Two-time world champion sprinter James Magnussen is officially retiring after an international career that spanned a decade and saw him rack up major medals in the double-digits, Swimming Australia announced in a press release Tuesday.
“I have taken the time to make the best decision for myself moving forward and to do that I wanted to make sure I was in the best space mentally and physically before announcing my retirement,” Magnussen said. “At 28 years of age I feel I could have swum at another Olympic Games, but with the lofty standards I have held myself to over the years and the high expectations I have, I believe now is the right time to step away from the sport.”
Magnussen won back-to-back world championships in the 100 free in 2011 and 2013, becoming the first Australian man to win a world title in that event.
In that time, he also took silver in the 100 at the 2012 London Olympics, just .01 behind gold medalist Nathan Adrian. Following multiple Commonwealth Games gold medals in Glasgow in 2014, he had shoulder surgery in 2015.
He bounced back with a bronze medal on Australia’s 4×100 freestyle relay in Rio in 2016.
“He should be very proud of what he has achieved – very few people in the world have reached these heights in competitive sport,” Swimming Australia president John Bertrand said.
Magnussen ended 2017 as the fourth-fastest Australian in the 100m free (48.68), while also ranked as the third-fastest Aussie 50m freestyler (21.98). With minimal racing in 2018, he closed the calendar year as the fifth-fastest 100m freestyler (48.79) in Australia and the third-fastest 50m freestyler in 22.05.
As of July 2018, Magnussen was “50-50” on retiring before the Tokyo Games.
“Through swimming I have made lifelong friends and created memories that I will treasure forever. The people that I have worked with on a daily basis have been my source of motivation and inspiration,” the six-foot-six Magnussen, also known as “The Missile,” added. “To my strength coaches, sport scientist, biomechanist, mind coach, dietician, manager, masseuse and physiotherapist, I have always been humbled by the time and effort you have invested in my career. You guys kept me smiling every day and hopefully I reciprocated that!”
“To my coaches Mitch and Lach Falvey, Brant Best and Michael Mullens, you have shaped not only the swimmer I am but the man I am. Each of you have been a mentor to me and helped me navigate through the highest highs and lowest lows. I am forever grateful to have had you in my life and I know I wouldn’t have been able to achieve what I did without your input.”
This was expected, he has been hinting at retirement for a while. There was a time when he would pop 47s at will. This was in 2011-2013, when, after the “supersuit” era, many were readjusting and 47s were seldom seen outside of big meets, and only swam by a few swimmers. To this day I believe he is still one of the swimmers with most 47s to his name in textile. I can understand how frustrating must be not ever getting back to that level.
I was expecting him to retire soon or later …..good , brave decision . Too bad we have not seen him more recently with exciting times & racing with the best . Good luck James for your new life adventures & professional passions .
Great swimmer & great character, got lost at 2012 Olympics with a bit of cockiness, but as others has mentioned fought back & got lots of respect back.
James was so close to winning the Olympic gold in 2012. If you watch the race, he was leading with 10 meters to go, and then Adrian really hit the finish to out-touch him.
He said in the Sydney Herald that he got overconfident going into the London 2012 because he had not lost a race in two years. He was only 20 then, which in understandable.
His 47.10 is one of the fastest swims ever. That swim, his Olympic silver, and his 2 World Champs golds put him in the sprinting HOF.
I’m that race, Adrian shifted it to another gear with 10 yards to go by going no breath with a more straight arm recovery. The moment before that it looked like Magnuson was going to pull away down the stretch.
Stud. Good Luck James in the future.
I think Maggie was really hard done by, by the press after London. As a few people have already said, his 47.56 in London was a really, really good swim. It was just that Adrian absolutely swam out of his skin to get the gold. A silver medal at the Olympics after a 47.10 trials was far better than McEvoy’s 47.04 trials and then bomb Olympics.
Yes, and Magnussen is a back to back world champ in the 100 free, which is especially impressive considering he rebounded from his disappointment in london to gold in barcelona. Mcevoy’s only individual gold internationally was the 100 free at the 2014 pan pacs, so it’s no question that magnussen had the better career.
Well compared to what the tennis brats get up to (ie Kyrgios and Tomic) swimmers are angels in comparison ..
Maggie just got beat by another great sprinter swimming the race of his life. Put up a great time. Mcevoy straight up bombed.
Very hard to disagree here.
Tied for prettiest eyes in swimming with Mireia Belmonte.
Met him at a big party once, and he stayed and chatted for ages…very nice guy. You are right about the eyes…
What happened to his eyes ??
Sad to see him retire just before Tokyo 2020.. he could have maybe helped the relay team out .. now we need to find a fast 3rd and 4th swimmer assuming chalmers and Cartwright remain in the right trajectory moving forward .. Magnussen of late was swimming pretty much what McEvoy and Roberts are managing to swim these days
Chalmers should be fine moving forward. last year, he didn’t break 48 on a flat start but still managed to go 46.91 on a relay. Especially now with his 47.89 and 47.48. Cartwright is taking a gamble. he had a scare with his heart condition in the 200 free at comm games trials, (what Chalmers had in late 2016) but he is leaving it untreated until post tokyo in hopes of keeping his Olympic preparation on track. 50/50 on whether or not he improves his times. Roberts went sub 48 twice on a relay last year, so he just needs to continue what he’s doing now. Mcevoy was in the shape of his life in 2015/16, and he was consistently… Read more »
My thoughts pretty much .. more younger guys need to push like Brinkworth but he hasn’t broken 49secs yet so don’t want to put too much expectations on his shoulders but he is at the right age for a career breakthrough
I guess we still have to see if Australia even qualifies for Tokyo as a relay team in the men’s 4×100 free
While I agree that Australia doesn’t have the depth to threaten for the men’s 4×100, not sure the national program is that broken, when Australia in the men’s 100 free has the 2 fastest swims in textile & the current Olympic champion, preformed by 3 different swimmers. The 4 X 200 men’s looks a lot stronger & potential medalist. the women’s 4×100 are past 2 Olympic champs & at present favourites for a 3rd. The women’s 4×200 would also be equal favourites with the US for Worlds & Olympics.
So not sure it’s broken.
Robbos obviously if we can’t win the 4x100m, we can’t do anything. We should just pack it in and go home, we’re all useless.
Ridiculous. One bad event doesn’t a broken program make
Yes, we are particularly strong in the freestyle in both men’s & women’s. We don’t match the US is swimming depth, but who does!!!!!
We just need 360 million population
I think GYMSWIM was being sarcastic.
I don’t know if you can say a country with 3 guys with PB’s sub 48 has virtually no chance of medaling on the 4 x 100 free relay. I’m not saying they are going to medal, but the certainly have a chance. A lot of things can happen before the OG in 2020.
Question is.. when that PB was? 2 years ago? More? Trials is here.. then we will know if AUS will have the firepower or will watch USA BRA and RUS fight on the 4×100
It’s firstly the lack of depth outside these 3, hoping 1 or 2 others can stand up & while Chalmers, who I expect to stamp his favouritism next week for Worlds & Olympics with a very fast time, & secondly, Carthwright, not swam for a 6 months & McEvoy, has shown nothing in the last couple of years that we Aussies are concerned about.