Andrew Seliskar Announces Retirement After Competing in Tokyo Olympics
Longtime U.S. national team standout Andrew Seliskar has announced that he is retiring from competitive swimming. Seliskar first emerged during his years with the Nation’s Capital Swim Club, and he was named Swimming World’s Male High School Swimmer of the Year in 2015. He was an impact performer for the California Golden Bears from 2015 through 2019 before qualifying for the U.S. Olympic team in 2021.
In an Instagram post Tuesday afternoon, Seliskar wrote, “Swimming has given me so much. I’m honored to have represented Team USA, and fortunate to have been surrounded by so many incredible people during my time competing in the sport. I was lucky to be in the right place, at the right time; To be a part of teams across the country who pushed me everyday in the water. The coaches and teammates I’ve had have influenced my life well beyond the pool, and I will always thankful for that.”
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Seliskar, a native of MacLean, Va., won three individual titles at the 2019 NCAA Championships while leading Cal to a national title. He arrived at his final NCAAs as one of the best swimmers to never win a national title, but he stormed to wins in the 200 IM, 200 free and 200 breast. Seliskar became the second-fastest swimmer ever in the 200-yard IM at that meet, his time of 1:38.14 just one hundredth off Caeleb Dressel’s American record, and at the time of his retirement, he ranks fourth all-time in the 200 breast (1:48.70) and fifth in history in the 200 free (1:30.14).
Seliskar was best known for his abilities in the IM events throughout most of his career, but in 2018, he emerged as a national contender in the 200 freestyle, and he earned a surprising win in the event at U.S. Nationals. He followed that up with a silver medal in the 200 free at the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships and a gold medal in the 800 free relay, and a year later, he helped the Americans earn bronze in the 800 free relay at the World Championships.
In 2021, Seliskar finished fourth in the 200 freestyle at the U.S. Olympic Trials last year to earn an Olympic ticket, and he competed in the prelims of the 800 free relay in Tokyo. Seliskar was not part of the finals roster, which ended up finishing fourth.
Seliskar should’ve been on the 4×200 free relay in Tokyo, instead of Apple. Whatever coach or coaches made the decision to put Apple on the relay should be banned from coaching any US team in the future.