Three-time Canadian Olympian Ryan Cochrane has officially announced his retirement according to the CBC.
In a “Player’s Own Piece” to CBC Sports, Cochrane explained,
Since the Games in Rio, I’ve been asked time and time again what my plan for the future holds. I have been flipping back and forth with gut-reaction emotions, moments of rational perspective, and oh-so-many moments of absolute uncertainty. Today though, I’m announcing my retirement from competitive swimming, starting a new chapter in my life and looking to find something that will provide me with new purpose and goals to chase.
Cochrane made it common-knowledge that the Rio Olympics would be his last Olympic Games. There the 28-year-old would finish sixth in the 1500-meter free, but failed to make the 400 free final.
Byron MacDonald, head coach at the University of Toronto and CBC Sports swimming analyst, added, “He was a dominant, dominant player on the world scene for virtually a decade. That speaks volumes of an elite performer.”
Cochrane first exploded onto the international scene in 2006, before stunning the world at the 2008 Beijing Games at 19. It was there that he won a bronze medal in the 1500-meter free, Canada’s first Olympic medal in the 1500 in 88 years.
He went on to become Canada’s most consistent performer on the international scene, being named Swimming Canada’s “Swimmer of the Year” each year from 2008 to 2015.
Additionaly, Cochrane holds six World Championships medals to his name, along with his bronze and silver medals from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.
Read more from the CBC here.
Ryan was a three-time Olympian for Canada, not two-time as mentioned at the start of the article.