Olympian champion Dana Vollmer, a player on the international swimming stage for 15 years, will retire after competing at this week’s 2019 Phillips 66 National Championships, NBC reported Monday morning.
“Over the years, sport and life fully merged, and the dance between sport experience and life experience enriched me in ways that I appreciate daily,” Vollmer wrote in a letter. “But days only have so many hours, and other parts of my life are asking for my time and attention. This week I am leaving elite level swimming. The 2019 National Championships will be my last swimming competition.”
Vollmer, 31, qualified for her first Olympic Trials in 2000 and at 12 years old was the youngest athlete to compete there. At 16, she swum at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and finished sixth in the 200 freestyle; she was on the United States’ gold medal 4×200 free relay.
She missed the 2008 Olympic team but rebounded in a big way in 2012, winning 100 fly gold and setting a world record in London; she became the first woman to break :56 and still holds the American record at 55.98. Vollmer was again on the U.S.’s winning 4×200 free relay as well as the 4×100 medley relay team that year. In 2015, she took time off to have her first child, then came back to make the 2016 team. She took bronze in the 100 fly in Rio as well as gold on the 4×100 medley relay and silver on the 4×100 free relay.
Vollmer expressed that she planned to train for 2020, and had her second child in July 2017 – she famously raced in April of that year while 26 weeks pregnant. She returned to competing in November 2018, but hasn’t hit the times it would take to set her up to make the 2020 Games; her 100 fly season best is 59.27, from the Pro Swim Series stop in Knoxville in January. She raced multiple stops of the inaugural FINA Champions Series this spring, and her 100 fly best from that tour was 1:00.78. She announced she injured her shoulder during her race at the Budapest stop in May and has not competed since.
The Cal alum has continued to train under Teri McKeever since graduating in 2009. Vollmer was the Golden Bears’ most valuable swimmer for three consecutive years, the Pac-10 Swimmer of the Year in 2009, and the 2008–09 recipient of the Honda Sports Award for Swimming and Diving. She earned 20 All-American honors in college, won individual NCAA titles in the 100 fly in 2007, and 100 and 200 frees in 2009, and led the Bears to their first NCAA team championship in 2009.
Vollmer is only entered in the 100 fly Friday in Palo Alto this week. She will retire with 10 long course and six short course World Championships medals in addition to her seven Olympic medals.
Dana and Katie Meili retiring are two irreplacable ladies
I’ve really enjoyed following career. Her 2012 and 2016 comeback was inspirational. Maybe she will eventually swim masters? Wishing her and her family the best.
Thanks for the memories, Dana! Enjoy them, and all that you’ll make with your family and whatever you decide to conquer next!
I hope she tries for a girl. A little Dana.
You have never had a daughter lmao ( especially a 15 year old ) . They do evetything to not be related & live in hope their real parent will come & rescue them from the horrble lady claiming to be their mother .
Congratulations young lady. As a female and the mom of a swimmer, you make us all proud. Your words are heartfelt and they matter. May you continue to make wise choices making a difference in our world.
Congrats on a wonderful career. Wish you the best and maybe your boys will be great swimmers like you are:)
Her two children destroyed her career! Unforgivable!
I know right. Kids these days.
Congratulations Dana, and thanks for all that you did for the sport and USA Swimming!