By Terin Frodyma on SwimSwam
Jessica-Jane Applegate, 29, a 2012 Paralympic gold medalist, has announced her retirement from swimming, following an international career that began at 16 and included 44 international medals.
Applegate announced her retirement on Instagram on December 5th with the following caption.
After much reflection, I’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to retire from professional swimming.
Since my Paralympic debut in 2012, I’ve had the honour of representing Great Britain on the world stage and achieving 44 international medals. Swimming has been my life for as long as I can remember, and competing for my country has been one of my greatest privileges.
After not being selected to be part of the GB team last year it has been difficult and accepting that chapter closing has been heartbreaking. The truth is, I’m still figuring out who I am outside of sport, and that’s a scary place to be. But I’m taking things one day at a time and trusting that there is a new path ahead of me even if I can’t quite see it yet.
To everyone who has supported me over the years the coaches, teammates, friends, and all of you who have followed my journey. Thank you. Your belief in me has carried me through the highest highs and the toughest lows. I will always be grateful for the memories we created together.
Special shout out to my Coach from City of Norwich swimming club Alex Pinniger who has been by side throughout my whole career.
And my Mum gave up so much just to take me to Galas, Training, supporting me the list goes on.
This isn’t the ending I imagined, but it’s still a story I’m proud of.
Thank you for being part of it.
View this post on Instagram
At 16, Applegate won Paralympic gold in the 200 freestyle S14 at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. That milestone earned her an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire, for outstanding service/achievement) and later, an honorary doctorate from Loughborough University.
“It’s something I always dreamed of… I was so happy when I got that gold. I never thought I would get to live my dream for as long as I did,” Applegate said in a report from the BBC.
The honorary doctorate was awarded to Applegate as recognition of her success throughout her career and for her efforts in raising awareness and advocating for others with Asperger’s.
“If I can be an advocate for young people with the same disabilities as me then I’m more than happy to do so if it makes their lives any easier or better – and to help other people better understand how to help people like me.” Applegate said in a report from the BBC.
She later needed surgery in 2016 following breathing problems for over a year. But in the same year, Applegate still won three Paralympic medals (two silvers, one bronze) at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio.
Applegate reached her third Paralympics in Tokyo. There, she won a 4×100 free relay S14 gold medal and earned bronze medals in both the 200 free S14 and 100 back S14.
Throughout her career, Applegate accumulated three additional World Championship titles, including the 200 free S14 in both 2013 and 2023, and the 100 backstroke S14 in 2015.
Now retired from the sport, Applegate has said that finding a job with her disability has been challenging.
“It’s daunting, to be honest. I’m not 100% sure which path I want to take yet and applying for jobs is very scary for someone who is neurodiverse and has a learning disability,” Applegate said to the BBC.
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