Three-time Olympic Champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo has decided to call it a day on her swimming career. The 31-year-old announced the news via the Dutch Swimming Federation at the end of January 2022 saying:
“I’m retiring from professional swimming. I fulfilled my career as a professional athlete. Swimming will remain my passion, but no longer on a professional level. I have always been aware that there is more to life than professional sport and that it is part of a greater whole. Thanks to all the years of professional sport, I know that people are capable of much more than they think they are, partly by having the right mindset. I am convinced that these experiences will now help me with my next challenge of inspiring others.”
Kromowidjojo’s announcement quickly followed the December retirement of her Netherlands compatriot and fellow-Olympic Champion, Femke Heemskerk. Kromowidjojo steps away from the sport after spending 15 years at the top international events.
Abu Dhabi final stop for Kromowidjojo
Ranomi Kromowidjojo started her international senior career as a 15-year-old, bursting onto the scene with a silver medal at the 2006 European Championships. She was part of the Dutch women’s 4×100 freestyle relay at the Euro’s in Budapest, Hungary.
The retirement news means the final competitive action that Kromowidjojo had was in Abu Dhabi in December 2021 at the world short-course championships. There were six medals for Kromowidjojo in Abu Dhabi, including a 50m fly gold and a 4x50m mixed medley relay gold.
Triple Olympic Gold
The performances in Abu Dhabi brought the curtain down on a brilliant career during which the Dutch swimmer earned three Olympic Gold medals. The first was at Beijing 2008 before getting the 50m and 100m free golds from London 2012.
Kromowidjojo ended her career with three world titles as well, along with six European gold medals. The total medal tally from her international career was 89.
