2016 Latvian Olympian Alona Ribakova has announced her retirement from competitive swimming. She was one of two swimmers, and the only woman, to represent her country at the Rio Olympic Games, where she competed in the 200 breaststroke and finished 27th out of 29 starters in 2:30.82.
She retires as one of the best female swimmers in her country’s history, holding National Records in the 100 (1:09.91) and 200 (2:30.82) breaststroke in long course; plus the 100 (1:07.80) and 200 (2:26.43) breaststrokes in short course. She’s also the National SCM Record holder in the 200 IM (2:15.40) and as part of 3 Latvian relays.
Her last meet was the 20217 Latvian Winter Championships, where she won bronze in the 50 free and finished 6th in the 100. That meet is her only one since the Olympic Games.
Below, see a 16-minute interview (with English subtitles) from LatSwim Shop, a Latvian swimming store, where Ribakova reflects on the ups-and-downs of her career. It is a poignant missive on the journey that all swimmers go through during competition and in the immediate thereafter.