Australian Olympic Champion Mack Horton Announces Surprise Retirement from Swimming

Australian Olympic champion Mack Horton, known for his stunning victory in the 400m freestyle at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has taken the sports world by surprise with an announcement of his retirement from swimming. Horton, now 28 years old, shared the news through a heartfelt message on his Instagram account.

In his announcement, Horton expressed his gratitude for all the experiences he had throughout his swimming career and thanked those who stood by him and supported him along the way. He emphasized that he wouldn’t change a single moment and conveyed his appreciation for swimming and his home country, Australia.

Rising through the ranks as a prodigal junior swimmer, Horton broke records previously held by Australian swimming legends Kieren Perkins and Grant Hackett. His most notable achievement came at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, where he famously touched out his rivals to claim the gold medal in the 400m freestyle event, continuing Australia’s remarkable legacy in the discipline.

In addition to his Olympic triumph, Horton secured a bronze medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the Tokyo Olympics. He also earned two silver medals in the 400m freestyle at world championships and a bronze medal in both the 800m and 1500m freestyle events. Horton’s contributions were not limited to individual competitions; he anchored Australia’s 4x200m relay team to victory at the 2019 world championships and accumulated four gold medals in the Commonwealth Games.

Horton gained international attention and headlines when he publicly criticized his Chinese rival, Sun Yang, whom he had referred to as a drug cheat. During the 2019 world championships, Horton made a stand by refusing to stand on the podium or shake hands with Sun, raising his voice against doping in the sport.

After the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Horton parted ways with his long-time coach Craig Jackson and made a move to the Gold Coast to train under legendary supercoach Michael Bohl, in his quest to rediscover his best form. However, the emergence of a new generation of middle distance swimmers, including Jack McLoughlin and Elijah Winnington, and the reigning world champion Sam Short, meant Horton faced formidable competition.

As the Tokyo Olympic trials approached, Horton finished third in the 400m freestyle, missing out on the chance to defend his gold medal in his favorite event. With only the top two swimmers qualifying in each individual event for the Paris Olympics, Horton’s chances were dwindling. Despite the disappointment of not witnessing his fairytale farewell from the sport, Aussie swimming fans will forever remember his contributions and Olympic triumphs.