Olympic Medallist Isaac Cooper to ‘Take a Breather’ from Professional Swimming After Feeling Overwhelmed

Australian swimming sensation Isaac Cooper has declared he is taking a “break” from competitive swimming.

Post his participation at the World Short Course Championships in Budapest, Cooper has decided to hang up his goggles while keeping the possibility of returning to the water in the future open.

In his final event, Cooper narrowly missed out on gold in the men’s 50m backstroke final, finishing just two-hundredths of a second behind his opponent.

After leading at the halfway point, he was edged out on the last stroke, touching the wall in an Oceanian-record time of 22.49 seconds—just shy of achieving victory against ‘neutral’ teen Miron Lifintsev.

During the 2022 event held in Melbourne, Cooper was controversially disqualified from his first-place finish in the same event due to a false start that was not communicated to the competitors.

After initially winning the race, the final was later re-run, a performance Cooper was unable to replicate.

Overwhelmed by the situation, he expressed to reporters post-race: “Life just keeps throwing shit at me.”

Though he had to settle for an individual silver, Cooper later secured a world record and gold medal in the 4x100m medley relay and another gold in the 4x50m freestyle relay.

In February 2024, the 20-year-old finally bagged his coveted gold medal in the 50m backstroke at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, clocking in at 24.13 seconds, despite colliding with the lane ropes multiple times after becoming disoriented by the aquatic centre’s arched roof.

Cooper has represented Australia in both the Tokyo 2020 and upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, where he secured a bronze medal as part of the 4x100m mixed medley relay team.

With the 50m backstroke not included in the Olympic programme, the Bundaberg swimmer participated in the 100m backstroke along with the medley relays.

In July 2022, shortly before the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Cooper was sent home from a Dolphins training camp in Chartres, France, due to disciplinary issues.

Swimming Australia stated that Cooper was facing “wellbeing challenges,” which involved the misuse of prescription medication.

“Ultimately, it was my wellbeing and mental health that led to my departure,” Cooper expressed at that time.

Recently, in a heartfelt message shared on Instagram, Cooper reflected on his “career thus far,” recognising the highs and lows he has encountered, accompanied by various photographs.

“And just like that, this chapter of my career comes to a close. I’ve been contemplating how to express this, and honestly, I’m not sure how, but I’ll give it a go,” he posted on Tuesday.

“Swimming has led me on an incredible journey, just as little Isaac always envisioned. Although it hasn’t unfolded as I expected, I wouldn’t change anything about my experiences.”

Over the past few years since the incident in Chartres, Cooper has prioritised his mental health and overall mindset.

“The past three years have been monumental. I made my Olympic debut at the age of 17 and have qualified for every team I’ve ever trialled for. I’ve pushed my body to its limits, and the same goes for my mind.

“I’ve travelled the world, raced in stunning venues, and forged amazing, lifelong friendships. I’ve stood atop the podium as a World Champion and felt the immense pressure when it seemed my life was crumbling.

“I’ve achieved victories and set world records I never thought possible, yet I’ve faced more losses than I anticipated.

“With this break, I’m aiming to hit a major reset button. I intend to step back, reflect, rekindle some old relationships, spend quality time with my family, and discover what life truly means.

“I’ll be back, so don’t worry. My goal is to test whether the saying ‘distance makes the heart grow fonder’ holds true. I probably won’t be able to stay away too long, but it’ll be a while at least until I bulk up to 90kg.

“A huge thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my career. As much as I sometimes feel invincible, I wouldn’t be where I am today without those around me.

“My family has been my emotional support, and I apologise for some things I’ve put you through, but I am grateful to have represented our family name while donning the green and gold and making you proud.”