Joseph Schooling, who famously defeated his idol Michael Phelps in Rio to become Singapore's first and only Olympic champion, announced on Tuesday that he is retiring from competitive swimming.
Schooling made the announcement on social media eight years after he stunned the world by defeating American great Phelps for gold in the 100m butterfly.
Schooling failed to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Games, and after winning gold in the 50m butterfly and 100m butterfly at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, her career began to falter.
“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter. I am retiring from competitive swimming,” the 28-year-old said on Instagram.
“I am so grateful for all the experiences swimming has brought to my life.
“The wins were exhilarating and the losses were humiliating. Together, they built resilience within me that I will carry into the next chapter.”
In an interview with The Straits Times, Mr Schooling said he was satisfied with the current situation.
“My mistake was to become complacent in thinking that this situation would last forever because I was so far ahead,” he said.
“You add ego and pride, and then you say, 'I'm never going to close my mind.' That's the secret to complacency. That's one of the lessons I learned.”
His future was thrown into doubt when he withdrew from last year's Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games, saying he was “not at the level to perform his best.”
Schooling, who served two years in the military, became embroiled in controversy in 2022 after he admitted to smuggling cannabis overseas.
Singapore has some of the toughest drug laws in the world, and citizens can be jailed for up to 10 years if found taking illegal drugs outside the city-state.
Schooled pupils were given a warning and placed on a six-month supervised urine testing regime.
Additionally, soldiers are no longer entitled to time off for training or competitions while serving in the military.
“Although I am stepping away from competition, swimming will always be a part of who I am,” he said.
“It has given me a platform to inspire others to follow their dreams, no matter the hardships.”
Mr Schooling told The Straits Times that he now plans to work with two venture capital partners in “health and wellness, technology and sustainability” and play more golf.
MBA/DH
