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3x Olympic Gold medalist Lilly King penned an emotional message and announced her decision to retire from swimming. The American swimmer shared that 2025 would be the final season that she would be competing professionally.
Lilly King expressed her gratitude for being able to compete and represent the USA multiple times on the global level and shared that she was fortunate enough to have accomplished everything that she wanted to in the sport. The 28-year-old revealed that she is satisfied with her pursuits as a professional swimmer and looked forward to competing in her final season as a professional athlete.
Moreover, King shared that she always wanted her last meet to be in the US and expressed how she had been competing at the IU Natatorium for almost two decades and was excited to compete in front of a home crowd one last time at the Toyota National Championships this week.
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"Well, folks, my time has come. This will be my final season competing. I’m fortunate heading into retirement, being able to say I have accomplished everything I have ever wanted in this sport. I feel fulfilled," she wrote.
"That being said, it has always been important to me that my last meet in the US be at the pool that started it all. I have been racing in the IU Natatorium since I was 10 years old. From state meets, to NCAAs, Nationals, and anything in between, this pool has been my home," she added.
Lilly King opens up about her mindset before competing
Lilly King opened up about her mindset before competing during an interview with NBC. The American athlete shared that she likes to visualize the race during preparations and be mentally prepared as if she is in control of the race.
This helps her to feel confident as well as put forward her best performance in the pool despite the pressure surrounding major events.
“I like to know that I’m in control of the heat. I like to know that people are scared to race me, and knowing that your competitors are feeling all those different emotions before potentially the biggest race of their life makes you feel pretty good about yourself. So definitely, at least for me, makes me feel very sure of what I’m doing. So I think it just gives me confidence and helps me race faster,” she said.
King called it a mindset of winning even before the race starts. The 3-time Olympic gold medalist will be in action at the National Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana, from June 3, 2025.
