As the United States men’s swimming team continues to rack up gold medals in London, one Baldwin County resident watches with a deeper understanding of what’s going through the athletes’ minds.

Geoff Gaberino, who lives in Gulf Shores with his wife and two sons, has been there. He swam in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calif., where he won a gold medal in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay.

Each time he watches a medal ceremony and hears the U.S. national anthem, he remembers standing on the podium himself.

“I still remember the smell in the air, the coolness in the air, the crowd cheering and the national anthem playing,” he said.

“It teleports me back to 28 years ago.”

Gaberino likens the Olympics to a play. There is so much advance planning that goes into the games that the public and the athletes don’t know about.

“It really is sort of this fantasy land,” Gaberino said. “You’re presented with the pageantry and everything looks in place. As an athlete, you’re an actor, and you’re on stage. All you’re focused on is performing.”

Competing in the Olympics is unlike any other meet, game or performance an athlete has ever experienced, especially for swimmers, Gaberino said.

“It’s rare to swim in front of 3,000 people. That’s big,” he said. “But at the Olympics it was 12,000. It felt like swimming in a stadium. You can feel the energy even though you’re under the water, and it really does spur you on.”

At the 1984 games, Gaberino swam for two minutes in during the eight days of the Olympics. He said for athletes who aren’t competing in many events, there is a lot of down time.

“There’s great anxiety and excitement, and if you’re feeling good, you can’t wait for the moment,” he said.

Although the Olympics have changed tremendously since 1984 because of the addition of corporate sponsors and the increasing number of professional athletes in the games, Gaberino said the athletes’ journeys to the pinnacle of sport are still the same.

“It’s a lifetime of preparation, but at 14, I wasn’t looking to the Olympics as my goal,” Gaberino said. “My goal was the next important meet. At 12, your goal doesn’t need to be the Olympics. It’s a journey— a lot of smaller stepping stones.”

Gaberino swam throughout high school and during his four years at the University of Florida. When he was 22, he swam at the Olympics, and then his swimming career came to an abrupt halt—he needed to support himself somehow.

Unlike today, there was no way to make a living from swimming. With endorsement deals, corporate sponsorships and huge media attention, swimmers like Michael Phelps are able to support themselves and train full time long after college graduation.

“Part of me is a little bit jealous,” Gaberino said. “I wish I could have swum a little bit longer. I don’t think I was done. Physically, I still had something left.”

Gaberino moved on quickly, getting married and landing a job with Proctor and Gamble right out of college. He later earned his M.B.A. from the University of Florida and moved to Gulf Shores. He and his wife, Susan, manage vacation rental properties.

But not all athletes are able to leave that part of their lives behind so easily.

For many, Gaberino said, there is a sense of loss and depression when their athletic careers end.

“For athletes, every bit of your soul is poured into this thing, and when it’s done, some people don’t know what to do,” he said.

Gaberino remembers his swimming days fondly, but he doesn’t have what he calls a “wall of fame” or even a special case for his gold medal.

He carries it in a black sock, and the strap that was once connected to the medal broke off many years ago.

He’s never gotten it fixed.

The medal is actually gold plated silver, and after years of being handled, some of the gold has gradually worn off onto people’s fingers.

“Everyone should get to hold it and look at it,” Gaberino said. “I like to share it with people.”