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Joseph Schooling announces retirement from competitive swimming
Joseph Schooling, Singapore’s Olympic gold medalist, announces retirement from swimming. Grateful for the journey, he’s ready for new challenges, leaving a legacy of resilience and inspiration.
Singapore’s most celebrated athlete, Joseph Schooling, has officially announced his retirement from competitive swimming, eight years after his remarkable victory at the Rio Olympics.
The 28-year-old swimmer, known for his historic 100m butterfly gold medal win in 2016, declared the end of his swimming career through a heartfelt message on his Facebook page.
In his post, Schooling expressed his gratitude for the journey, acknowledging the highs and lows that have shaped him.
“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter — I will be retiring from competitive swimming,” Schooling wrote.
He thanked his family, coaches, teammates, and supporters, emphasizing the role they played in his journey. Despite stepping away from competition, he noted that swimming would always be a part of his identity and expressed his eagerness to explore new passions and challenges.
Schooling, Singapore’s only Olympic champion, reminisced about his victory against a formidable lineup, including the legendary Michael Phelps.
However, his career faced challenges, including a public admission in 2022 of cannabis consumption overseas, which he described as “embarrassing and humiliating.”
The swimmer also acknowledged a period of complacency following his Rio success, leading to a performance decline.
Despite these setbacks, Schooling’s impact on the sport and Singaporean pride remains unparalleled.
He credited his success to his parents, his coaches, and especially to Eddie Reese, his mentor at the University of Texas, for their unwavering support and belief in his potential.
Schooling’s legacy extends beyond the pool, inspiring a generation to pursue their dreams, regardless of the obstacles.
His story of overcoming personal and professional hurdles, including scoliosis, to achieve Olympic glory has been a source of motivation for many.
Speaking with the Straits Times, Schooling said he is going to play golf and work in the venture capital space with two partners in the sectors of “health and wellness, tech and sustainability”.
As Schooling embarks on a new journey, including ventures in golf and the venture capital space, he leaves behind a storied career that not only brought glory to Singapore but also showed the impact of resilience, dedication, and the pursuit of excellence.
Joseph Schooling should take pride in his accomplishments.
His Olympic Gold Model is the first for Singapore….and it might be last.
This is something he did alone.
I advise Mr Schooling to seek opportunities abroad after his NS. Go off to greener pastures and don’t look back.
NS could have contributed to his early retirement. Schooling is being polite.
I feel the State let him down. He should have remained in the US. He would have done better for himself. The PAP support those that rhyme with themselves. They destroy those that are different. Schooling is one of them and the other is SRY. However it is nice to see both these athletes pull themselves together and not allow their lives to be ruined. All the best to Schooling. He did us proud on the world stage. I am sure both athletes are going to make a big comeback on another stage.
He will be in GE..
Recall when Joseph returned with that Olympic gold medal how many of our million$ leeches wanted to handle that medal, be photographed with it, be somehow associated with Joe’s achievement {Ownself Insert Ownself in any outstanding accomplishment), etc. That’s the culture our million$ leaders have nurtured at the top-level, just reaping where they had not sown given half a chance. So, who are the real Free Riders, Mr Kayu Son? Oh yeah, MUST be the voters, common Singaporeans, his siblings, Oppies, “foreign agents”, . . . . anyone but the pappies, hor. Err, but who is being charged in a… Read more »
All the best joe…Good Luck!
Wise decision..
This country doesnt value its own home grown talents.
Thank you for your hardwork while you were at it👏👏
If nothing else, … Schooling has given SillyPore bragging rights, for the next century at least !!!
For that alone, … the island state would be eternally grateful !!!
Past time (for retiring from competitive swimming). The writing had been on the wall for a long time. If he is just playing golf recreationally, then I think he is still being complacent. Golf has quite a lucrative professional calendar and he should set a goal for himself in the game/sport just as he had set one for his swimming career.
Nevertheless, all the best! Don’t waste too much money on that “venture capital space” though. At least not initially while he is still learning.
Expected, just a flash in the pan. But at least Joseph did produce a flash for SG in Olympic history – for that SG should thank him. Compare with our million$ monkeys – just producing flashes of incompetency, stupidity and mistakes over and over again.