Eva Fabian, gold medalist in the 5K race, was asked by a group of local swimmers about her favorite training set.
Her reply, said with a straight face and an obvious energy that seems impossible to keep bottled up, was not surprising for a young lady who has went from 22nd place in 2009 to a gold medal after an intense focus on open water swimming and a methodical, scientific approach to the sport, led by her father-coach, Dr. Jack Fabian, open water swimming advisor Gerry Rodrigues and a quiet team of collaborators who saw great potential in Eva early on in her career.
“I really like doing 50 x 200 on 2:10, short-course yards. I usually hold 2:03-2:04 throughout the set, doing a variety of pulling and swimming fast. My teammates do every fifth one fast, so they really push me.”
“She is tenacious with a high athletic IQ,” said Coach Gerry. “When I saw her at the water’s edge at the Tiburon Mile, standing toe-to-toe with some of the fastest men in the world – coming up to their elbows – but not giving in an inch, I knew she was something special. It has been a joy working with her and her father. They really understand and study the sport and endeavor to do what it takes to improve.”
Those monster sets have boosted her to the top of the world.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.