Sharon Van Rouwendaal, the Dutch open water ace who in Paris last year became the first swimmer ever to claim the Olympic marathon crown twice, has called time on her epic career.

On such occasions, we might trawl through her magnificent career and highlight her 10km victories of Rio 2016 and Paris 2024, with silver by a slither at Tokyo 2020ne in trying 'environmental' circumstances - but Van Rouwendaal has done it all for us... in a self-0reflection stacked with insightful professional and personal observations.

The 31-year-old posted her own retirement announcement by charting her own voyage, complete with the prizes, sacrifices, a gem of truth from her mother, and plaudits for coaches and others who have helped guide her along the course of a stellar career that has included podiums in pool and open water, stretching from 100m backstroke to 25km freestyle. [see below for Van Rouwendaal's announcement in full, straight from the mermaid's mouth...]

Here's our coverage of the women's marathon in Paris and of her membership of the Swim Queens of Perseverance:

Women’s Marathon - Sharon Van Rouwendaal 1st To Win Two Marathon Golds (2016, 2024), Johnson & Taddeuci On Podium

The race got off at 7.30 Paris time and the swimmers are currently on the first of six loops of 1.67km between two bridges, Pont Alexandre III and Pont de l’Alma. In 19mins 09sec, Australian Moesha Johnson was first through on lap 1…

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

Dutch Courage Drives Van Rouwendal’s Golden Double

Gold in 2 hours 3mins 34.2 made Sharon Van Rouwendaal the first swimmer, either sex, to win an Olympic marathon title twice. Her Aussie training partner in Germany, Moesha Johnson, takes silver, calls the Champ the GOAT; bronze for Italy’s Ginerva Taddeucci

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

Paris Perseverance Queens: The Midas Touch Of Ledecky, Sjöström & Van Rouwendaal

SOS Awards 2024: a celebration of the women who excelled in Paris at least two Olympic cycles after they first made the top of the podium, American great Katie Ledecky leading the way as founder member of the female Quad Club with every 800m freestyle title since 2012

State Of Swimming +Craig Lord

And here's a gallery of fine shots of Sharon V R down the years from Patrick B. Kraemer:

It's best read precisely in the way Van Rouwendaal delivered news of her retirement from high wave and fast lane:

What a great way for a swimmer to celebrate her career.

Congratulations Sharon Van Rouwendaal - and the best of fortune with all that follows.