“Loved it Even When I Hated it”- Us Olympic Gold Medalist Retires From Swimming at 28

Olympic gold medalist Andrew Wilson became a staple name in the US men’s breaststroke category. Especially over the last 5 years, Wilson kept growing as a swimmer and finally qualified for his first and last Olympics in 2021.

However, the 28-year-old has now officially retired as he had mentioned before the Olympic games last year. The American swimmer tweeted the news and attached a retirement letter along.

Andrew Wilson announces his retirement

Wilson first rose in the swimming world after he joined Emory University in the year 2012. After being able to win numerous D3 titles, Andrew made the finals of both breaststroke events in the men’s category at the 2016 Olympic trials. Wilson is the first NCAA D3 swimmer to qualify for the US Olympic team.

In 2017, he went on to win three golds at the World University Games. Andrew has also won gold at the 2018 Pan Pacific and World Short Course Championships.

Due to the postponement of the Olympics, Andrew delayed his retirement by a year, as he had already qualified for the Games. At the Olympics, he finished sixth in the 100m, and seventeenth in the 200m breaststroke events. Andrew won the gold in the medley relay event.

The American swimmer has recently retired and shared a letter addressing the same on Twitter. “I love the sport of swimming. I loved it even when I hated it, but there’s a point when everyone has to say goodbye to it, and for me, that is now,” read the letter.

In the letter, Wilson also addressed the people still in professional swimming, urging him to cherish it as much as they can. He also admitted to being jealous of the people who will remain a part of the sport.

Read More: ‘A Little Weird’ – Andrew Wilson Yet to Overcome Surreal Feeling of Tokyo Olympics 2021 Qualification

Wilson dedicated his qualification to DIII athletes

Initially, a water polo player, Wilson quickly grew into a celebrated swimmer. A record holder in the DIII NCAA, Andrew had his sights set on an Olympic gold from the very start.

When he qualified for the Olympic team, Wilson was both proud and emotional. He said he hoped that every athlete in the D3 would be proud of him and would join him in his accomplishment. He also expressed how he took the qualification as an honor and hoped that it would pave the way for even more athletes from the D3 to qualify.

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