Olympic bronze medalist and two-time world champion, Lotte Friis, has announced her retirement from the sport of swimming.
One of Denmarks brightest swimming stars, 29-year-old Lotte Friis, has decided to retire from her professional career as a world-class swimmer. That means Danish swimming will be saying goodbye to a steady performer at the very top-level of international swimming for more than a decade.
The considerations have been going on for a while and now is the right time, for the swimmer who represents Gentofte Swim Club and the national training center / NTC in Copenhagen.
– It has not been an easy decision to make – to retire from the sport, which for many years have given me great challenges, fantastic experiences, many close friends and so much joy. The sport has been my whole life for many years, Lotte explains and continues:
– I am proud of my career and proud of the results I have accomplished. I hope that I have left my mark in Danish elite swimming and that I have been a good role model for younger swimmers, and helped motivate and inspire a new generation of swimmers to believe in themselves and dare to dream.
Lotte Friis made the final in 3 consecutive Olympics (Beijing, London and Rio). She won a bronze medal at the first one, in 2008 in Beijing. The following year, Lotte won Denmark’s first world championship long-course in the 800 free. A feat she repeated in 2011 in the 1500 free.
Her list of international results further contains 5 silver medals at LC world championships and a world record in the 1500 free SC from November of 2009. In 2013 Lotte also broke the European record in the 1500 free LC, a record that still stands today. Her first international medal was won in 2004.
Needless to say, Lotte had a massive impact on Danish swimming and now concludes her fantastic career.
Within the Danish swimming federation, her decision is met with both understanding and acknowledgment. Danish swimming federations technical director, Lars Green Bach says:
– This marks the end of an era in Danish swimming and Danish elite sports. The years of success in Danish swimming started with Lotte’s Bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Lotte has given Denmark some fantastic and unforgettable sporting moments. Moments which have inspired alot of people both within and outside of the sport, to pursue and work tirelessly towards their dreams and goals. I have great respect for the brave decision Lotte has made. I know that it has not been easy to reach this decision, especially not in a year where the European championships SC are hosted in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is with sadness that the national team will move on to future international championships, without Lotte’s professionalism, dedication and great energy. But this decision also speaks to Lotte’s knowledge about the demands at the international level, where she knows what it takes to compete at the very top. I am pleased that Lotte will still be in the Danish swimming community, as a coach, where she can share her experience and be a role model who will help develop Danish swimming in the future.
What Lotte will do with her time now and in the future is not decided in detail yet. So far she will continue in her job as coach for Gentofte Swim Club, and working as a communication consultant in the IT-firm Risma Systems.
Press release from The Danish Swimming Federation
Photo by petercharry 
