Former US National Champion Claire Adams Announces Retirement

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Former Texas swimmer Claire Adams announced her retirement from competitive swimming, as reported by The Indy Star. Adams had just finished her senior year at the University of Texas where she was unable to finish her collegiate career at the NCAAs due to the coronavirus pandemic cancelling the championships. With the Olympic Trials being moved to 2021, Adams decided to hang up the racing goggles and start her career out of the pool as a student teacher.

“I think a lot of us get caught up in the, ‘Oh, I didn’t win at nationals. Or I never swam in an Olympic Trials final.’ That was something that was on my radar,” she told The Indy Star. “I did some cool stuff I should be proud of. I have a lot to work through and think about and reflect on from my 12 years.”

Claire Adams. Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Claire Adams had been performing her best in her senior season with the Longhorns, where she swam a career best time in the 100 backstroke at the Big 12 Championships of 50.51, which put her third on the psych sheet for the NCAA Championships. She was also set to swim the 100 freestyle, where she was seeded 18th (48.03), as well as all five relays. Texas was seeded to finish 19th before the meet got cancelled.

Adams was awarded a postgraduate teacher certification scholarship from the Texas Athletics/College Football Playoff Foundation, and she will be student teaching this coming school year for a second grade class.

swimming-world-magazine-september-2014-cover

Carmel’s 2014 team on the cover of Swimming World Magazine.

Claire Adams had a tremendous high school career at Carmel High School in Indiana, where she helped her team win four state and national titles as awarded by this publication. In 2015, she won two long course national titles in the 100 & 200 backstroke, and also won a silver medal in the 100 backstroke at the 2015 World Juniors while representing the United States.

Adams was a favorite to make the 2016 Olympic team before she broke her hand a few weeks before the Olympic Trials.

While at Texas, she was a two-time All-American in the 100 backstroke, finishing sixth in 2017 and seventh in 2018. In her freshman season in 2017, Adams helped her team finish in fifth place.

In her home pool in her junior season, she finished 10th in the 100 back while helping the Longhorns finish fifth for the second time in three seasons.

She still holds national high school records in the 200 & 400 freestyle relay set in 2015.

Claire Adams’ career in photos:

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Helen Wang

3 years ago

Best of luck in your journey Claire!

John Ian Bobbitt

3 years ago

Such a life changing decision! That’s a lot of hours to fill. Please fill them with good things, and take the lessons you’ve learned In The pool with you. ?

#OneSwimFam

Carrie Tran

3 years ago

Such an inspiring young lady! All the best with your next exciting chapter, Claire!