She’s Australia’s most decorated Olympian and now, after a nearly 15-year international career, Emma McKeon has announced she has retired from competitive swimming.
Sharing the news to Instagram, the 30-year-old wrote, “Leading into Paris, I knew it would be my last Olympics, and the months since have given me time to reflect on my journey and think about what I wanted my future to look like in swimming.”
“I wanted to see what I was capable of – and I did. Swimming has given me so much. From the dream igniting at 5 years old, right through to my third Olympic Games – I have so many lessons, experiences, friendships, and memories that I am so thankful for… Now I am excited to see how I can push myself in other ways, and for all the things that life has in store.”
Throughout her swimming career, Emma has collected a whopping 14 Olympic medals – six gold, three silver, and five bronze. Following her stellar performance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Emma’s record now tops that of Ian Thorpe, making her the most decorated Australian Olympian and the seventh-most decorated athlete in Olympic history.
Reflecting on her remarkable achievements ahead of her final Olympics, Emma told The Sydney Morning Herald, “That’s so surreal. I only hear those kinds of stats from you guys [media]. I look at the athletes that have come before me and I’ve been so impressed with what they’ve done and so inspired by what they’ve done but I’ve never really been into the stats of medal counts. To be in that kind of company, it’s an honour.”
Now, as Emma prepares to enter the next chapter of her life outside the Olympic pool, we answer your most frequently asked questions about the Australian swimming superstar.
How old is Emma McKeon?
Born on May 24, 1994, in Wollongong, NSW, Emma McKeon is currently 30 years old.
What age did Emma McKeon start swimming?
While it is unknown when Emma first took to the pool, her first major competition was the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics, with a then-16-year-old Emma taking home one gold, two silver, and three bronze medals.
Despite not making the team for the 2012 London Olympic Games, Emma represented Australia on the main stage at the 2016 Rio Olympics, winning gold in the Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay, silver in the Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay and Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay, as well as a bronze medal in the Women’s 200m Freestyle.
She’s also competed and won medals at events including the Glasgow 2014, Gold Coast 2018, and Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the Gold Coast 2014 and Tokyo 2018 Pan Pacific Championships and the World Long Course Championships.
While she may be Australia’s most decorated Olympian, she is not the only Olympian in her family, with her brother David and father Ron representing Australia in swimming, whilst her mother Susie competed at the 1982 Commonwealth Games.
Is Emma McKeon still with Cody Simpson?
Yes, Emma McKeon and Cody Simpson are still together!
The darlings of the Australian Dolphins swim team confirmed their romance shortly before the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, with the couple both representing Australia in the pool.
Now, two years later, the couple’s relationship is still going strong, with Cody and Emma now both pursuing their careers outside the pool.
