2016 British Olympian, Former Florida Swimmer Dan Wallace To Retire From Swimming

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Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

2016 British Olympian Dan Wallace announced his retirement from competitive swimming, as reported by the BBC. Wallace, 25, recently competed his last meet at the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

Wallace finished his career with a sixth place finish in the 200 IM (1:59.85) and a couple of bronzes in the 4×100 free and 4×200 free relay (1:48.69). Wallace swam in the heats of the shorter relay as his teammates finished third in the final.

“It was amazing to win two medals at my last Games, my last competition ever,” Wallace told BBC Scotland.

“It was obviously a goal of mine to come away with a medal or two, so I’m really happy I’ve done that.”

This was Wallace’s second Commonwealth Games as he famously won the gold in the 400 IM in his home country of Scotland with a 4:11.20 after he swam a 4:11.04 in the heats that still stands as the Games Record.

“I knew coming into this meet it wasn’t going to be based on performance – mentally I was ready for something new,” he explained to BBC Scotland.

“I’d done everything I wanted to do within the sport so it was just about enjoying the last moments, the last Games, and the last chance to represent Scotland.

Wallace’s best international results came at the 2016 Olympics when he swam the third leg on Great Britain’s 4×200 free relay (1:46.26) that finished with the silver medal. Wallace also finished eighth in the 200 IM final (1:58.54) at the Rio Olympics.

A year earlier at the 2015 World Championships, Wallace led off Great Britain’s gold medal winning 4×200 free relay (1:47.04). He also finished fourth in the 200 IM (1:57.59) and sixth in the 400 IM (4:13.77) in Kazan.

Wallace swam four years at the University of Florida where he was a 12-time All-American for the Gators from 2012-2015. He is currently second all-time at Florida in the 500 free (4:10.48) behind Mitch D’Arrigo (4:09.98). He also sits fifth all-time in the 400 IM.

He was a three-time finalist in the 400 IM at the NCAA Championships, placing third in 2013, second in 2014 and sixth in 2015. He also was second in the 500 in 2014 and 2015.

“I’m still young, I’m only 25, but I think there’s a lot more I can do. I’ll still try and stay involved in the sport one way or another, but I’d also like to explore some other avenues and see where my talents can take me. I’m sure I’ll miss it, I’ll miss it a lot. You can’t really replicate that feeling I had last night in that final and to be a part of a team like this.

Performance-wise I achieved way more than I ever wanted to do. I went from a boy to being a man, and hopefully did a lot of people proud.”

The BBC contributed to this report.

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