Feb. 7, 2008

By Jessica Nicholas
USC Sports Information Student Assistant

Top professional swimmers in Australia achieve the same celebrity-status in their country that John David Booty would on the USC campus. They enter a room and everyone stops what they're doing to catch a glimpse. But, Richard Gosper of Melbourne, Australia, who is a top freestyle sprinter and co-captain of the USC men's swim team, isn't signing autographs back home quite yet. However, with his success at USC and the potential to represent Australia in the 2008 Olympics, fame could be just around the corner.

"I'm only a celebrity in my family," joked Gosper, who's getting used to being overshadowed by more popular collegiate sports like football.

He continued, "It was strange coming here and watching ESPN Top 10 highlights. Michael Phelps breaking the world record would be number nine, and a three-pointer in basketball would be number one. I think breaking a world record is far more exciting than a three-pointer."

Swimming will definitely get more attention in the United States as the 2008 Summer Olympics approaches. In the mean time, Gosper, who is in the middle of his senior season at USC, has a very important decision to make. The Australian Olympic Trials overlap with the NCAA Championships in March, so Gosper must decide between returning to Australia to try out for the Olympics or competing in his last college event. He has a chance to prove himself to the world on the Olympic stage, bust risks missing the most important event in collegiate swimming, which marks the culmination of his career at USC.

"I haven't made a decision," he says. "On one hand, I've never been closer to reaching the Olympics, but on the other, USC has allowed me to keep swimming and this is my senior year."

There's no doubt it will be one of the toughest decisions Gosper has faced during his time at USC, especially because of his loyalty to the school and to his teammates. Even his sister, Sophie Gosper, has joined the Trojan family and is a freshman swimmer on the women's team.

"USC has made me the swimmer I am today," he said.

Gosper ended up at USC because his father, who ran track at Michigan State, recommended that the way to get the most out of swimming and college was to go to the United States. At the time, Gosper was studying engineering at Melbourne University and swimming for a club team.

"There aren't any college sports in Australia," he explained. "There's simply not enough students or money."

Heading his father's advice, Gosper chose to attend USC for a one-year exchange program. Typically such programs are limited to one semester, but Gosper planned a longer stay so he could swim for a full season.

"Turns out it was the most fun I've ever had swimming. I met great people. I just loved it," he said with a smile.

Gosper had an impressive first season, finishing in the top 15 in both the 50y and 100y free at the 2005 Pac-10 Championships. However, all good things come to an end, including visas, so after 12 months Gosper had to say g'day to the McDonald Swim Stadium and return to Australia.

After six months, Gosper found that he missed USC and wanted to return to the United States. In fact, he had grown so close to the USC team that he came back and surprised them during the 2005-2006 Pac-10 season. He timed his trip so that he would be at USC for the Stanford and Cal meets. USC ended up defeating Stanford for the first time since 1997 and it was Stanford's only loss that season. Even though he wasn't swimming, Gosper felt part of the team and thoroughly enjoyed the victory.

During this trip, he also started planning how he could transfer back to USC. He spoke with then-head coach Mark Schubert as well as the Marshall School of Business to see if he could be reinstated. They had no problem with Gosper returning - the real challenge was sorting through NCAA regulations.

"The NCAA had never dealt with an exchange student who wanted to come back. We basically were writing the rulebook as we went along," said Gosper.

By the 2006-2007 season, after a one-year hiatus, he was back on the team. Gosper ended up appreciating the time off because, as he explains it, each year he is faster than the next, so he had a chance to reach his "peak."

"I wouldn't have done it any other way. I don't regret taking my time at all - even though some of my friends from high school are already doctors," he said with a laugh.

Gosper certainly has improved during his time at USC. This season, he broke USC's 50y freestyle record, which was held by teammate, Sean Sussex. In early 2007, both Gosper and Sussex were chasing the 1977 record held by Olympian Joe Bottom. Sussex ultimately broke the record that season. This season at the Husky Invitational in Seattle, which Gosper recalls as his favorite memory of USC swimming, Gosper beat Sussex's record with a time of 19.54. He also tied the long-course record. As agreed, Gosper then took Sussex to dinner as consolation for beating his record.

"It was just a really cool meet. Everyone swam really well, and even my dad was there," he said proudly.

This meet highlighted Gosper's favorite thing about training in the United States: it's a team sport. (In Australia, it is individual.) He even lives in the "Swimming House," which although he claims is the messiest place you've ever seen, he loves because it brings a whole new dimension to the sport.

Gosper brought a little bit of Australia to the house by stocking up on Vegemite, his favorite Australian condiment and by buying satellite television to watch Australian sports. Gosper got his teammates into rugby, but they still won't sit through a five-day cricket match. As swimmers who consider 20.1 seconds a long time, they can't understand how Gosper watches a sport that often lasts more than 100 hours. Looks like rugby and American sports will have to suffice for team bonding.

"Having teammates helps you get up in the morning. It inspires you to do well," he said. "It's the best thing I've discovered about the sport I thought I already knew everything about."