German diver Patrick Hausding retires from competition

Germany's Patrick Hausding announced his retirement from sports. He has decided not to take part in the German championships and won't be among the top divers who will compete in Rome from 15 to 21 August. He had a great diving career, but the regret remains that he won't be competing at the Foro Italico next summer.

The 33-year-old athlete from Berlin is the European champion who set several records under his belt. His streak of medals began with a gold in the synchro in Eindhoven in 2008. In 2010 in Budapest he became the first diver to win a medal in all five events (gold in the 3m springboard and platform synchro, silver in the 1m springboard, platform and springboard synchro). In 2013, he was world champion in the 10m synchro platform in Barcelona. At the 2014 European Championships in his hometown, he got a hat-trick of gold medals (1m and 3m springboard and platform synchro), plus silver (springboard synchro).

Hausding took part in four Olympic Games and reached the podium three times. In Beijing in 2008 he took the silver medal in the platform synchro, and in 2016 he claimed the bronze medal in the individual 3m competition: a historic result for Germany, which has never been on the podium in a five-ring diving competition in 104 years. Finally, as flag bearer, she is third in the 3m springboard synchro at Tokyo 2021.

"I always said that Tokyo would be my last Olympic Games. And I already had in mind back then that it would probably be my last competition,” Patrick Hausding said at the press conference held before the German nationals starting today in Berlin. “I’m 33 years old now, my body has been through a lot. I’ve noticed that in recent years it had taken longer and longer to get into top form, and that the effort involved had increased. It’s not only very physically demanding, but also mentally. Once you’ve been at the top, you keep setting that as your goal because you know you can do it and it’s not possible. My own standards have always been very high. But I don’t have to prove anything to anyone anymore."

Now Hausding intends to spend more time with his family and dedicate himself to his professional career. He is an English teacher and also holds physical education classes for young children.

After his retirement, at the European Championships in Rome 2022, the race for the podium is even more open.

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