2024 NCAA qualifier Aris Runnels has announced she will be retiring from the sport after spending three years with Florida.
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“do what makes you happy!” Runnels said in her Instagram post.
“swimming has done so much more for me than i could have ever imagined, it brought me some of my closest friends and some of the best experiences in my life, and for that i am eternally grateful. however, i have never had a love for the sport, and realized that i have been doing it for what is has brought me rather than my pure enjoyment of it. i have nothing but love for @gatorsswimdv and this team is the reason why i have stuck with the sport so long despite my heart not being in it. despite this, I can wholeheartedly say I would not change a single thing.”
Runnels continued on to tell SwimSwam said she “felt that it was the right time for me to let go of swimming.
“Although I loved my teammates and coaches, as they were the ones that helped me to achieve everything that I could’ve ever wanted in the sport, I knew that I would be happiest stepping away now as this is what was best for me.”
Runnels arrived at Florida in fall 2021. She finished her freshman season at the Bulldog Invite after not swimming at SECs. She finished with a 54.25 in the 100 back and a 54.91 in the 100 fly.
She had a huge sophomore year, earning a spot on the SEC roster where she scored 57 individual points, the 6th most for the Florida women. She finished 6th in the 100 back (51.97), 9th in the 100 fly (52.10), and 14th in the 200 IM (1:57.39). She also helped the Florida relays, swimming the backstroke leg on both medley relays.
Her times from SECs earned her an invite at NCAAs. She went on to score at NCAAs in the 100 back finishing 13th in a 51.76. She also swam in prelims of the 200 back with a 38th place finish. She also helped the Florida women’s 400 medley relay to a 7th place finish.
Continuing her momentum into this past season, Runnels once again made the SEC ‘A’ final of the 100 back as she was 5th in a 51.71. She also finished 10th in the 200 IM and 11th in the 100 fly to score 58 individual points.
Once again making NCAAs, Runnels finished 21st in the 100 back, 27th in the 200 back, and 41st in the 200 IM. She also swam the lead off leg for the 200 medley relay that finished 3rd.
Runnels was the 3rd fastest 100 backstroker on the roster this past season as Bella Sims and Isabel Ivey were the only swimmers faster. Sims did not swim the event at 2024 NCAAs and Ivey just finished up her fifth year so the team will be in search of a new backstroker.
Good for her!! I know it is so hard for the athletes to quit when they are not happy. They feel like they are quitters, but they’re not. It’s what she said “her heart wasn’t in it”. If you’re not happy then quit. You have to be happy with what you do in life and continuing the brutal training that they endure isn’t worth being unhappy.
Amazing swimmer, nothing to prove to anyone. Not to pry, but genuinely like to hear her reasoning for stepping away. But it’s a personal topic for everyone.
Wishing her all the best.