Aaron Peirsol had planned to quietly ease into his retirement from competitive swimming, but now that it’s been made public, he’s joined The Morning Swim Show today to discuss the reasons behind his decision. Peirsol’s final race was at last summer’s Pan Pacific championships, and he said his decision to retire was cemented there, but had begun about a year earlier at the world championships. The 200 back world record holder and five-time Olympic gold medalist is vague about his future plans, but said he’ll always remain connected to swimming.

March 4, 2010: The USA Swimming Austin Grand Prix begins today, and one of the top competitors will be Olympic champion and world record holder Aaron Peirsol. He talks about the meet format, what his training has been like, his thoughts on the perfect taper and what chances the Texas men have to win the NCAA championship.