French Olympian Jordan Pothain Announces Retirement From Swimming

French Olympian Jordan Pothain announced his retirement from swimming on Sunday, July 3, 2022 via Instagram.

Pothain has raced for France at the two most recent Olympic Games, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 in 2021. In 2016 Pothian finished 8th overall in the 400 freestyle with a 3:49.07. That finals performance was his top performance at either Olympics. Pothain also swam the 200 freestyle.

In Tokyo, Pothain didn’t return to the 400 freestyle field and instead only swam the 200 free. In that event, he swam a 1:46.75 during prelims to place 20th overall.

Pothain’s best time in the 200 freestyle is a 1:46.56, which he swam while leading off the French men’s relay in Rio. In the 400 freestyle, his personal best is a 3:45.43, which he swam during the prelims of the event at that same Olympics in 2016 before adding a few seconds in the final.

Pothain has also swum for France at two editions of the World Championships, having raced at Kazan 2015 and Budapest 2022. He didn’t race at either World Championships between his two Olympic bids (Budapest 2017 and Gwangju 2019).

At the 2015 World Championships Pothain only raced the 4×200 freestyle relay and swam a 1:48.34 to lead off France’s prelims relay, which placed 11th in the heats. In 2022 Pothain raced the men’s 200 freestyle, where he placed 15th overall in the semi-finals with a 1:47.66. He also raced the 4×200 in 2022 and contributed to France’s 7th place finish with a 1:48.41 to lead off their finals relay.

Pothain won his sole senior international medal in 2016 at the 2016 World Short Course Championships in Windsor when France took silver in the 4×100 freestyle relay. He, Jeremy Stravius, Mehdy Metella, and Clement Mignon pulled off a 3:07.35 in the final to place 2nd to Russia’s 3:05.90.