Lilly King is already known as the breaststroke queen in the world of swimming. Anyone who is a fan of swimming knows her name without a doubt. The world record holder has achieved multiple Olympic medals and world championship titles. However, every story has an end, and she has decided to retire. She announced that 2025 is going to be her final season in competitive swimming. She had already mentioned that she would not be training for the 2028 Olympics, but was still not sure about her retirement. Lilly King announced on May 31, 2025, that this season would be her last. She shared a post on Instagram in June stating her decision.
She shared some memorable pictures from her career and wrote, “This will be my final season competing. I’m fortunate heading into retirement, being able to say I have accomplished everything I have ever wanted in this sport. I feel fulfilled. That being said, it has always been important to me that my last meet in the US be at the pool where it all began. I have been racing in the IU Natatorium since I was 10 years old. From state meets to NCAAs, Nationals, and anything in between, this pool has been my home. I didn’t quite make it 20 years (only 18) of racing in Indy, but this is as close as I’m gonna get! I look forward to racing in front of a home crowd one last time. See you in Indy!” She will retire after the 2025 World Aquatics Championships and Toyota U.S. Open Nationals in Indianapolis.
Why Is Lilly King Retiring Now?
King has achieved nearly everything in the sport: Olympic golds, world records, and 27 world medals. Her decision came before the announcement that the 50m breaststroke would be added to the 2028 Olympics—yet she stood by her retirement decision.
Throughout her career, she has been a dominant force when it comes to breaststroke in swimming. King, a native of Evansville, Indiana, and a standout swimmer for the Indiana Hoosiers, competed at the 2016, 2020, and 2024 Olympic Games, winning six medals across her career. On the note of her retirement, let’s look back at her career highlights.
What Are Lilly King’s Career Highlights?
Here is a list of her major achievements:
Olympic golds in 2016 (100m breaststroke), and team medals in Tokyo & Paris
2017 100m breaststroke world record (1:04.13)
18-time world champion, 27-time world medalist
Her legacy in the swimming world is unmatched; she is an 18-time world champion and a 27-time world medalist, having achieved all of this by the age of 28. King arrived in Indianapolis for what she intended to be her final U.S. meet. The Nationals also served as the selection trials for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, with only the top two swimmers in each event qualifying for Team USA.
In the prelims of the 100-yard breaststroke, King broke the NCAA, American, and U.S. Open records with a time of 57.15 seconds. She then shattered her own mark in the final, winning the event in 56.85 seconds. This marked the beginning of a historic journey, and today she is recognized as a multiple Olympic and world champion.
In a post-race interview on NBC, King was her usual candid self: “Honestly, I just took a little bit too much caffeine before my race, so I was about to jump out of my skin anyway. I am super grateful to be here. I appreciate you all being here and coming out and supporting me, forever! It’s been such a great ride, and I can’t wait to represent Team USA again this summer.”
Will Lilly King Compete at the 2025 World Championships?
She qualified for Singapore 2025 and will swim the 50m and 100m breaststroke. However, she is not competing in the 200m breaststroke to maintain energy.
King decided not to compete in the 200m breaststroke and began her competition in the 50m breaststroke—an event that was recently added to the Olympic program. Although she has stated that another Olympic medal chase is not in her future, on June 5, she led her heat with a time of 30.15 seconds and went on to win the final among a field of 51 swimmers, achieving the only sub-30-second time of 29.88 seconds. Her farewell tour has officially been extended, as she has secured a spot for the competition in Singapore.
She also mentioned in the interview that she was fortunate not to have any major injuries during her time in the sport. While speaking to World Aquatics, she said, “Now that I’ve qualified for the World Championships, I’ll retire after my last event in Singapore. After that, I’ll be cheering everyone on—so, good luck, everyone! Honestly, this has been my plan for at least five years. I’ve always known Paris would be my last Olympics. Would I love to swim in LA? Sure. But I’m also really excited to watch swimming in LA. I’m ready to move on and just be a normal human being.”
Who Are the Captains for Team USA at the 2025 World Championships?
Lilly King was named one of six captains for the Singapore Worlds. Apart from that, Simone Manuel and Phoebe Bacon were the other women captains. Among the men, it was Carson Foster, Bobby Finke, and Michael Andrew.
The following star swimmers will serve as captains for the World Championships in Singapore. Lilly King, a three-time Olympian representing Team USA, will compete in both the 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke events. Foster is scheduled to race in the 200-meter butterfly, the 200-meter individual medley, and the 400-meter individual medley, and will also participate in the 800-meter freestyle relay. Bacon is entered in the 200-meter individual medley, while Finke will compete in the 800-meter freestyle and the 1500-meter freestyle. Manuel is set to participate in the 400-meter freestyle relay, and Andrew will race in both the 50-meter breaststroke and 50-meter butterfly events.
What Will Lilly King Do After Retiring from Swimming?
King stated a desire to “be normal,” enjoy time off, and support swimming differently. She also hinted at future involvement in advocacy or mentorship. Right now, she wants to see the next generation of swimmers take over and create new records. She told World Aquatics, “ I was already sure I was going to take next year off. I woke up the next morning and said to myself, “We’re good. Let the young ones have it.”
King never had to go far from home, and she was born and brought up in Indiana and could train in Indiana as well. She attended Francis Joseph Reitz High School. After such hard work over the years, she has broken every record possible and cemented her name in the topmost categories of the swimming world. Did you expect her to retire within 28? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The post Is Lilly King Retiring? Olympic Champion Future Plans & Team USA Captains at the 2025 World Championships appeared first on EssentiallySports.