Gabrielle Rose, now 46 and a two-time Olympian, recently made history in the 100m breaststroke at the Olympic trials just two days ago but credit doesn’t go solely to her. Most recently, Rose shared a heartfelt post on Instagram praising her coach, Scott Hubbard in her journey ahead of Paris. In her post, Rose expressed deep gratitude for Hubbard’s belief in her potential, even when she doubted herself. Reflecting on their journey, she recalled their initial conversation about aiming for the Trials in the 100 breaststroke when she was two seconds off the cut.

Hubbard “saw the potential when I couldn’t. When I let myself ponder the hypothetical of actually making it, Hubbard’s patience and dedication helped me achieve my goals. Sometimes you need someone to help you dream,” she wrote, thanking Hubbard for being that person. “It ‘only’ took you another 8 months or so to come around to giving it a go,” she further added, appreciating him for creating a path that allowed her to experience his coaching alongside their Alpha kids. Rose emphasized how his attention to the smallest details and his collaborative approach pushed her to discover new levels of speed and strength.

Rose also shared a piece of poetry that shows the impact Hubbard had on her. She quoted lines from Galway Kinnell’s “St. Francis and the Sow.” As she puts it,  “The bud stands for all things, even for those things that don’t flower, for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing; though sometimes it is necessary
to reteach a thing its loveliness, to put a hand on its brow of the flower and retell it in words and in touch it is lovely until it flowers again from within, of self-blessing;” highlighting the idea of reteaching a thing its loveliness. This metaphor resonated with Rose’s experience under Hubbard’s guidance, as he helped her see her own potential and beauty as an athlete. She thanked him for his hard work and for being a training partner, as well as for his love of the sport and his ability to bring out the best.

Gabrielle Rose- Oldest swimmer in U.S. Olympic trials history

Gabrielle Rose was the oldest swimmer since at least 2004 to compete at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Rose is seeded 27th in the 100 breast (1:09.13) and 46th in the 200 breast (2:31.68). She has been training six days a week in Southern California with coaches Scott Hubbard and Erika Hansen-Stebbins. At 46, Gabrielle Rose, the oldest swimmer ever to qualify for the U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials, was aiming for her third Olympic appearance.

However, her hopes were dashed during the Trials as she faced disappointment in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke semifinals. Despite advancing with a personal best of 2:30.13, she finished last with a time of 2:30.44, ending her journey. Earlier, Rose had impressed with a personal best of 1:08.43 in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke preliminary heat, showcasing her resilience.