Olympic gold medalist Andrew Wilson, a staple on the U.S. men’s breaststroke scene for the better part of the last five years, officially announced his retirement from competitive swimming on Friday.
The writing has been on the wall for some time that Wilson had moved on from the sport, telling SwimSwam as much back in November 2020 that he was hanging up his goggles after the Tokyo Olympic Games (plans that were delayed by one year) and moving to England to attend grad school at Oxford University.
Wilson, 28, attached a lengthy retirement letter along with his announcement Friday, noting that while he knew his career had been over for some time, “this moment still feels different.”
Officially a has been. Had a few words to say, read them if you’re interested.https://t.co/90kktQfNtd pic.twitter.com/wJ6UAH9Eg4
— Andrew Wilson (@awil5504) April 22, 2022
Wilson said that the past year has given him time to reflect on his career, and he shared his thoughts on the things he’s most proud of, and people he wants to thank, among other things in the letter.
You can read Wilson’s full retirement letter here.
Perhaps best known as the first NCAA Division III swimmer to qualify for the U.S. Olympic team, Wilson rapidly rose up the ranks after joining Emory University in the fall of 2012, winning numerous D3 titles before making the final of both male breaststroke events at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Wilson then won triple gold at the 2017 World University Games, including a sweep of the men’s 100 and 200 breaststroke, and he also won gold in the men’s 400 medley relay at both the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships and Short Course World Championships.
The Damascus, Maryland native then made his LC World Championship debut in 2019, placing sixth in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke while adding a silver medal as a member of the U.S. men’s 400 medley relay.
After delaying his retirement for one year due to the Olympic postponement, Wilson qualified for his first Olympic team in both breaststroke events, ultimately making the final of the 100 in Tokyo and placing sixth. He also finished 17th in the 200 breast and swam the preliminary breast leg on the U.S. men’s medley relay that went on to win the gold medal.
He retires currently ranking fourth all-time among U.S. men in the 100 breast (58.74) and sixth in the 200 breast (2:07.77).
Wilson closes his retirement letter with the following:
“I love the sport of swimming. I loved it even when I hated it, but there’s a point when everyone has to
say goodbye to it, and for me that is now.
“To those who are still in it, cherish it, work for it, embrace the highs, embrace the lows, value the people around you, and savor it; because I’m so jealous that you are still experiencing your story instead of looking back and nostalgically longing for just one more of those moments with your teammates.”
Great letter. Ana amazing story to watch unfold!
Cookie Skillets are on Andrew tonight.
Congratulations on a great career. All of us in the Emory swimming and D3 swimming community are so proud of you. I’m glad to have shared TWO alumni connections: Emory and our summer league team in the DC area, Kenwood.
All of us wish to go out on a positive note, and not all of us do. I’m glad you did so with such honor and distinction. I understand your feelings about ending the active relationship with the sport we love.
Have a great career in the next part of your journey.
He’s a great writer.
👍 🐐
Andrew, thanks for letting us watch you be a fierce competitor in the pool.
I swam D3 when my school had two 20 yard training pools instead the the majestic indoor facility that they have now. We weren’t the best, but we cheered for each other as if each race was the Olympic finals. Many of us didn’t swim as quickly as we did in high school, and while there was some disappointment in swimming slower, I would not trade the friendship and camaraderie of our team. My son and I cheered for you at Trials, and we cheered for you in Tokyo. We will continue to cheer for you, though we will miss cheering for you when you swim. Mr. Wilson, my hat is off to you. You are the GOAT. Seriously.
The Chicago Maroons are in great hands these days. I was there for the dawn of the new era with the new M-M Pool: UC made a great investment. I’m an Emory alumnus, and we we’re all impressed with the dedication that UC swimmers put in training in those 20y pools.
Balding Eagle – yup UofC. Now I’m going to have to change my screen name. When I arrived on campus I was told that the 50m pool was in the planning stages and would be built before I graduated. Well, it was built long after I graduated.
I took my family to the school for a reunion and we were all impressed with the facility.
Yes, we were a dedicated bunch. Not fast but we kept up with the faster smaller schools in what was then our conference. We rode old school busses to the meets, busses that wouldn’t pass muster today for travel to high school meets.
Yes, Chicago is in very very very good and… Read more »
he’s truly the swimmer of the people. what a legend
I’ll admit every time I see a retirement like this I wish the sport of swimming had a way to more viably support keeping guys in water longer. If he was a baseball or football player, an athlete of his caliber could still be pulling in 6-7 figures as part of a larger team. But the reality is swimming “professionally” is really only viable for a very few ultra-elite, otherwise you swim for the love of it and the passion for getting faster.
Enjoy your retirement Andrew, and thanks for the inspiration.
Going to Oxford for grad school sounds like an excellent next step for whatever his profession will turn out to be.
Certainly, and a lot of college swimmers get great educational opportunities for their “post swim” careers.