Los Angeles ( CNN ) -- She was remembered in her last Olympics 16 years ago -- a near lifetime in an athlete 's career -- as a diminutive figure whose size belied her big ambitions and ability to win Olympic gold . Janet Evans , at 5-foot-6 and 108 pounds , is now 40 years old , and just as Dara Torres made an extraordinary comeback at age 41 to be the oldest swimmer in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games , Evans is now seeking her own Act 2 . Evans has qualified to participate in late June 's trials to make the U.S. Olympic Team , and if she makes the cut , she will go on to compete in the London Games in July . When she retired following her last Olympics in 1996 , she was considered one of the greatest distance freestyle swimmers of all time , winning four gold medals . In all , she competed in three Olympic Games -- Seoul in 1988 , Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996 . She was known for her `` unorthodox windmill '' stroke , as she puts it . Now the Olympian who began swimming at age 2 and competing at age 4 is seeking her fourth Games over a 24-year period . Can she conquer the biggest adversary of all -- aging ? In a recent interview with CNN at her Huntington Beach , California , training facility about 35 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles , Evans said she has been working out five hours a day -- with her husband spending more time taking care of their two small children . But she still drops the kids off at day care with her hair wet and puts dinner on the table every night , she says . `` This time has been so much more fulfilling , '' she said of her latest Olympics attempt . She has spent the past 16 years as an author , reality TV personality and a motivational speaker . `` Of course , the competitor in me wants to make the Olympic team , but I also feel like if I do n't , it 's been an amazing journey , '' Evans added . Her return to long hours in the pool has agreed with her . She swims 10 miles daily , plus 45-minute workouts in the weight room . `` It did n't take me as long as I thought to get into a groove , '' she said . `` My family really supported me . My husband said he would be home to take care of the kids , and so I found a routine . '' The Laguna Beach , California , resident expects supporters in her quest to make the 2012 Olympic team , but she also expects her share of skeptics . `` The hardest part of this comeback was n't physical and was n't scheduling , '' Evans said . `` It was the critics . And I knew there would be critics out there , and I always had critics in my career . '' Those critics will say things like `` You know , she 's 40 . She has children . What is she thinking ? She already had this success . Leave it for someone else now . Someone else deserves it . You 've had your time , '' Evans said . She has a simple answer to those critics . `` Well , if I swim fast enough , who says it 's not my time . '' Evans says she 's proud of the fact `` that at 40 , I can come back and actually swim with 17-year-olds and keep up with them . '' But she admits to having an occasional bad night of sleep because her daughter or son is up at night . Her trainer , Mark Schubert , said returning to swimming shape was n't easy for Evans . `` I think for her at 40 , the physical is the more difficult . You know she was always in good shape . But it was getting back into swimming shape . Her mental attitude has not changed . Not a bit , '' he told CNN . `` Predictions in swimming are difficult , but I think Janet is going to amaze everybody with how fast she can swim , '' Schubert added . Evans ' husband , Bill Wilson , said his admiration for his wife has grown . `` I understand why 20-year-olds do this , because I think when you are not in the pool training , you are resting , right , '' he said . `` And for Janet at 40 with two kids and working and a mom , she does n't get as much rest as she would probably like , and I respect that even more . '' CNN 's Chuck Conder contributed to this report .
Janet Evans , one of the greatest distance freestyle swimmers , has won one gold medals . She competed in 1996 1996 Olympic Games . She is known for her `` unorthodox windmill '' stroke . In late June , she will seek a spot on U.S. team to swim in U.S. 1996 .