In his senior season, he was awarded the Big Ten Medal of Honor, recognizing his joint athletic and academic excellence throughout his college career.

Tarwater has represented the United States in the World Championships three times, winning a gold medal as part of the 4×200-meter freestyle relay team in 2009.

Michael Phelps elected to scratch the 200-meter freestyle from his Olympic schedule, however, allowing Tarwater to make the team.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Tarwater won a gold medal for his contributions in the preliminary heats of the 4×200-meter freestyle relay.

Tarwater's uncle, Richmond Flowers, Jr., was a world champion at the 110-meter hurdles and a safety in the National Football League from 1969 to 1973.

[7] Tarwater played baseball and basketball, and ran track before deciding the concentrate on swimming during seventh grade.

That year, Tarwater set his first conference record by swimming the 200-yard butterfly in 1:43.46 en route to the Big Ten title.

"[37] At the same event, Tarwater joined Michael Phelps and two other Wolverine Aquatics teammates to win the 4×100-meter freestyle relay with a time of 3:17.96.

[39] At the Short Course National Championships, Tarwater teamed up with Michael Phelps, Peter Vanderkaay, and Chris DeJong to capture the 4×200-yard freestyle relay title.

[1] In preparation for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, Tarwater trained at Michigan with Phelps, Peter Vanderkaay, and Erik Vendt, coached by Bowman and Urbanchekf.

"[43] He entered the Trials as the number two seed in the 200-meter butterfly and was widely expected to make the U.S. Olympic team as the second qualifier behind Phelps.

[24][36] "For the last two years I have completely put everything in my life aside to try to make [my Olympic] dream come true," he told a reporter.

[36] In the preliminary round of the 200-meter butterfly, Tarwater turned in the fastest time, acknowledging that nerves played a role in his fast swim.

[3] He told his parents that he could not stand hearing coverage of the Olympics, so his father quickly organized a vacation to Costa Rica.

In 1968, Flowers had been a gold medal favorite in the hurdles before suffering a hamstring injury two months before the Olympic Trials.

[48] After several "really tough conversions" with Banister, Tarwater decided to "[dedicate his] life to Christ and basically relinquished control.

He applied to graduate school to study public policy, and on a friend's advice sent some of his undergraduate work to Oxford University.

"[49] The Oxford swim team encouraged him to join its ranks, and he subsequently earned most valuable player honors and a Blue jacket, the British equivalent of a varsity letter.

[48] "I realized that not only is there life left for me in swimming, there's also a desire to come back [to the Olympic Trials] and do it the right way", Tarwater remarked.

[3] Marsh introduced Tarwater to a new style of training which focused more on creating power rather than relying on aerobic endurance.

[47] At his first major meet after his return, the May 2011 Charlotte UltraSwim, Tarwater placed third in the 200-meter butterfly behind China's Wu Peng and Phelps.

[1] Tarwater entered the June 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials with a new perspective: "I want to swim as fast as I can, be the best man I can be, and let the chips fall where they may", he said.

[61] In the 200-meter butterfly semi-finals, Tarwater turned in the second-fastest time behind Bobby Bollier as Phelps conserved energy.

[62] In the finals the next day, Tarwater, knowing he was facing several strong finishers, decided to go out as hard as he could and try to build a big enough lead to hold on.

[64] Phelps' decision allowed Tarwater to move up into the sixth spot in the 200-meter freestyle and be added to the relay team.

[65] He told Olympic swim coach Gregg Troy, "you won't see anyone show up with more focus and fire ....

[68] His time of 1:46.33 was a personal best, and the second-fastest leg for Team USA, which turned in the fastest preliminary swim, and third-fastest among all 64 swimmers.

[65] In 2012, however, the U.S. team had its top three swimmers in reserve, as Phelps would swim the relay final despite dropping the individual 200-meter freestyle from his program.

"[1] Tarwater was raised in a Christian home, but growing up he "sort of went through the motions" and didn't really hold strong beliefs.

[48] Tarwater has engaged in fundraising for Mott Children's Hospital in Michigan, and has donated his time visiting patients there.