Swimmer Adrian, from Prestwich, missed out on the Sydney Games because he was recovering from a life-threatening disease in which his immune system attacked his body.
And despite scooping a silver and a bronze in this summer's Manchester Commonwealth Games, he is determined to make it to the Athens Olympics in 2004 before finally going to Sydney - as a student.
He's being backed all the way by his family, including his TV presenter sister, Beverley, who recently married Olympic gold medal rowing star James Cracknell.
Just before Christmas 1999, Adrian was diagnosed with auto-immune haemolytic anaemia and within 24 hours his condition was critical.
He started to turn the corner on millennium eve and a week later he was allowed home, but it took many weeks to recover fully, costing him his place at the Sydney Olympics.
He now feels he has a score to settle with the city and is even talking about staying there permanently.
"I feel Sydney is somewhere I want to go," he said, " because I missed out on the Olympics there and it's something I need to do. I'm looking forward to just studying for a while. When I was at Manchester University doing my psychology degree, I was training as well and went to the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuaa Lumpur in my second year, which affected my grade.
"I will retire after the Athens Games, but it is something I need to fulfil.
"I'm confident of getting into the squad and I want to reach the final, because that's as far as you can go. I won't worry about retiring, because I will move to fulfil other dreams."
Adrian has been accepted on a post-graduate course in sports management at Sydney University. After completing his masters degree, he hopes to become an agent - so he can earn money but stay in sport. Tweet