Hungarian Katinka Hosszú, the world’s best all-around female swimmer for most of the 2010s, announced her retirement at age 35.
“For 30 years, the water has been my home, a sanctuary where I found solace and strength,” was posted on her social media. “From the moment I first stepped into the pool as a child, I knew I had discovered something magical. The cool embrace of the water was like coming home, a place where gravity ceased to exist, and every stroke brought me closer to my dreams. As I progressed in my swimming career I went from being a curious child to one of the most accomplished female swimmers ever.”
Hosszú swam at the Olympics in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2021.
In 2016, she won the 200m individual medley, 400m IM and 100m backstroke. She went into the 200m back trying to become the second woman to win four individual swim golds at one Olympics. She nearly pulled it off, getting clipped by American Maya DiRado by six hundredths of a second.
She swept the 200m and 400m IMs at the world championships in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019. Hosszú earned the nickname “Iron Lady” for her ability to swim — and win — in many events.
She won more than 90 total medals among the Olympics, world championships (long course and short course) and European championships (long course and short course).
She is the world record holder in the 200m IM and second-fastest in history in the 400m IM. Canadian Summer McIntosh broke Hosszú’s world record in 2023.
In August 2023, Hosszú announced the birth of daughter Kamília. She returned to competition in 2024 and did not compete at the Paris Games.
