Canadian swimmer and the reigning Olympic 100-metre butterfly champion, Maggie Mac Neil is set to retire after Paris 2024.
Canadian swimmer Maggie Mac Neil has been training hard early this year, focused on what the reigning Olympic 100-metre butterfly champion says will be her final Games this summer in Paris.
Before COVID-19 hit in early 2020, Mac Neil had planned to leave competitive swimming after the Tokyo Olympics — which was rescheduled to 2021 — but felt she missed out on swimming opportunities during the global pandemic and opted to extend her career.
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“I haven’t decided on a firm end date, but I know I’m not going another quad [four-year Olympic cycle]. I’ve never wanted to [compete] to 2028. I want to go to law school in the next couple of years,” Mac Neil revealed in a one-on-one interview last week at CBC Sports headquarters in Toronto. “I’ve accomplished more than I ever wanted in swimming and by doing that, I would be happy if I retired now.”
Mac Neil, who turned 24 on Monday, admitted to having mixed feelings while pondering her swimming future, but the pain the London, Ont., native endures with every competition and training session was a sign.
“I think most athletes do [have mixed feelings]. It’s something you’ve spent your life doing, it’s part of your identity,” said the former Louisiana State University athlete, who continues to live and train in Baton Rouge while completing her master of science in sports management. “I’m lucky my parents always had me focused on school first and swimming second. I’ve always had education to fall back on.”
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Mac Neil nailed the 100m butterfly event, winning Canada’s first swimming gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021 when the world was battling the coronavirus. This time around, the young swimmer is looking forward to a more normal Olympic experience.
She said restrictions due to the pandemic had forced her to swim in a backyard pool while preparing for the Tokyo Games. Mac Neil will be racing at the Canadian Swimming Open scheduled to take place from April 10-13, 2024.
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