“Just Died”: Lilly King’s LA Olympics 2028 Plans Shocks Swimming Community Even Before US Swim Olympic Trials

“Swimming has been my passion and my life. I’ve given everything to this sport,” reflected Lilly King as she announced her plans for the LA Olympics 2028 and hinted after her illustrious career. Now, the 23-time world champion from Indiana is preparing for a thrilling performance in front of hometown crowds, promising a memorable farewell. Setting the stage for what promises to be a proper send-off. 

Recently, in a press conference, the outspoken swimmer confirmed speculations that she will compete in both the 100m and 200m events in Indiana. However, breaking millions of hearts worldwide, King also revealed that her time to bow out of the elite stage is fast approaching. Amidst this announcement, all eyes now turn to her potential participation in Paris this August as fans await her final competitive appearances with bated breath.

Lilly King announces that if she qualifies, this will be her last Olympic Games

One recent tweet by Yanyan Li shocked the swimming community and the fans. They wrote, announcing Lilly King’s future plan to retire before the LA Olympics of 2028, “Lilly King said she will not compete at the LA 2028 Olympics.” She’s not done after this year, but she also isn’t sticking out for the next four years. “I will be watching in Los Angeles, and I’m good with that decision,” she said.

King elaborated that though she is not retiring immediately this summer, she is also not looking to extend her career another 4 years. In LA, she will be content to cheer on the team from the stands. The news came right as the US swimming trials kicked off in Indiana at the Lucas Oil Stadium. 

King is seeded first in the 100-meter breaststroke. Followed by the 200-meter breaststroke. The semifinals for 100 meters will be held on Sunday, and the finals on Monday. While for the 200m, it is Wednesday and Thursday, respectively. From these two events, the top two will qualify for the Olympics. The potential reason for her retirement is probably due to her age of 27 and the length of her career, which is already a decade old. 

However, everyone will be sad to see her go. Lily’s coach, Ray Looze, also expressed how much of a delight King was to train over the years. They said, “It’s been such an honor to coach her and watch her grow as a human being over the last nine years.” Looze also mentioned how Lilly King will most certainly go down in history as one of the greatest breaststrokers. Despite the reassurance that she will be around for a while longer, fans are beyond heartbroken. 

Swimming fans were devastated at the news of Lilly King’s retirement

Swimming fans worldwide were left reeling with the news of Lilly King’s retirement from competitive swimming. Known for her exceptional talent and fierce competitive spirit, King has been a dominant force in the sport. That’s why it’s so hard to accept that this is the last time we will see the former IU swimmer compete in an Olympic cycle.

Her fans quickly took to Twitter to express their shock and heartbreak. One fan seemed to sum up the general worldwide shock and heartbreak in two words, saying, “Just died.” Those two words echoed across social media, capturing how swimming fans felt as they learned about Lilly King’s retirement. It captured the mix of emotions—from shock to sadness—as fans realized they were bidding farewell to a beloved champion.

Another fan’s tribute to Lilly King’s retirement highlighted the profound impact she had made throughout her illustrious career. “An absolute GOAT retiring in Lilly King”, they wrote, celebrating the swimmer’s remarkable achievements and legacy. Their words conveyed deep admiration for Lilly King’s 5X Olympic Gold medals, recognizing her as one of swimming’s greatest of all time.

The next fan brought up the time they were in the presence of Lilly King and how watching her in the water was a glorious and intimidating experience. They wished the swimmer best as King attempted one last Olympic qualification round, saying, “I was in a pool with Lilly King once and I was so intimidated I could barely swim my laps. Hope she makes a final Olympic team.”

One fan remembered hints of her retirement before the news was confirmed. Apparently, in the previous interview, Lilly King was plain about her plans to retire soon. They wrote, “She pretty much said that in a Swim Swam interview after an event not that long ago.  That she didn’t know exactly when she was going to retire, but she for sure wasn’t going to go through another whole Olympic cycle.” The sentiment of one swimming fan encapsulated the profound impact of Lilly King’s retirement, “Just fell to my knees wtf.” This raw and emotional reaction echoed the disbelief shared by many fans upon hearing the news. 

Hopefully, this time, Lilly King will be able to perform her usual magic at the trials and qualify to represent the US in Paris.