South African breaststroke star Cameron van der Burgh plans on hanging up his suit after the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Joining Azania Mosaka on the Friday Profile Show at 702, a South African based radio station, the 30-year-old revealed his thoughts on the future.
“Being 32 at the next Olympic Games I think I would like to call it a day. I have had a very wonderful career.”
The three-time Olympian has had a storied career, winning Olympic gold at the 2012 Games in London in the 100 breaststroke, and adding a silver two years ago in Rio. He’s also amassed ten LC World Championship medals (including two 50 breast golds), six SC World Championship medals (2 gold) and nine Commonwealth Games medals (four gold, including three consecutive in the 50 breast). He currently holds the SC world records in both the 50 and the 100, and previously held both LC marks.
van der Burgh discussed how he wants to go out on his own terms, along with some of his plans for the future.
“I have had a rather fortuitous career. I think that I would rather end on my own terms and end up as best as I can. I have a lot of other dreams and other aspirations in my life. I owe so much to swimming but I don’t want that to be what defines the rest of my life.
“I have got my own business down in Cape Town. I am proactively doing a lot of things and I am just a big advocate for swimmers to always prepare for life after sport.”
Most recently, van der Burgh won three medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, upsetting Adam Peaty for gold in the 50 breast, and claiming bronze in both the 100 and the 400 medley relay.
Glad Peaty is around to put these cheating breaststrokers in their place. Too many of them nowadays and I feel officials/rules etc. really need to step up in order to protect the integrity of this stroke.
Yawn… you ain’t Kobe!
Great career so far. I’d consider him a favorite to win a medal, possibly getting a bronze to complete a trio of gold, silver, and bronze.
Just no cheating in Tokyo 2020 with extra underwater kicks like at London 2012, Cameron.
Idk why there are dislikes… Cody Miller does them also
Cody miller does them throughout his stroke too, not just off walls
Yep.
It’s actually only one foot (strange, but true). Check out the slow motion loop of the Rio finals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T73CQXlbijw.
Every single stroke.
It’s both obnoxious and embarrassing.
I’ll give him credit for being man enough to publicly admit it. And it wasn’t on Oprah like Lance Armstrong.