Swimming age limit..?

Question

Why do most swimmers say they will no longer swim after they are 27 or 28? Especially at the Olympics?

Just wondering.

Answer 1

I swam until my jr. year in college. I began swimming when I was eight years old competitively. It is hard to keep up the level of training required to be good and especially great. Most of us USS (United States Swimmers) swam two-a-days seven days a week, plus dry-land training, plus weights. It never stops!!! You eat, sleep, and swim. Most swimmers get tired and burned out. Plus they say you are the best before you hit puberty which is true for some, but not all.  

Answer 2

Because there body starts to break down.  As you get older your reaction time decreases as well as your athleticism.  All these combined makes it hard to compete at the same level for several years. Plus they just get burned out on the sport too. Swimming 6-8 hour days for four years is crazy let alone 12 or 16!

Answer 3

Simple-they're just getting older. And being older means its harder for them to compete with the fresher crop at the Olympics.

However, many don't leave at that age. Take Dara Torres! She's 41 and still swimming.