Paraguayan Swimmer Luana Alonso Announces Retirement After 2024 Paris Olympics
Paraguayan swimmer Luana Alonso has announced her retirement from professional swimming at the age of 20, following her participation in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Alonso made the announcement on her Instagram on Saturday morning, just before competing in the first heat of the 100m women’s butterfly.
A college student in the U.S., Alonso had previously shared her excitement about qualifying for the Paris Games, a significant achievement celebrated by many on social media. She finished sixth in the 100m butterfly, narrowly missing out on qualifying for the semi-finals by 0.24 seconds behind Georgia’s Ana Nizharadze.
In her Instagram post, Alonso wrote, “It’s official now! I’m retiring from swimming, thank you all so much for the support! Sorry Paraguay, I only have to thank you!” The announcement was met with an outpouring of support from her fans and followers.
After her race, Alonso gave an emotional interview to Claro Sports, where she elaborated on her decision to retire. “I am very emotional because it was my last race. I am retiring from swimming. I have been swimming for so long, 18 years, and I have so many feelings,” she shared. Producer Walter Estigarribia noted that Alonso was in tears during the interview, expressing her mixed emotions about ending her career on the Olympic stage.
“Unfortunately, I made the decision to stop, and I am happy that my last race will be at the Olympic Games,” Alonso stated. She also addressed her followers on X (formerly Twitter), clarifying that her decision to retire had been made long before the Games. “People, my decision was made a long time ago! It wasn’t because of the games! So nothing, I just have to thank everyone who always supported me.”
Reflecting on her performance, she added to Claro Sports, “It didn’t happen the way I wanted it to. I sincerely apologize to Paraguay, but I did what I could, despite several things that happened to me before. So, I’m happy and also to retire here with a full stadium and finally have the Olympic Games.”
Alonso has had an illustrious career, having competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo at just 17 years old. She also participated in the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, and the South American Games in Asuncion, Paraguay, the same year.
Currently, Alonso attends Southern Methodist University near Dallas, Texas, and swims for the Dallas Mustangs. Her retirement marks the end of a remarkable journey in professional swimming, leaving behind a legacy of dedication and achievement at a young age.
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