British sprinter Adam Brown has announced his retirement from competitive swimming after this week’s USA Swimming Winter National Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina.
He will complete his degree at Auburn in May and says that he will look into beginning to coach immediately after that.
Brown has been a fixture of Britain’s sprint relays since making his Olympic debut in 2008. His biggest international successes have come at the Commonwealth Games, where he has four career relay medals, including gold in the 400 medley in 2014.
Individually, he just missed his breakthrough several times in the last few years, including a 9th-place finish in the 100 free semi-finals at the 2013 World Championships – missing the final by one spot.
Brown is the current British Record holder in the men’s 100 short course meter freestyle (46.75 – 2009) and led off the National Record holding 400 free relay in long course as well (49.01 en route to 3:11.62).
Collegiately, as a senior at Auburn, he developed a reputation as one of the fastest sprinters in the NCAA. He was 2nd at the 2011 NCAA Championships in the 50 free (18.72 – yards), and 3rd in the 100 free (41.84 – yards). That swim in the 50 yard free makes him the 5th-fastest performer of all-time in a yards course.
In 2014, he ranked as Britain’s second-fastest long course 50 (22.27) and 100 freestyler (49.35) behind Ben Proud. This will damage Britain’s 400 free relays going forward into Worlds next year and the Olympics in 2016, but as Proud, five years younger than Brown, continues to develop, the country’s medal-worthy medley relay should still be strong.
Brown, who turns 26 in January, married his wife Mary in October of 2012.
Brown’s full letter of retirement is below:
I’m pleased to announce that I will be retiring from competitive swimming after US Winter Nationals this weekend. Although this decision was extremely tough to make, I feel like it is the right time for me to hang up the speedo [sic] and goggles. It has been an absolutely amazing journey and one that I will forever be proud of.
A massive thank you goes to my parents for all their sacrifice, dedication, love and support over the many years. I definitely couldn’t of done what I have without you both! I want to thank all the coaches I’ve had the privilege of working with throughout the years, you will always have a special place in my heart. A big thank you to my club teams over the years and especially to New York Athletic Club for supporting me this last year and a half. A special thank you goes to Ron Bousted- a great man and dear friend who has always supported me no matter what. Lastly I want to thank my wife, Mary for sacrificing so much and at the same time giving me her love and support throughout the last 5 years. You have been my rock and I certainly couldn’t have done it without you by my side.
Throughout my swimming career I have learned so much in and outside the pool that has helped me become the man I am today. I have gained so many friends through swimming and made some awesome memories along the way that I’ll never forget. I am super excited for the next chapter of my life as well as getting to spend more time with my family. Once again I thank my friends and family for their continued support.
A great lad – England and Great Britain will very much miss him. Good luck Adam
wasn’t he just in the fastest man in texas meet? if so man wish I could have made that to see him swim once more.
Yeah this came a few years earlier than I expected, especially for a sprinter, and will hurt the UK relays, but hey you know, when you’re done, you’re done!! Good luck to Adam!
When your country loses faith in you. You lose faith in your country. You can thank British Swimming that he is done