Australia's most decorated Olympian drops huge news
Australia's most decorated Olympian, Emma McKeon has announced her retirement from swimming on Monday.
After an incredible career that spanned across three Olympics and yielded 14 Olympic medals, including six golds, the Olympic champion announced her retirement from the pool in a social media post.
"Today I am officially retiring from competitive swimming," shared on Instagram.
"Leading into Paris, I knew it would be my last Olympics, and the months since have given me time to reflect on my journey, and think about what I wanted my future to look like in swimming."
"I am proud of myself for giving my swimming career absolutely everything, both physically and mentally," she continued.
"I wanted to see what I was capable of - and I did. Swimming has given me so much. From the dream igniting at 5 years old, right through to my third Olympic Games - I have so many lessons, experiences, friendships and memories that I am so thankful for."
Mckeon made her Olympic debut at the Rio Olympics in 2016, winning gold as a member of the women's 4x100 freestyle relay team and claiming four medals overall.
In 2020, during the Tokyo Olympics she took over as Australia's most decorated Olympian, a title that was previously held by Ian Thorpe, after bringing home four gold medals by triumphing in the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relay.
She won seven medals in total in the 2020 Olympics.
In this year's Paris Olympics, she brought home another three medals including one gold as a member of Australia's 4x100m freestyle team.
"Along with every person who supported me, worked hard with me, and cheered me on. THANKYOU," McKeon said in her post.
"Now I am excited to see how I can push myself in other ways, and for all the things that life has in store."
Beyond the Olympics, McKeon has been an eight-time world record holder in relay events with three current and five former records.
She has also won 14 gold medals across the 2014, 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Swimming Australia chief executive Rob Woodhouse, who is McKeon's uncle, praised the Olympic champion.
"Emma will be remembered in the same vein as Dawn [Fraser], Shane [Gould], Susie [O'Neill] and Murray [Rose], Kieren [Perkins] and Thorpey [Ian Thorpe] — that she was one of our greatest," Woodhouse said in a Swimming Australia statement.
"From a personal point of view, watching her Tokyo campaign and in particular watching her win gold in the 100m freestyle was one of the greatest races I have ever watched, but I have also loved watching her advocate for those coming up through the ranks.
"She will also be remembered for how she represented swimming. The standards she set in and out of the water were second to none, and she has a lifelong love of the sport, so she won't be disappearing from swimming."
Images: DAVE HUNT/EPA-EFE/ Shutterstock Editorial