Joseph Schooling, Singapore’s only Olympic gold medallist, will be inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) later this year.
He will be the first athlete from Singapore to be added to the gallery of greats that features legendary swimmers such as Michael Phelps, the record-breaking Olympian with 28 medals, America’s Mark Spitz, and Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima, who once held the world record for the 100m breaststroke.
The ISHOF announced that in 2025, it will induct 11 honorees from nine countries who have made their mark in swimming, water polo, synchronized swimming, coaching, and other areas of the sport. This will also be the first time that athletes from Kuwait, India, and Tunisia will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The honorees’ list also features US Olympians Anthony Ervin and Ryan Lochte, alongside Italian swimming champion Federica Pellegrini.
Furthermore, the ISHOF shared that its 60th anniversary honoree induction ceremony will take place in Singapore on July 28, coinciding with the World Aquatics World Championships. The event will be held at the Park Royal Collection at Marina Bay.
Schooling’s athletic journey
Joseph Schooling made history by winning Singapore’s first Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Rio Games, winning in the 100m butterfly event. In an impressive feat, he defeated his childhood hero, Michael Phelps.
The athlete’s 50.39-second performance not only secured him the gold medal, but also set a new Olympic record, breaking Phelps’ long-standing 100m butterfly record. The race saw Phelps, Laszlo Cseh from Hungary, and South Africa’s Chad le Clos share the silver medal, making it one of the most memorable events of the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Schooling holds eight national records, including six in the individual events and two in relays. He has been recognized as Singapore’s Sportsman of the Year six times at the Singapore Sports Awards.
The athlete won three gold medals at the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games, two bronze medals at the World Championships, and 29 gold medals at the Southeast Asian Games as well.
In April last year, Schooling announced his retirement from competitive swimming and expressed a wish to focus on his swim school.
Schooling said: “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.”
He added: “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.”