NEW YORK — After a decorated collegiate and international career, Katie Meili '13CC announced her plans to hang up the goggles and retire from competitive swimming on Monday.
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"It is with a heart full of joy and gratitude that I announce my retirement from competitive swimming," Meili wrote on social media. "My swimming career has been a dream come true and I am so grateful for the lessons it has taught me, the opportunities it has provided me, and most importantly, the incredible people it has brought into my life.
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"This chapter is closing, but I'm very much looking forward to the challenges and adventures the next one will bring."
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In 2016, Meili became a two-time Olympic medalist in Rio de Janeiro after winning bronze in the 100-meter breaststroke and gold as a member of the U.S. 4 x 100-meter medley relay preliminary heats squad. The following year, Meili won silver in the 100 breast at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest clocking a time of 1:05.03, which ranks sixth all-time.
Over the course of an outstanding four-year Columbia career, Meili became one of the most decorated swimmers in program history having won seven individual Ivy League titles and was part of three relay championship teams. She was named the Most Outstanding Swimmer in back-to-back Ivy League Championships and closed out her career as a five-time All-America performer, topping off her senior season with a career-best third-place finish at the 2013 NCAA Championships in the 100-yard breaststroke.
To this day, Meili owns school records in three individual and three relay events, as well as the Ivy League meet records in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke.
Meili will continue to attend Georgetown Law School while serving as a volunteer assistant coach for the Hoyas as she has since 2017.
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For the latest on the Columbia women's swimming and diving program, followÂ
@CULadySwim on Twitter and Instagram,Â
@ColumbiaDiving on Instagram and on the web atÂ
GoColumbiaLions.com.
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