Leonie Beck announces retirement from professional swimming

German open water swimmer Leonie Beck has officially announced her retirement from professional sports. The 29-year-old three-time world champion confirmed her decision during the BR program ‘Blickpunkt Sport’, stating, ‘I will not return to competitive sports.’

Beck’s career was defined by her successful transition from pool swimming to open water competition following the 2016 Rio Olympics. Her major achievements include three world championship titles—winning gold in the 4x1.5km relay in Budapest (2022) and individual 5km and 10km titles in Fukuoka (2023)—as well as three European championship titles.

After competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics, Beck took a sabbatical that included traveling to Australia. During this period, she decided to move away from the stress of daily training and competition to pursue new projects, including entering the media industry and attending various public events.