American Olympian Patrick Callan Announces Retirement
American Olympian Patrick Callan has announced his retirement from swimming at the age of 23.
Callan made the announcement on Instagram on Tuesday as a decision to, “prioritize my health and my future.”
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Callan wrote, in part:
Thank you to everyone who supported me and believed in me throughout this journey. I couldn’t have done it without you. Against All Odds
The mid-distance swimmer has had an unusual journey through the world of swimming. He won a silver medal at the World Junior Championships in Indianapolis in 2017 and was a regular national teamer through his undergraduate career at the University of Michigan. Still, he surprised many by grabbing a spot in the 800 freestyle relay at Olympic Trials in 2021, finishing in sixth place in Omaha.
Callan swam in prelims for the U.S. – his split of 1:47.12 was the slowest of the four – as the Americans qualified fifth and then fell six then shy of the podium in the final in fourth place.
Callan tended to excel in the longer pool. He was a valuable cog for Michigan, as a three-time All-American and five-time honorable mention All-American. He was part of teams that won the Big Ten title in the 800 free relay in 2020 and 2021. The business administration major also twice won the UM Athletic Academic Achievement Award.
After struggling in his senior season in Ann Arbor – he finished sixth in the 200 free and 500 free at Big Tens – he took a fifth year at the University of California. His farewell announcement thanked both programs, including Cal coach Dave Durden personally.
Callan finished 14th in the 200 free and 13th in the 400 free at International Team Trials in the summer of 2022, though he swam well in the FINA World Cup stops, including a best time in the 400 free. He helped Cal win a bronze medal and a team NCAA title at the 2023 NCAA Championships.