When Nathan Adrian returns from the Rio Olympics, he will have one more swim to complete although this one will likely be more emotional.
Adrian will participate in the Swim Across America for his friend and former California teammate Matt Benoit, who lost his battle with Ewings sarcoma in April. He was 28. Benoit was a 2006 graduate of Kennedy Catholic in Burien and California (2010, legal studies) and was a state champion in the 100 backstroke as well as a three-time All-American and USA Swimming Academic All-American.
Benoit was training to swim in the SAA event, slated for September 10 along the shores of Lake Washington at Luther Burbank Park in Mercer Island. Olympic swimmers started the event, and Bremerton’s Dana Kirk Martin and Bainbridge’s Emily Silver have both swam to raise funds. This is the eighth year it’s been held locally and monies raised primarily goes to the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Last year the event raised more than $276,000 in support of immunotherapy research and pancreatic cancer treatment.
