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Two-Time Olympic Open-Water Champion Sharon van Rouwendaal Retires at 31

The 31-year-old says years of injuries plus seven-hour training days took too great a toll.

Overview

  • Van Rouwendaal announced her retirement on Friday during the Dutch TV program RTL Tonight.
  • She described persistent injuries and long stretches away from loved ones, noting she left home at 13 and now lives on the same street as her family.
  • The Dutch swimmer captured Olympic 10,000m gold in Rio 2016 and Paris 2024 after taking silver in Tokyo 2021.
  • Her career haul includes three world titles, eight European crowns, six Dutch records and a world-record 4x200m freestyle relay.
  • Since 2020 she has trained in Magdeburg under German national coach Bernd Berkhahn, who also coaches Olympic and world champion Florian Wellbrock.