“An all or nothing sport” - Olympian Zach Apple announces retirement from competitive swimming
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Zach Apple recently announced his retirement from competitive swimming via his Instagram handle on Saturday (February 11). The retirement came as a surprise to the community considering his success over the last few years.
Apple stated what pushed him towards making the tough decision, mentioning that he did not want to dedicate all his time to swimming:
"Swimming to me is an all-or-nothing sport and I found myself not wanting to give my all anymore and that’s why I’ve decided to step away. I love this sport and want to be around it for as long as it’ll have me."
In the post, Apple revealed how important the sport is for him. While he did mention that he does not want to "give his all" to the sport anymore, he has not lost love for swimming:
"Swimming has been a huge part of my life for a while now but the time has come to step away competitively. I am so thankful for everything that swimming has given me. From the relationships I’ve built to the places I’ve been able to visit to the experiences I’ve been able to have it’s all been a dream," added Zach Apple.
Apple is a successful swimmer in his own right. At the age of 20, Zach left the 2017 Budapest World Championships with a gold medal to his name. Two years later, he won two golds, one silver and one bronze medal at the World Championships in Gwangju.
His versatility as a swimmer is also something to be praised as he won three medals at the 2021 Short Course World Championships in Abu Dhabi. The same year, swimming for team USA, he won two golds at the Tokyo Olympics.
In his statement, Zach Apple made sure to thank everyone near and dear to him for the support they showed him throughout his career:
"I can’t say thank you to everyone who contributed here but I will shout out a few. My parents first and foremost are the reason I’m here. Their unconditional love and support throughout my whole career has been unrivaled and given me the confidence and comfort to chase my dreams.
"My coaches and teammates, of which there have been many of both, are what get you through the daily grind. Knowing that the people around you day to day want to make you better is inspiring and a crucial piece to the puzzle. Finally to my girlfriend. She’s been a rock through the ups and downs that I can lean on. I’m sure I’ve left out many thanks and I apologize."
Zach Apple's statement reflects the brutal reality of professional sports
Most professional sports require the athlete to dedicate all of their time and energy to perfecting the art. This can and has resulted in many athletes abstaining from social endeavors resulting in isolation. Research has shown that this isolation in athletes can potentially lead to mental health issues.
The mental health aspect of sports has long been ignored, with attention being drawn to it relatively recently. Many athletes, including Phelps, have begun advocating for better mental health access for athletes after experiencing the stress that come with being an elite athlete.