Dara Torres Felt Guilty Returning to Swimming
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When she walked away from swimming after the 2000 Olympic Games, Dara Torres couldn’t have foreseen what would happen next. Not only would the now 42-year-old welcome daughter Tessa Grace, 3, she would also return to the pool at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, ultimately taking home three medals. The path to the podium was not without bumps, however, and in a new interview with TIME, Dara admits she felt “guilty” ending her retirement.
“I can’t say it wasn’t hard, because it was…I would call the nanny every 10 minutes.”
As her training has continued post-Beijing — with her sights now set on the upcoming World Championships — Dara has learned that the key to alleviating those feelings of guilt is keeping Tessa involved. “That really helps out a lot,” she says, because for Dara swimming and Tessa are inextricably linked. “I want to do well and eventually share this with her,” she explains.
“I know there’s a lot of moms out there who put their careers on hold because of having children. It’s very easy to find a balance between what works best for you and what works best for them.”
Tessa is Dara’s daughter with ex David Hoffman. Her new book Age is Just a Number: Achieve Your Dreams at Any Stage of Your Life is available now.
Source: TIME
— Missy