Dutch backstroke specialist Kira Toussaint has officially announced her retirement from competitive swimming, drawing the curtain on a career that spanned over a decade at the elite level and helped redefine Dutch backstroke excellence in world terms.

The 31-year-old athlete from Amstelveen represented the Netherlands at the Rio, Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games . She became a household name in international swimming for her consistency, particular prowess in short-course events, and her integral role in Dutch relay success.

Toussaint made history in 2020 when she became the first Dutchwoman to swim the short-course 50m backstroke in under 26 seconds. She went on to complete the three-peat across the 2019, 2021 and 2023 European Short Course Swimming Championships – contributing to her total of ten gold medals in the competition across her career.

Her success stretched much further than just the European short-course pool, as she made the top-step of the podium in the long-course format at both the European and World Championships, as well as World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) gold in the Mixed 4x50m Medley Relay in 2021.

In total, she took 14 gold medals at European and world level. She retires as holder of the long-course and short-course European records in the 50m backstroke event, with her final major international appearance coming in the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Budapest last December.

Alongside her individual achievements, Toussaint has also helped several Dutch relay squads to podium finishes and was instrumental in maintaining the Netherlands’ prominence in European swimming throughout her career.

Her departure marks the end of an era for Dutch swimming.

Stephen Stanley for European Aquatics