Two-Time European Champs Medalist Peter John Stevens Announces Retirement From Swimming

Slovenian swimmer Peter John Stevens, a two-time European Championships medalist in the 50 breast, will retire from competitive swimming after competing at the 2024 Short Course World Championships in December. He is currently 29 years old.

Here is Stevens’ statement regarding his retirement made in Slovenian on Thursday at the presentation of the Slovenian national team for short course worlds:

Ob plavanju imam službo, kjer imajo za moj šport veliko razumevanja, a to vse skupaj težko usklajujem. Pripravil sem se po najboljših možnostih, še enkrat bom dal vse od sebe, a pričakovanj nimam

Stevens’ quote translated to English: “In addition to swimming, I have a job where they are very understanding of my sport, but I find it difficult to balance it all. I have prepared to the best of my ability, I will do my best once again, but I have no expectations.”

According to the Slovenian Press Agency, “unresolved financial support issues” with the Slovenian Swimming Federation (PZS) was also a reason for Stevens’ retirement.

Stevens first represented Slovenia at a senior international competition in 2013, when he finished fifth in the 50 breast at the 2013 European Short Course Championships. In 2016, he won his first senior international medals, taking second in the 50 breast at the 2016 European Championships (long course) to Adam Peaty with a time of 27.09, and then clocking a national record time of 25.85 to take silver at the 2016 Short Course World Championships behind Cameron van der Burgh. He also won bronze in the 50 breast at the 2018 European Championships.

In addition to the meets he medalled at, Stevens also represented Slovenia at the 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024 World Championships (long course). At 2024 Worlds, he set a best time of 26.79 in the prelims of the 50 breast and later placed eighth in the finals.

Stevens swam collegiately for the University of Tennessee from 2014 to 2018. He qualified for the NCAA Championships during all four years of college, finishing as high as second in the 100 breast back in 2016. His best time in the 100 breast is a 51.61 from that second-place race in 2016.