Svetlana Romashina, the Most-Decorated Artistic Swimmer Ever, Retires at 33

Svetlana Romashina, the world’s top artistic (synchronized) swimmer, has announced her retirement at age 33.

Romashina has seven Olympic gold medals, which is more than any other artistic swimmer in history. She is a perfect seven-for-seven in Olympic entries, with four Olympic titles in the team event and three in the duet competition: two with Nataliya Ishchenko and one with Svetlana Kolesnichenko.

Romashina also has 21 World Championship gold medals, 13 European Championship gold medals, and 2 European Championship gold medals. In total, she owns 43 major international gold medals – and none of any other color. Her 21 World Championship gold medals is also a record for artistic swimming, and second among all sports at the World Aquatics Championships behind only Michael Phelps’ 26.

Romashina is the most-awarded artistic swimmer in history, but also holds several superlatives in the broader Olympic atmosphere. She is the only woman to go undefeated in her Olympic career with seven or more event entries. Ray Ewry, an American standing long jumper and standing triple jumper, went 8-for-8 between 1900 and 1908, the only athlete with a better record.

Romashina competed in her first World Championships at 15-years-old in 2005, winning gold in the team and duet events.

Her last major competition was the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she won a fourth-straight gold medal in the team event and a third-straight gold medal in the duet event.

Romashina took almost two years away from competition after the birth of her daughter Alexandra in November 2017, but returned to win three gold medals at the 2019 World Championships and two gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Romashina’s Olympic Gold Medals:

• 2008 – Team
• 2012 – Duet (with Svetlana Kolesnichenko)
• 2012 – Team
• 2016 – Duet (with Natalia Ishchenko)
• 2016 – Team
• 2020 – Duet (with Natalia Ishchenko)
• 2020 – Team

Gold Medal Videos: