Aussie World Record Holder Minna Atherton Announces Retirement

2024 AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC TRIALS

• Monday, June 10th – Saturday, June 15th
• Brisbane Aquatic Center – Brisbane, Australia
• Prelims at 11am local/9pm previous day ET; Finals at 7:30pm local/5:30am ET
• LCM (50 meters)
• Swimming Australian Olympic Nomination Criteria
• Meet Central
• Updated Psych Sheet
• Heat Sheets
• Day 1 Prelims Recap | Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap | Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Recap | Day 3 Finals Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Recap | Day 4 Finals Recap
• Day 5 Prelims Recap | Day 5 Finals Recap
• Live Results
• Livestream (VPN Needed)

While the 2024 Australian Olympic Trials rolled on, a notable retirement announcement came to light in the form of Minna Atherton.

24-year-old Atherton revealed her decision on Instagram today after missing out on qualification for next month’s Games in Paris, France.

In Brisbane this week, Atherton placed 8th in the 100m back (1:01.22) and 6th in the 200m back (2:11.05). The Bond athlete’s lifetime bests rest at 58.60 and 2:06.82, respectively, from 2019.

Also in 2019, Atherton went on a tear during the inaugural season of the International Swimming League (ISL), breaking the world record in the women’s SCM 100 back (54.89) while coming within .02 of the all-time mark in the 200 back (1:59.25).

She is a 3-time long course World Championships medalist and 3-time short course World Championships.

As Atherton wrote on social media, “Swimming has personally never been just about the results and in more recent years it has become increasingly important to prioritise my own happiness and enjoyment of the sport and life outside of it. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities swimming has provided me, including traveling the  world, receiving a scholarship to Bond University, graduating with my bachelors, moving cities and meeting some of my very best friends throughout it all.

“Over the past 13 wild years, I have accomplished so much that I am incredibly proud of. From joining my first junior Australian team at 13, making the senior team at 16, winning a silver at the world championships at 19 and breaking a world record at ISL. I’ve also been so incredibly fortunate to represent Australia at two Commonwealth Games, three Short Course World Championships and several World Cup tours.

“I am immensely thankful to everyone who has been part of my journey, for better or worse. A special thanks to everyone who has helped hold me together both physically and mentally over the last few years. It hasn’t been easy, but each experience and challenge has helped me learn and grow into the person I am today and I am so excited for all the adventures that await.”