Anthony Nesty is a significant presence at US swimming nationals in a sport struggling to diversify

By PAUL NEWBERRY
AP National Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — In a sport still struggling to diversify, Anthony Nesty is a significant presence on the pool deck at the U.S. national championships. He overcame long odds to win an Olympic gold medal. He worked his way up to become one of America’s top swimming coaches. And he’s Black. Nesty know he’s a role model, and he takes that “very seriously.” Nesty is the head coach at the University of Florida and oversees one of the top pro teams in the country, a star-studded group that includes Olympic gold medalists Katie Ledecky, Caeleb Dressel and Bobby Finke.