Biography of Eric Shanteau

Making the cut
Eric Shanteau qualified for his first Olympics by taking second in the 200m breaststroke at Olympic Trials. Shanteau finished behind one of his Longhorn teammates, but not the one everyone expected: newcomer Scott Spann won the race, with favorite and former world-record holder Brendan Hansen in fourth. All three train together in Austin, and though Shanteau was expected to qualify, Spann was thought to be a prospect for 2012.

Devastating diagnosis
After Olympic Trials, Shanteau revealed that he had been diagnosed with testicular cancer just a week before competing. Shanteau didn't share the news with any of his teammates or coaches, deciding instead to focus on qualifying. Now having made the team, Shanteau will postpone treatment until after Beijing. "If I didn't make the team, the decision would have been easy: Go home and have the surgery," Shanteau told The Associated Press. "I made the team, so I had a hard decision. But, by no means am I being stupid about this." The recommended surgery would keep Shanteau out of the pool for two weeks, which would significantly affect his chances to win an Olympic medal. 

Branching out
Always a medley specialist, Shanteau also swam the 200m IM at Trials, finishing third behind Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte. It was a familiar position for Shanteau: He finished third in both the 200m IM and 400m IM at the 2004 Olympic Trials. With the medleys dominated by Phelps and Lochte, Shanteau decided his best chance to make the team was in the 200m breast, and began to train accordingly. He quickly improved, and finished fifth in the event at the 2007 Worlds.

Hooked by the horns
In the summer of 2006, Shanteau spent two months training in Austin at Longhorn Aquatics, then returned to Auburn to finish college. He then relocated to Austin permanently, for the training program and "life in general," because he says the town has something for everyone. Shanteau trains with breaststroke world-record holder Brendan Hansen and says they are rivals in the pool but friends out of it. He also enjoys training under coach Eddie Reese, who Shanteau says is a great coach who gets his points across well.

After swimming
Shanteau graduated from Auburn with a degree in entrepreneurship and family business and says he wants to own a boat store on a lake someday. His family has a house on Lake Lanier in Georgia and he enjoys wakeboarding there in his off time.

IM success
Shanteau was the first American to win both the 200m and 400m IM at the World University Games, setting a meet record in the 200m IM. Shanteau became the third fastest American of all time, behind Phelps and Ryan, in the 200m IM at the 2006 U.S. National Championships. In the race he recorded the fastest 50m breaststroke split in the history of the event.

Mellowed out
Although he used to be superstitious, Shanteau is more relaxed now. When he was younger he would wear the same boxers, eat the same meal at a certain time and get in the water a certain amount of time before each race. Eventually he said the routine became more stressful than helpful, and now he's mellow but "in an intense kind of way."