Winnipeg Olympian retiring from competitive swimming

WINNIPEG – Winnipeg’s Chantal Van Landeghem has called it quits from competitive swimming.

Van Landeghem announced her retirement on Tuesday after six years with the national swim team. The 23-year-old owns a pair of golds and a silver medal from the 2015 Pan-Am Games, but the highlight of her career came last summer in Rio, where Van Landeghem helped Canada win an Olympic bronze medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay at the 2016 Summer Games.

“Obviously the Olympics were a huge highlight, but in general, just racing is probably the aspect of swimming I’ll miss most,” Van Landeghem said through a Swimming Canada media release.

“I just loved that feeling of adrenaline behind the blocks. The opportunity to get to represent my country on the highest stage for me was probably one of the greatest honours of all.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I just loved that feeling of adrenaline behind the blocks. The opportunity to get to represent my country on the highest stage for me was probably one of the greatest honours of all."

RELATED: Winnipegger strikes double gold at Pan Am Games

“Chantal contributed to our 2016 Olympic success in Rio, returning as a relay medalist, and she has performed to high levels at the World Championships and other international competitions,” said Swimming Canada High Performance Director John Atkinson. “I congratulate her on her career and look forward to perhaps working with her in the future.”

RELATED: Rio 2016: Winnipeg swimmer Chantal Van Landeghem captures bronze in 4×100 freestyle relay

She finished her career with two more bronze medals from the 2017 FINA World Championships, getting on the podium in Budapest in the 4x100m freestyle and mixed 4x100m medley.

“I wanted to leave on a really high note which I think I’m doing and looking back only with fond memories,” she said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I wanted to leave on a really high note which I think I'm doing and looking back only with fond memories," she said.

Van Landeghem is a recent graduate from the University of Georgia and is now studying in sports psychology at the University of Manitoba.

“I’ve already managed to do some small things on the side with regard to sport psychology.” she said. “I volunteered at Canada Games this summer in Winnipeg and was able to talk to Team Manitoba athletes.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I've already managed to do some small things on the side with regard to sport psychology." she said. "I volunteered at Canada Games this summer in Winnipeg and was able to talk to Team Manitoba athletes."

“It was a great opportunity for me to give back in that way, and over the semester I’ve also been teaching at my old school Vincent Massey Collegiate in sport psychology.”

RELATED: Olympic swimmer Chantal Van Landeghem helping to calm nerves at Canada Summer Games