Aussie Olympic legend Emma McKeon has announced her retirement from all competitive swimming having previously mentioned she was looking forward to life with Cody Simpson when she departs the sport for good. McKeon, dating former pop star-turned swimmer Simpson, said her Olympics career was over after winning gold for Australia in Paris earlier this year.
On Monday she confirmed she’s also retiring from all competitive swimming. McKeon is the most prolific Olympian in the nation’s history having won a total of 14 medals with six gold. Her victory as part of the 4x100m freestyle relay in Paris took her past the great Ian Thorpe (five gold).
On Monday, the 30-year-old admitted getting to Paris was a hard task, but was proud of her final Olympic Games. “If I look back at that young person – I think I was 17 when I missed London – you couldn’t have told her that I was going to go on to do this,” she said.
“It’s just persisting, you have ups and you have downs. You just keep going along and you keep ticking the boxes. I can’t believe where I’m at right now and how I got here. Leading in to Paris was definitely the hardest preparation I have had. I lost a lot of confidence in my swimming and felt a lot of pressure to back up what I had done in Tokyo.
“But I’m proud of how I handled it and proud I could still step up for my team while feeling the self-doubt. Great things take time, and the long road there is where all the necessary things are learnt to take us to the next level. I will definitely miss it … It’s brought me a lot of great relationships and shaped me into the person I am.”
Emma McKeon’s change ahead of Paris
Having announced Paris would be her last Olympics, before calling time on swimming on Monday, McKeon said she was grateful for all the sport had delivered her. This includes the chance of meeting current partner Simpson. Simpson visited Paris to support McKeon and the Aussie swimmer admitted she was already looking ahead to time with her partner.
“I definitely will miss it,” she said. “It has brought me a lot of great relationships and great experiences and shaped me into the person I am. I will miss the training and the racing but I am definitely ready for the next part of my life which I am excited for. I’m really happy that I was able to step up when it did come to the Olympics.”
However, it was pointed out before the Paris Olympics that McKeon had changed her outlook as a person and athlete due to Simpson’s influence. Coach Michael Bohl said her relationship with Simpson had changed her as a person and athlete, and swimming wasn’t the be-all-and-end-all for her.
“She was at a stage in her life where she was single (in Tokyo) … and swimming was certainly her No.1 focus,” Bohl told Wide World of Sports. “Swimming still is her No.1 focus , but she’s got a relationship now. Her and Cody are going out. They’re very serious about their relationship.
“So there’s that level of contentment, but I don’t see it drifting across to her attitude to training. She’s very focused on trying to position herself the best she can to try and secure places on that Olympic team. I think you’re happier when you’re in a relationship, and you’re a little bit more at peace as you’re getting older.”
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Cody Simpson’s relationship with McKeon
Simpson had previously suggested the Paris Games would be his last, but didn’t feature having not made the Dolphins swimming team. Regardless, he claimed the duo were excited for life after swimming together.
“I’ve purposefully put a brick wall on either side of it, in that I will address it when it comes,” he said. “But never once in my life have I not known what is next. Emma has never had a life without swimming. I know what it is like, but she has never had it, so I’m excited for her to explore her other interests and have the time to do that because she has never had it as a kid.”
Emma McKeon to help the future of swimming
Speaking on Monday about her retirement, McKeon admitted she wanted to stay in the swimming environment and help future Olympians achieve their goals. “I’m definitely ready for the next part of my life, which I’m excited for. I don’t think I’ve had the time to reflect on everything yet,” she added.
“I want young kids to know that I was once in the same position they are – dreaming of one day doing something big. And I want to have an impact on people’s lives by encouraging them to push hard and go after their dreams and what they are passionate about. Don’t be afraid to take on hard things and set aspirational goals that may at time be scary. This is how we push ourselves to achieve our dreams.”
