Irish Paralympic swimmer Nicole Turner has announced her retirement.
A silver medal winner in Tokyo, Turner competed at three Paralympic Games – Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo and Paris.
A decorated medallist at European and World Championships, Turner is stepping away from competitive swimming.
“Nicole has been an extraordinary ambassador for Irish para-sport since her international debut in 2015,” commented Paralympics Ireland CEO Stephen McNamara.
“Competing at one Paralympic Games is a massive achievement, but to compete at three, in addition to multiple World and European Championships, speaks to her longevity and commitment as a high-performance athlete.
“Her contribution to Irish sport and her exceptional performances will leave a lasting legacy. While we will miss seeing her compete, we congratulate her on everything she has accomplished throughout her career and wish her all the best in the next chapter of her life.”
Turner’s career began with Portarlington Piranhas before moving to Laois Marlins in Portlaoise. She later progressed to train with Ireland’s top swimmers at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin.
At just 14, Turner made her Paralympic debut in Rio in 2016. She competed in five events, qualifying for the final in each one, and set personal bests in six out of her 10 races. She was also the flagbearer for Team Ireland during the closing ceremony of the Rio Games.
She won silver in the 50m butterfly at the 2018 European Championships in Dublin and claimed bronze in the same event at the World Championships in London the following year.
At the 2021 European Championships in Madeira she won medals in all four of her events: silver in the 50m butterfly and 100m breaststroke, and bronze in the 50m freestyle and 200m individual medley.
Her standout achievement arrived at the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021, winning a silver medal in the S6 50m butterfly with a time of 36.30 seconds.
At the 2024 Para Swimming European Championships in Madeira, she won four medals: one gold, one silver, and two bronze.
At the Paris Paralympic Games last year, Turner advanced to the final of the S6 50m freestyle where she finished 6th with a time of 35.65 seconds.
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to the Counter Ruck podcast for the best rugby chat and analysis
