Singaporean swimmer Joseph Schooling, who was known to be the first and only Olympian of the city-state to win an Olympic gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics, announced his retirement on Tuesday (Apr. 2) at the age of 28.
Known locally as "Singapore's Flying Fish," Schooling stunned the swimming world when he beat his boyhood hero, Michael Phelps, to win the 100-meter butterfly with a time of 50.39 seconds.
However, he was not able to gain momentum ever since, only winning bronze at the 2017 world championships, and crashing out in the heats in his title defense in Tokyo in 2021.
"Today marks the beginning of a new chapter - I will be retiring from competitive swimming," he said on social media. "I am filled with gratitude for every experience that swimming has brought into my life. The victories were exhilarating, the defeats humbling, and together, they have forged a resilience in me that I will carry forward into my next chapter."
He also made the announcement in an interview with Mediacorp prior to making the news public.
Aside from his Olympic gold, Schooling's professional record upon retirement would be composed of three from the Asian Games and 29 from the Southeast Asian Games.
Schooling was left out of the Singapore team for last year's delayed Asian Games in Hangzhou because two other swimmers had recorded faster times.
He told the Straits Times it was "a bummer" and that he was undecided about his future heading into another Olympic year.
"While I am stepping away from competing, swimming will forever be a part of who I am. It has given me a platform to inspire others to chase their dreams, no matter the odds," he added. "I am eager to explore new passions, face different challenges, and see where this next phase of life takes me."
