Swimming News : 30-Year-Old Canadian Swimmer Rachel Nicole Reveals 2-Year-Old Conversation About Retirement With 5X Olympic Breaststroker

Retirement for athletes isn’t like people of any other profession. It’s an inner voice that keeps notifying that it’s time to bid that final goodbye. Though it sounds plain sailing, the ones taking that major leap know best. In the swimming domain, we have blessed our eyes with several phenoms, making stellar aquatic strides.

Having primarily competed in the breaststroke events, Canadian swimmer Rachel Nicol had her career breakthrough in 2023, at the Pan-Am Games. Walking home with two golds from that event, Nicol felt that it was time to call it off finally. Looking back at a 2021 conversation, she shared some bits of it.

Fresh off retirement, Rachel Nichol recalls swimming convos

Hailing from Lethbridge, Alta, Nichol made her first national team in 2015, on the grounds of her fine swimming skills. Her first senior international meet was in 2015 Toronto, where she played a pivotal role in bringing the  4×100-m medley gold for Canada. Recalling a retirement-related conversation she had with 5x Olympian breaststroker Alia Atkinson, Nicol said, “I was like, ‘How do you know?’ And she was like, ‘You’ll just know, you’ll get a feeling'”. Since it’s the Olympic year, she wants to feel the drive to hit the waters again. But alas, that didn’t happen.

She further added, “I’ve contemplated retiring for the last three years but none of those times really felt right. I still felt like I needed a bit of closure”. It requires no second questioning that the applied physiology and sport management has had the closure from the double gold podium at the Pan-Ams last year. But did she limit her career to winning or podium finishes? Or did she think beyond that?

Nicol’s special bond with Hilda Luthersdottir stands out

Besides Alia Atkinson and her Canadian teammates, there was an Icelandic swimmer who captured Nicol’s heart particularly. Hilda Luthersdottir, the one sporting a cool nature at all times, was responsible for easing Nicol’s competition days. The latter said in reminiscence, “We were in the lanes beside each other at worlds and it’s very serious. …gives me a double high five, up and down. It was my best 50 breast ever”. 

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The ‘boost of confidence’ that she received that day is still etched on her good memories list. Having garnered love from worldwide fans, the kinesiology MD has found her passion to move forward in her career already. When asked about her post-retirement goals, she said, “I’ve found a passion in sport governance in Canada, I think that’s maybe the next step but I’m not sure if it’s going to come right away”. With the support of family, friends and teammates, she is where she is today.

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