Rachel Nicol, Local Swimmer, Announces Retirement

After a successful career filled with achievements, Olympic swimmer Rachel Nicol has announced her retirement from swimming.

Throughout her 26-year journey, Rachel Nicol has amassed an impressive list of achievements over her career, including:

• 2016 Olympics – 5th place 100m breaststroke & 4x100m medley relay
• 2023 Pan American Games - 1st place 100m breaststroke & 4x100m medley relay
• 2022 Long course World Championships – 3rd place 4x100m medley relay
• 2016 Short Course World Championships – 2nd place 4x100m medley relay
• 2015 Pan American Games – 3rd place 100m breaststroke & 2nd place 4x100m medley relay
• 2010 Youth Olympic Games – 1st place 50m breaststroke, 3rd place 100m breaststroke, 3rd place 4x100 freestyle relay

Rachel’s skill, tenacity, and commitment to her sport has not only brought honor to Lethbridge but have also inspired a generation of aspiring athletes. In addition to her achievements in the water, Rachel Nicol has been a mentor through the organization Head to Head. Speaking to and meeting athletes from around Canada has been one of her greatest joys as an Olympian. Rachel has also been contributing her time as a volunteer doing athlete advocacy and sport governance on the High Performance Athlete Advisory Council with Swimming Canada, the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner – Sport Environment Assessment Council and the Canadian Olympic Committee - Athletes Commission.

LA Swim Club & University of Lethbridge Pronghorns head coach Peter Schori said, “I am so happy for Rachel to have found the right time to end her amazing swimming career and move to the next phase in her life. She has inspired many athletes, in particular young girls in our community to compete and believe in themselves in and out of sport. Rachel has been an amazing example of resilience and courage throughout her career, and I am thankful to have been her coach for part of that. Good luck and we welcome you back on deck at U of L anytime!”

As Rachel embarks on the next chapter of her journey, she expresses her gratitude to her family, coaches, and community, without whom their success would not have been possible.

About her start in Lethbridge, Rachel said, “There is something special when you are a part of a small, grass-roots team growing up. You don’t feel like just another cog in the machine of a big club. You get specialized attention. Your coach knows you and knows what you need. They can tell when you’re having an off day because you don’t get lost in the mix of a huge group. Coming from a smaller club allows for more care and attention to detail, day in and day out. This helped me tremendously as an athlete.”

Rachel is available to the media, please contact Tanya Whipple to be connected.

Tanya Whipple
Communication Manager, Lethbridge Sport Council
[email protected]
403-320-9371