Former European swimming champion Jacob Heidtmann has ended his career.
“After 20 years in swimming, 11 years in the national team and countless beautiful and instructive experiences, the time has come for me to hang up my swimming goggles,” wrote the 27-year-old on social networks.
After seventh place in the 4x200m freestyle relay at his second Olympic Games in Tokyo, he “didn’t feel that fire anymore.” Even after a long hiatus, it did not return.
“Quit when fun is no longer my biggest motivation”
“Although my passion for this sport hasn’t died down, my guiding principle has always been to stop when fun is no longer my greatest motivation,” wrote Heidtmann, who last trained and lived in San Diego.
His greatest success was the European Championship triumph in Glasgow in 2018 in the 4×200 m relay, with which he also reached the Olympic finals in 2016 and 2021. In fifth place at the 2015 World Championships, Heidtmann set the still valid German record over 400 m individual medley (4:12.08 minutes). He beat that in the Olympic heats in Rio, but was disqualified for a second dolphin kick in the chest turn.
“It will be with me for the rest of my life,” Heidtmann wrote: “In any case, I learned in sport how to deal with setbacks. That’s good, later in life you don’t always get what you want.”