Sierra Schmidt Announces Plans To Retire, 400 Free At Nationals To Be Her “Last Dance”

2023 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

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American distance swimmer Sierra Schmidt has announced that she will retire from competitive swimming upon the conclusion of the 2023 U.S. National Championships. Schmidt will swim the 400 freestyle on Friday at Trials as her final race. She is entered as the 12th seed in the 400 free, holding an entry time of 4:12.75.

Hello everyone! With much consideration, I’ve decided that I will be retiring from the sport I have loved. I wanted to let everyone know my last race will be the 400 free on Friday! I hope you will all celebrate one last dance with me before my final bow! #dancingqueen pic.twitter.com/SEypkqpSHz

— Sierra Schmidt (@Sierra_Swims) June 29, 2023

Schmidt is also entered in the women’s 1500 free on Saturday, seeded 15th, but it sounds as though she’ll sit that one out.

Schmidt has been one of the top distance swimmers in the United States for several years and while she’s never competed at the Olympics or World Championships, she has represented the U.S. at various international events.

In 2014, she collected two gold medals in Maui at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships, winning the 800 and 1500 freestyle. The following year, she did double duty for the U.S. when she raced at both the 2015 Pan American Games and the 2015 World Junior Championships. She stood atop the 800 freestyle podium at both meets and picked up a pair of silver medals at World Juniors in the 400 and 1500 freestyle.

Among Schmidt’s other accomplishments include winning back-to-back bronz medals in the 400 freestyle at the 2017 and 2019 World University Games.

The 25-year-old also had a successful collegiate career at the University of Michigan, competing as a Wolverine from 2017 to 2021.

She qualified for the NCAA Championships in all four of her years in Ann Arbor (but only raced at three as the meet was canceled in 2020). As a senior, Schmidt placed third in the 1650 freestyle and fourth in the 500 at the NCAA Championships. She also won the Big Ten title that year in the 800 free relay and picked up runner-up honors in the 1650 free.

Last summer, Schmidt made the move to Tempe to train with the pro group at Arizona State.

While she is certainly known for her distance swimming abilities, Schmidt has also become known for her unique pre-race ritual. Before her races, Schmidt would dance while listening to music. SwimSwam reported on the entertaining routine as early as 2014 and she continued to dance her way into races for the rest of her career. In May 2022, Schmidt participated in the first season of NBC television series Dancing With Myself, which was canceled after that first season.