Nicol retires from competitive swimming

By Lethbridge Herald on April 5, 2024.

Canada's Rachel Nicol swims to win the gold medal in the women's 100-meters breaststroke final at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

Rachel Nicol has announced her retirement after 26 years of competitive swimming,

“2024 was on the horizon (for) Paris with the Olympics and that was really what kind of made me take a hard look at swimming and if I wanted to go for another Olympic trials,” said Nicol.

“It’s a really stressful preparation time and getting ready for it is a huge commitment and so I was on the fence whether I wanted to do Olympic trials or not. In October 2023, I went to the Pan American Games and I qualified for that in the summer of 2023 and so I knew I was going to that. So I thought that may be a good place to stop because it’s on a high note, I’m on Team Canada … and if I don’t swim necessarily great, I’m on the team and I get to finish on good footing and so that was kind of my thoughts towards that.”

Nicol ended off her career with first place finishes in the 100 metre breaststroke and 4×100-metre medley relay at the 2023 Pan American Games

Other accomplishments include a third place finish in the 4 x100-metre medley relay at the Long course World Championships, a fifth place finish in the 4×100-medley relay and the 100-metre breaststroke in the 2016 Olympics, a second place finish in the 4×100-metre medley relay at the 2016 Short Course world championship, a second place finish in the 4×100 metre relay and got third in the 100-metre breaststroke at the 2015 Pan Am Games.

It was back in 2010 she earned first place finish in the 50- metre breaststroke and a couple of third place finishes in the 100-metre breaststroke and the4x100 freestyle relay at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.

Nicol consulted with lots of people for different opinions and insight before she made her decision.

“It was hard,” said Nicol, when asked about the decision.

“It took a very, very,very long time to decide.”

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