Australian Olympian, world champion, and former world record holder Kiah Melverton has announced her retirement from competitive swimming at 27 years old.
The decision came a few weeks after last month’s Australian Olympic Trials, where she placed 3rd in the 400 IM (4:42.82), 4th in the 400 freestyle (4:06.17), and 12th in the 200 free (1:58.37). Melverton did not contest the 800 free, an event where she was a finalist at the 2024 World Championships and silver medalist at the 2022 World Championships behind only Katie Ledecky.
“It’s been a long journey but one that has come to an end,” Melverton wrote on Instagram. “To those who supported me for years thank you. Coaches, my mum, family, friends, biomech, physiologist, gym coach, nutritionist, psychologist, physio, massage, sponsors, it’s not something you can do on your own and I thank you for everything. Looking back on my career I am super proud of what I achieved and the friends and memories I made along the way.
“I managed to do it all quite literally; world short course, world championships, pan pac games, commonwealth games, open water world champs and finally an Olympics,” she continued. “I’ve won individual medals and was apart of an awesome 4×200 relay team over the years that broke a world record in 2022. I wish everyone the best in Paris and I’ll be cheering on from home. When one door closes another one opens and I am excited to see what the future brings. Good afternoon, good evening and goodnight.”
Melverton has competed at the past five World Championships, amassing two gold medals (4×200 free relay in 2019 and 2023), two silvers (800 free and 4×200 free relay in 2022), and one bronze (4×200 free relay in 2024) over the course of her career. At the most recent Worlds in Doha, Qatar, she placed 7th in the 800 free (8:29.35) and 19th in the 400 IM (4:53.82). She made her Worlds debut at the 2017 edition as an open water swimmer in the women’s 5km.
Melverton also ends her career as a five-time medalist at the Commonwealth Games. At the 2018 edition in Australia, she captured a bronze medal in the 800 free. Four years later in England, she showed off her versatility by securing bronze in the 400 free, two silvers in the 400 IM and 800 free, and a gold medal in the 4×200 free relay en route to a new world record. Melverton split 1:55.40 to help the Aussies set a new global standard in 7:39.29 that they lowered to 7:37.50 the following summer.
At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Melverton placed 6th in both the 800 free (8:22.25) and 1500 free (16:00.36). She finished her career with an impressive array of lifetime bests in the 200 free (1:55.94 in 2022), 400 free (4:03.12 in 2022), 800 free (8:16.79 in 2022), 1500 free (15:56.46 in 2019), and 400 IM (4:36.78 in 2022).
Kiah is a legend, she will be missed, wish her all the best!
What an athlete, what a person. Not only did she get to do it all personally but she has really helped shape a lot of younger swimmer’s attitudes and behaviours for the better. One of my favourite Aussie swimmers. Wishing her all the best for her next chapter.