Two-Time Olympic Champion Sharon van Rouwendaal Brings Curtain Down On Historic Career
Sharon van Rouwendaal has announced her retirement after a career in which she became the most successful open water swimmer in Olympic history while claiming medals in the world and European long and short-course pools.
It comes 13 months after her victory in the River Seine at Paris 2024 which propelled her into the history books as she became the first swimmer to twice win marathon gold in Olympic waters, eight years after lifting the crown at Rio 2016. With silver at Tokyo 2021, she also became the first athlete to claim three medals.
That was, Van Rouwendaal told Swimming World last month, “the most beautiful race because it all came together. It was not just swimming, it was swimming smart.”
Her retirement concludes a career that saw her first stand on the senior international podium at the 2010 European Short-Course Championships in Eindhoven.
As well as her achievements on the Olympic stage, Van Rouwendaal also won three 5 and 10k titles among eight world open water medals and eight golds among 10 honours in European OW waters.
At 17 she won bronze in the 200 back (2:07.78) at the 2011 worlds in Shanghai. She won silver in the 400 free at the 2015 worlds in 4:03.02 behind Katie Ledecky, a year after finishing second behind Jazz Carlin at the 2014 Europeans in Berlin.
Van Rouwendaal split 1:52.73 as she anchored the Netherlands women to victory at the 2014 short-course worlds in Doha in a WR of 7:32.85.
In a lengthy post on social media, the 31-year-old said: “So today I announce I am ending my professional swimming career.
“I do this with peace, pride and gratitude. I leave the sport not only as a double Olympic champion but as the most successful open water by winning on the biggest stage and earning three Olympic medals. The GOAT (Greatest of All Time). The Queen of Open Water Swimming.”
She added: “To everyone who supported me – coaches, teammates, friends, fans, and above all, my family – thank you.
“Without you this brutal but beautiful adventure would not have been possible.
“And to all swimmers, athletes and dreamers; remember, medals are won with your body but true victories are won with your mind.
“It’s time to step out of the tunnel and start living.
“With love and gratitude, this is Sharon van Rouwendaal, signing off as a professional swimmer and signing on to the SVR Swim Academy.”
Van Rouwendaal revealed she was contemplating her future back in February when she stated her intention to miss the 2025 World Championships.
Instead, she attended as a World Aquatics ambassador and looked on as friend and former Magdeburg training partner Moesha Johnson won the 5/10k double.
Now Van Rouwendaal will continue to develop her swimming clinics, online training and mentoring and offering plans for shoulder injury prevention warm-ups.
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