After 16 years of competing, Louis Croenen of Belgium has announced his retirement from swimming at the age of 28. The butterfly ace says it feels like the right time to start a new chapter in his life.
Croenen competed at both the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games, most recently placing 28th in the 100m fly and 16th in the 200m fly in Tokyo. On the European Championships front, Croenen claimed 4x200m frestyle relay bronze in 2014 and silver in 2016 long course, while also snagging 200m free relay bronze at the 2011 European Short Course Championships.
He owns the Belgian national records across the 100m and 200m fly in long course in 52.00 and 1:55.39, respectively, while also representing the fastest Belgian 200m flyer ever in short course with a national standard of 1:52.84.
On his decision to retire, Croenen said via social media, “After 16 years in which swimming was the absolute focus of my life, I have decided to leave the top sport life behind me.
“I have many fond memories of swimming: the feeling of working hard together, peaking at major championships and achieving goals is indescribable and I will certainly miss that in the future. These remain experiences for life. Still, it feels like the right time to start a new chapter in my life.
“I am extremely grateful for all the fun, enthusiastic and driven people who crossed my path and the unique experiences that swimming gave me. I would therefore like to thank the people who have made a major contribution to my top sport career, and there are quite a few!”
Dude was a beast in his early teens. I think he went 2.04 in the 200 fly LCM at 13 or 14
Congrats on an amazing career