Ukrainian World Record Holder Andrii Govorov Announces Retirement

Andrii Govorov wanted to compete at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. But in his words, “life had other plans.”

Because of that, Govorov, the current world record holder in the men’s 50 fly (LCM), announced in an Instagram post that he was retiring from competitive swimming.

The 33-year-old Ukrainian ultimately decided to hang it up despite saying in the Instagram post that competing at the LA Games was “my dream.”

“This wasn’t just a decision,” he wrote in the post. “It was a journey, a sacrifice and a calling. Thank you to everyone who was part of it. This choice wasn’t easy. I spent a long time reflecting—putting everything I care about on the scale.”

Govorov also put together a neat video in the post, announcing his decision while also having photos of his life and swimming career flashing as he was talking.

“It wasn’t just a dream,” he said of his swimming career. “It was my path, my fire, my joy, my freedom, my hunger, my reason to wake up every single day. It was the way I learned discipline, the way I found confidence and the way I found myself.”

The only Olympics Govorov competed in was at the 2016 Rio Games, where he finished 5th in the 50 freestyle in a time of 21.74. He set back-to-back best times in the prelims (21.49) and semis (21.46) prior to the final.

In 2017, Govorov won bronze in the 50 fly at the World Championships and won the title in the same event at the World University Games. He also was a two-time medalist in the 50 fly at short course worlds.

Govorov had success at multiple big European meets, winning six total medals at the long course European championships and eight at the short course European championships.

He won the gold medal in the 50 butterfly at the European Aquatics Championships in both 2016 and 2018, and he broke the long-course world record in the 50 butterfly in 2018 during an event in Rome, Italy.

Govorov swam a time of 22.27, breaking a record held by Spain’s Rafael Munoz for nine years.

In 2021, Govorov captured a silver medal in the 50 fly at the European Championships.