtedly remember the wonderful performances of the U.S. swimmers at the 2000 Olympics in Australia. What viewers may not fully understand is the grueling training endured by a larger group of swimmers who trained for other meets leading up to the trials and Olympic competition. Mullen, a sports writer and competitive swimmer, focuses on the Santa Clara Swim Club, two athletes Tom Wilkens and Kurt Grote and their coach, Dick Jochums. The author provides an intimate look at the physical training along with the emotional and psychological roller-coaster ride for the swimmers as they try to make the Olympic team. As coach, Jochums also endures serious hardships, including bankruptcy of the swim club and accusations of financial misconduct. Mullen skillfully details exactly what the swimmers are feeling (e.g., "Now Wilkins was furious.... He was in the best shape of his life, he'd just swum in the world's fastest pool, and his time was more than 1.5 second slower than his best. He needed to find an outlet for his fury...." Sports fans and anyone who has trained for competition will find this book enjoyable.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* When we watched the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, we saw athletes in their prime, ready to take on their biggest challenge. But how did they get there? What kind of training was required? What toll did this preparation take on the athletes' personal lives? What's at stake at the Olympics, and how will defeat affect the person who has dedicated nearly his or her whole life to the dream of Olympic gold? This book chronicles the U.S. swimming team's journey to the 2000 Olympics, and we soon discover that although the training started in January 1998, the dreaming began a whole lot earlier. Like the best sports books, this one spends a lot of time with the athletes, letting us see them not just as performers but also as people. What motivates someone to structure his whole life toward a single goal, a goal the athlete knows may never be achieved? And what comes after the Olympics? Mullen answers all these questions in the words and actions of the young athletes he portrays. Although the book concentrates on swimming and swimmers, its exploration of "big" themes--dedication, the pursuit of success, and the possibility of failure--makes it applicable to all athletes (indeed, to all young people) grappling with how to direct their lives. A superb sports book. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (February 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312311168
• ISBN-13: 978-0312311162
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #482,604 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #67 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Exercise & Fitness > Swimming
  • #88 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Miscellaneous > Olympic Games

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling and engrossing, November 1, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Gold in the Water: The True Story of Ordinary Men and Their Extraordinary Dream of Olympic Glory (Hardcover)

This book is a compelling and engrossing character study of a group of super-achieving athletes with congruent but sometimes competing aspirations. It has an excellent narrative drive that made it a real page-turner, and perhaps because it pulls no punches in its treatment of its focal characters, the reader is left with a deep appreciation for the complex and usually (but not always) admirable qualties of elite athletes. Swimmers tend to be smart, and this is an intelligent treatment of both swimming and competition in general: this book is to the standard sports expose as collegiate swimmers' GPAs are to the GPAs of (pick your contact sport) players. Although I read this on the recommendation of a friend who is a serious swimmer, I feel it deserves an audience far beyond the competitive swimming world, for which I'm sure it will be required reading.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Right Stuff, November 25, 2001

By 

sweetmolly (RICHMOND, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gold in the Water: The True Story of Ordinary Men and Their Extraordinary Dream of Olympic Glory (Hardcover)

At long last, an up close and personal look at USA elite swimmers. Mr. Mullen tells an engrossing tale of the odyssey of four young men striving for berths on the Olympic team, Australia 2000. Most Americans are unaware of the depth, strength and long tradition of the USA's predominance in Olympic swimming. US teams are so strong that unfortunately, we have to leave at home as many deserving finalists as those who go. Only two representatives of each individual swimming event are allowed for each country. (It used to be three, but the powers that be were tired of the US taking gold, silver and bronze in every event.)

The lead actors are All-American Tom Wilkens, multi-faceted Kurt Grote and everyone's dream or nightmare of a coach, Dick Jochums. Supporting roles showcase super controlled Dod Wales, son of an acclaimed Olympic swimmer, and burn out Tate Blahnik who has it all, but is tired to death of competitive swimming. The author follows these magical four for eighteen months culminating in the 2000 Olympics. The front cover calls these four "ordinary men." I strongly disagree; they are unique and extraordinary athletes. Tom Wilkens, in particular, grabbed my attention, affection, and awe.

This book is a page-turner; I read it in one sitting. It is not just for swimming aficionados, but also for anyone who likes to read about what it takes to become a champion and the inevitable burdens on the strength and psyche of the contenders. A glossary of terms would have been helpful, but the author is masterful in his explanations. As a parent of a former age group swimmer, I can attest that this is no puff piece; Mr. Mullen tells it like it is.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb! Destined be a All-Time top 10 best sports book, October 27, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Gold in the Water: The True Story of Ordinary Men and Their Extraordinary Dream of Olympic Glory (Hardcover)

I am not a swimmer, so I was amazed to find myself hooked by Gold in the Water from the first lines on Page One. This incredible book has everything you will ever want in a sports tale--drama, rivalry, flawed character, human emotion, and high stakes. The characters themselves were so real you feel like you're their teammates. I've never read a book that comes remotely close to chronicling so much intimate, personal details about world-class athletes. Surprise (not): Deep down, they're like everyone else. I can't remember the last time a book could make my andrenaline race AND make me cry (more than once). The final pages were full of surprises. That made the unexpected ending all the more triumphant. Gold in the Water sets the standard for describing the pure beauty of athletes chasing an impossible dream with all their hearts.