American Swimming Sensation Hunter Armstrong Flaunts an Unseen Skill Out of the Pool

After issuing the statement, “The Olympics was never really on my radar”, swimmer Hunter Armstrong failed to believe the impressive resume he built on. As a successful musical or a football career lay ahead, his rapid shift in the profession came unplanned. But his penchant for leaving the world in wonderment hasn’t dimmed at all. Working his versatility, the 4x swimming world champion smartly juggled his passions inside and outside the pool. But there’s one thing that has kept the Broadway aficionado sane during adrenaline-fuelled competition days and also helped him win the hearts of swimming icons.

Swimming champ weaves literal magic outside the water

The X post of The Olympic Games reads, “He can sing. He can do magic. He can win gold medals. Discover the diverse talents of USA swimmer, theatre performer and self-taught magician Hunter Armstrong”. In the video paired with it, Armstrong was seen speaking candidly about how magic has been a part and parcel of his life since his younger days. “Magic, it really helped me, like, come out of my shell with the Olympic team”, asserted that the 23-year-old. Magic helped him pull his guard down. Watching him perform on the global stage feels like listening to music before his run and exercising magic tricks alleviates stress significantly.

He further narrated the inception story, the very moment when magic clicked. “….one of my buddies was in the back of the car with me, and he’s like, ‘You want to see a magic trick?’, I’m like, ‘Yes!’, and he showed me, like, the cheesiest beginner, like, how-to-do-magic YouTube video, but it tricked me”. The swimmer who likes to dabble in a bit of everything resorted to various other co-curricular activites amid professional swimming.

Stage life resonated: “It’s just performing. I’m a performer”

 “I was in musical theatre, art club, football, baseball, track”, said the 2020 Summer Olympics 4 x 100m medley gold medalist. He was also associated with the theatrical life, playing roles in ‘Mary Poppins’ and ‘Hello, Dolly’. Also having played Lurch in ‘The Addams Family’, the performer, however, faced a dilemma soon after.

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When the Broadway hit Mamma Mia called him for playing the protagonists’ husband Sky’s part, he couldn’t because of junior swimming nationals. Even though that was his dream role, he gave up on it on account of his stable swimming career. “When I heard that my senior musical was going to be Mamma Mia! I’m like, ‘I got to do it!'” However, his dream remained untouched as he as he readied himself with his cap and goggles. And now, the 50m backstroke champ will aim toreclaim his spot at the World Aquatics Championships, Doha.

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