Australia's most decorated Olympian drops huge news
<p>Australia's most decorated Olympian, Emma McKeon has announced her retirement from swimming on Monday. </p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>"Today I am officially retiring from competitive swimming," shared on Instagram.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>"I am proud of myself for giving my swimming career absolutely everything, both physically and mentally," she continued. </p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p>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. </p>
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<p>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. </p>
<p>She won seven medals in total in the 2020 Olympics. </p>
<p>In this year's Paris Olympics, she brought home another three medals including one gold as a member of Australia's 4x100m freestyle team.</p>
<p>"Along with every person who supported me, worked hard with me, and cheered me on. THANKYOU," McKeon said in her post.</p>
<p>"Now I am excited to see how I can push myself in other ways, and for all the things that life has in store."</p>
<p>Beyond the Olympics, McKeon has been an eight-time world record holder in relay events with three current and five former records. </p>
<p>She has also won 14 gold medals across the 2014, 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games. </p>
<p>Swimming Australia chief executive Rob Woodhouse, who is McKeon's uncle, praised the Olympic champion. </p>
<p>"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] â that she was one of our greatest," Woodhouse said in a Swimming Australia statement.</p>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>"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."</p>
<p><em>Images: DAVE HUNT/EPA-EFE/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>
