Three-time Spanish Olympian and 2015 World Championship medalist Jessica Vall has announced her retirement from competitive swimming.
Vall has been among the top female breaststrokers in Europe for the better part of the past decade, having won the 2017 European Short Course title in the women’s 200 breast while also winning medals in the event at the 2015 LC Worlds (bronze) and the 2014, 2016 and 2018 LC European Championships.
The 36-year-old announced her retirement on Instagram Tuesday with a video of her speaking about her career alongside a montage of some key moments, including her as a young age grouper:
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Post translated from Spanish:
A very special moment in my sporting career has arrived and I wanted to share it with all of you.
It’s been a road full of emotions, sadnesses, joys but most of all full of learnings. I want to thank all the clubs I have passed through, CN Catalunya, L’Hospitalet and my @cnsantandreu for accompanying me on this path, until I put this beautiful final pin.To my family, my colleagues and all my staff, I can only say thank you for this wonderful book 🤩 🤩 🤩 !! And to @arenaspain and @etixxsports for following my journey until the end! I have no words to express what I have felt today!! THOUSAND THANKS TO ALL
Following the announcements, tribute posts have poured in on social media:
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Vall made her major international debut at the 2013 European Short Course Championships in Herning, Denmark, and went on to represent Spain on the global stage at three Olympics (2016, 2021, 2024), five World Aquatics Championships (2015, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023), three Short Course World Championships (2016, 2018, 2021) and four European Aquatics Championships (2014, 2016, 2018, 2022) along with a second appearance at SC Euros in 2017.
She claimed bronze in the women’s 200 breast at the 2014 European Championships in Berlin, and followed up by claiming the lone World Championship medal of her career in 2015, earning bronze in the 200 breast in Kazan.
Vall then won back-to-back silvers at Euros in London (2016) and Glasgow (2018), claiming the European SC title in 2017 in between. At those 2017 SC Euros in Copenhagen, Vall won the 200 breast in a Spanish Record of 2:18.41, a mark that still stands today, and she also set the National Record of 1:04.80 en route to bronze in the 100 breast.
In Olympic competition, Vall made three straight semi-finals in the women’s 200 breast, placing 10th in 2016, 13th in 2021 and 16th in 2024. She also made the semis in the 100 breast in Rio (16th), and placed 18th in the event in Tokyo and 27th in Paris.
In addition to her major international experience, Vall is also a seven-time medalist at the Mediterranean Games, including winning gold in 2013 in the 200 breast, and then winning both the 100 and 200 breast in 2018.
Vall also competed in the International Swimming League (ISL) during its three-year existence from 2019 until 2021, swimming for Iron in Season 1 and Energy Standard in Season 3.
She retires as the Spanish Record holder in the women’s LCM 50 breast (30.89), 100 breast (1:06.44) and 200 breast (2:22.56), and the SCM 100 breast (1:04.80) and 200 breast (2:18.41).
