Joseph Schooling set to be inducted into International Swimming Hall of Fame

SINGAPORE: Singapore's only Olympic gold medalist, Joseph Schooling, is set to be inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) later this year. 

He will be the first Singaporean to join a prestigious list of athletes that includes Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time with 28 medals, US swimming legend Mark Spitz, and former 100m breaststroke world record holder, Japan's Kosuke Kitajima.

The ISHOF said on its website it will be inducting a total of 11 honourees from nine countries in 2025. Among them are swimmers, water polo players, synchronised swimmers, coaches and other contributors to the sport. 

It is also the first time that honourees from Kuwait, India and Tunisia will inducted into the hall of fame, the organisation said. 

Also on the list are US Olympians Anthony Ervin and Ryan Locht, and Italian swimming star Federica Pellegrini. 

ISHOF also said that it will be hosting its 60th Anniversary Honoree Induction Ceremony in Singapore on Jul 28 in conjunction with the World Aquatics World Championships. The ceremony will be held at the Park Royal Collection at Marina Bay. 

Schooling won Singapore's first gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in the 100m butterfly category, beating his childhood idol Phelps.

His 50.39-second swim also broke the 100m butterfly record held by Phelps and set a then-Olympic record. Phelps, Hungarian swimmer Laszlo Cseh, and South Africa's most decorated Olympian, Chad le Clos, tied for silver in that race.

Schooling holds eight national records - six in individual events and two in relays.

He was also named Sportsman of the Year at the Singapore Sports Awards six times and won three golds at the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games, two bronzes at the World Championships and 27 gold medals at the South East Asian Games.

In April last year, Schooling announced his retirement from competitive swimming, saying that it had been in the back of his mind for quite some time.

"I was ready to do something else. I didn't get the excitement that I had waking up at four years old ... I was still grinding through the possibilities of making it to Paris (2024 Summer Olympics). I'd always told myself that I'd finish when I was 29," Schooling told CNA last year.

He also added that he plans to focus on his swim school. 

"I want to give back to the sporting society. I don't want to vanish. I think there's a lot that I can offer. And there are a lot of hurdles that I've had to overcome along with my parents and team, which I can impart on the younger athletes," he said.

Schooling said he remains competitive, but thinks it is time to channel that competitiveness in a "different realm".