Felix Auböck, Austrian Olympian at three Games, World and European champion, has waved farewell to the fast lane - but not the sport in which he has excelled as a world-class and champion athlete.

An athlete who flourished at programs in Germany, Britain's performance centre at Loughborough ace, and at college in Michigan, collecting an NCAA title along the way, Auböck counts his role as a pioneer for the New York Breakers in the International Swimming League among his achievements and accolades.

A World s/c champion in the 400m freestyle at Abu Dhabi 2021, Auböck claimed gold in the same event at the Belgrade 2024 Europeans, after having taken Continental silver at Budapest 2020 and bronze in the 200m free at Rome 2022. He also raced in three Olympic finals at three Games.

The 28-year-old's closest brush with the Olympic podium was a roaring fourth place in the 400m freestyle at the Covid-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2020ne.

He leaves the racing lane as Austrian record holder at every distance from 200m to 1500m, long- and short-course:
L/C:
- 200m freestyle 1:45.11 20 June 2022 World Championships Budapest, Hungary
- 400m freestyle 3:43.24 23 June 2024 European Championships Belgrade, Serbia
- 800m freestyle 7:45.32 12 April 2022 Swim Open Stockholm Stockholm, Sweden
- 1500m freestyle 14:51.88 30 July 2021 Olympic Games Tokyo, Japan
S/C:
- 200m freestyle 1:43.35 2 November 2020 International Swimming League Budapest, Hungary
- 400m freestyle 3:35.90 16 December 2021 World Championships Abu Dhabi, UAE
- 800m freestyle 7:31.89 21 November 2020 ISL Test Event Budapest, Hungary
- 1500m freestyle 14:52.90 10 December 2016 World Championships Windsor, Canada
- Plus one national team relay that has held the 4x100m free s/c record since 2014
4x200 free 7:02.70 David Brandl (1:45.42) Felix Auböck (1:43.90) Sebastian Steffan (1:46.03) Jakub Maly (1:47.35) - 4 December 2014 World Championships Doha, Qatar

Auböck posted on his social media accounts:

“I have decided to retire from competitive swimming. It is almost impossible to put into words what this sport has meant to me. Swimming shaped my life in ways I could never have imagined. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities it gave me, travelling the world, living in Austria to Germany to the US and the UK, and building lifelong friendships with truly special people across the globe. To all my coaches from the beginning to the end: Alex, Mr. Zenov, Paul, Walter, Miro, Lasse, Reni, Josh, Andi, Mike, Balazs, Richi, and Asterios – THANK YOU.”

The Andi and Mike on his list of gratitude are Andi Manley and Mike Peyrebrune, at Loughborough.

One of the finest compliments and plaudits I've heard about Auböck down the seasons came recently from Dr. Peyrebrune, a sports scientist and coach. In a feature that will kickstart a new departure for SOS in the not-too-distant future, we begin with Felix Auböck:

Peyrebrune breaks his flow so as not to overlook something "very important to mention" when dissecting Daniel Wiffen's evolution from promise to prospect on his voyage to Olympic swimming champion and Irish pioneer of the pool:

"I don't think Dan would have done what he's done had he not come into the program with Felix there?"

He means Felix Auböck or, as Peyrebrune, a science lead and Manley's assistant at Loughborough, puts it, the Austrian ace who's been Wiffen's "hare all the way through" from the day the Irishman joined the program with his twin Nathan back in 2020.

Behind every champion, there's another world-class swimmer in the lane, in the next lane, in the team and radiating the right work ethic, the right attitude, the winning mindset, determination, discipline and dedication. His contribution to freestyle competitiveness stretches beyond Wiffen and other Olympic champions, including Germany's Florian Wellbrock (marathon, Tokyo 2020ne) and Lukas Märtens (400 free, Paris 2024):

And that will all stand him in great stead for what he intends to be a continuation of his close connections to swimming: Auböck is on the athlete representative committee for the Austrian Olympic Committee and may have what the sports needs: an athlete ready to remain true to self and avoid becoming assimilated by a prevailing governance model still held back by a lack of integrity, a lack of genuine independence in Integrity processes, a questionable 'dedication' to athlete welfare, among other aspects of so-called reform process heavy on words, rather lighter on deeds.

Says Auböck as he moves on but not away:

“As a kid, I dreamed of swimming at the Olympic Games. I feel incredibly proud to have lived that dream not once, but three times, reaching three Olympic finals. The highlights of my sporting career, World and European Championship gold medals, came at moments when I needed them the most. There are too many people to name individually, but to my family: you never questioned the early mornings or countless weekends spent at swimming pools. Your unconditional support means everything. I am excited for the next chapter of my life. One thing I know for certain: I will always remain connected to this sport in one way or another.”