无毛视频

Jul 22, 2024 By Eleanor Bailey 5 min read

When Kristin and Jeff Matheny were asked about the sacrifices they made to help their son, Josh, earn a roster spot on the U.S. Swimming Team that will compete in the Summer Olympic Games, the Upper St. Clair couple looked at each other and laughed.

“Honestly, I love swimming,” Kristi said. “I am the biggest geek. I will go to every session and watch the kids.”

“She knows every time and every swimmer. More than Josh,” Jeff added. “It’s a passion. Really there was no sacrifice. We are both so excited.”

Kristin always had an affinity for swimming. She excelled at North Hills High School, even holding the 100-yard breaststroke record for a time.

“Oh, my gosh, not even near Josh,” she said. “I loved swimming but wasn’t good enough to even contemplate being at his level.”

After competing at Bowdoin College, where she majored in economics and history, Kristin earned an MBA from Case-Western, but the 55-year-old did not return to the sport until she joined the Mt. Lebanon Aqua Club’s masters program in 2012.

While Jeff said he did not foresee Kristin as a “stay-at-home mom” when they wed 31 years ago, they agreed the family was fortunate she fulfilled that role.

“When I had the kids, I had no desire to be in that corporate world,” Kristin said. “As a management consultant, I was required to do a lot of travel. That did not translate well into parenthood.”

In addition to Josh, the couple also raised two daughters who were also swimmers: Meghan, 26, is following in her father’s footsteps, who is an orthopedic surgeon in the Allegheny Health Network. She just completed her second year of medical school at Penn State. And Abby, 24, is working toward a doctorate in environmental engineering from the University of Michigan.

As Josh continued to win and gain fame, Meghan and Abby supported him. They alternated attending many of his high-level competitions, and both are headed to Paris for the Olympics with their parents.

Growing up, Josh also competed in lacrosse and emulated his father, playing ice hockey.

Jeff played hockey at North Hills High School and club hockey at Colorado College where he received his undergraduate degree. He also coached Josh when he played in the Mt. Lebanon Hockey Association.

As a triathlete, Jeff swims at least twice a week, and both Jeff and Kristin, veterans of many marathons including Boston, are preparing to participate in a biathlon event. Combined they will traverse 13 miles, 11 on foot and two in the water, while tethered together.

“I guess that’s where Josh gets it,” they said, referring to Josh’s competitiveness.

As he achieved records, Josh’s interest in other extracurriculars waned. Before he entered high school, his parents and coaches realized he had Olympic potential.

“As good as he was at the other sports, he wasn’t as good as he was at swimming,” said Jeff.

“At that point, he was winning zone meets and swimming really, really fast and placing among the top kids in the breaststroke,” added Kristin. “He was a natural. It came so easily to him. So we all agreed this is something that could take him far.”

Josh devoted himself to his dream. No one had to wake him for his early morning workouts nor entice him to attend his weightlifting sessions. He never kept his chauffeurs – his mother or his sister, once she learned to drive – waiting.

“He was always ready to go, and no matter how tired he was or how challenging he knew a practice would be, he always went,” Kristin said. “Josh is a very, very focused kid. In what he’s interested in.”

Josh also knew he would achieve his objectives at Indiana University in Bloomington, which has produced 121 Olympic medalists, most notably Mark Spitz and Josh’s fellow teammate, Lily King.

“He’s a Hoosier. Josh loves everything there except, of course, the football team because we’re Penn State fans,” Jeff said.

While becoming empty-nesters was a challenge, Josh’s parents said IU was the right step at the right time.

Both agreed, “Josh was ready to go and train with a collegiate team. We knew we were sending him to a place where he would have a lot of opportunities and if he could take advantage of them, then he could go far.”

Josh became an Olympian in an unorthodox fashion, rallying after just missing a spot in his signature swim and clinching a berth in the 200 distance. He reached the apex of his career to date because of the listening skills of his parents.

Because she has traveled the most with Josh, Kristin has become his biggest confidant and cheerleader. She talks to him by phone after every race. Jeff gave Josh a “pep” talk after the third-place showing in the 100 breaststroke.

“I pale in comparison to Mom,” he said. “She’s the rock.”

According to Kristin, the Mathenys weren’t “crazy” parents. They knew when to “back off” and support Josh.

“I never want to be a dream crusher,” she said. “Life discourages you soon enough. As parents you should let them be their quirky, goofy selves and hope they find their passions.”