'Felt the weight of the world at times': Olympic medallist Isaac Cooper to 'step back' from professional swimming
Australian star Isaac Cooper has announced he is taking a "break" from professional swimming.
Following his campaign at the World Short Course Championships in Budapest, Cooper has hung up his goggles but left the door ajar for a return to the pool in the future.
At his final meet, Cooper was edged out for gold in the men's 50m backstroke final by just two-hundredths of a second.
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Losing out on the last stroke after leading at the halfway mark, Cooper touched the wall in an Oceanian-record time of 22.49 — just behind 'neutral' teen Miron Lifintsev.
Isaac Cooper appears stunned after realising his world championship-winning time would not be counted. Getty
At the 2022 event in Melbourne, Cooper was controversially stripped of his first-place finish in the same event after a false start was not communicated to the athletes.
Having won the original race, the final was subsequently re-run later on with Cooper unable to replicate his earlier performance.
Reduced to tears, he told reporters post-race: "Life just keeps throwing shit at me".
While forced to settle for an individual silver, Cooper went on to achieve a world record and gold medal in the 4x100m medley relay and gold in the 4x50m freestyle relay.
The 20-year-old broke through for his elusive gold medal in the 50m backstroke at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships, the long course worlds, in Doha in February.
He won the final in a time of 24.13 despite making contact with the lane rope several times after becoming disoriented by the curved roof of the aquatic centre.
Isaac Cooper celebrates on the podium after receiving his gold medal at the World Aquatics Championships. Getty
Cooper represented Australia at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, winning bronze at the former as part of the 4x100m mixed medley relay team.
With the 50m backstroke not featured on the program at the Olympic Games, the Bundaberg contested the 100m backstroke as well as the medley relays.
In July 2022 — days out from the Birmingham Commonwealth Games — Cooper was sent home from a Dolphins training camp in the French city of Chartres on account of disciplinary reasons.
Swimming Australia said Cooper was experiencing "wellbeing challenges" which included the misuse of prescription medication.
"It was ultimately my wellbeing and mental health that resulted in me going home," Cooper said at the time.
Isaac Cooper. Deepbluemedia/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images
In a post to his Instagram account, Cooper reflected on his "career so far" and its many ups and downs alongside several photos.
"And just like that, this chapter of my career comes to an end. I've been trying to think of a way to word this and I don't think I really know how but I'm going to give it a try," he wrote on Tuesday.
"Swimming has taken me on a wild ride, just like little Isaac always wanted. It definitely has not gone the way that I thought it would but I wouldn't want to change anything that I've been through."
In the years since the controversy in Chartres, Cooper has placed more of a focus on his mental health and mindset.
"It's been a massive last 3 years. I debuted on my first Olympic team when I was 17 and have qualified for every team I've ever trialled for. I've pushed my body to its breaking point and beyond and done the same with my mind.
"I've travelled the world, raced in incredible pools, and met wonderful, lifelong friends. I've stood on top of the world as a World Champion and I've felt the weight of the world at times when it seemed like my life was crashing in around me.
"I've won races and broken world records I never thought that I could and I've lost even more than I expected myself to win.
"But now that I'm on break I'm going to try to hit a massive reset button. I'm going to try to take a step back to reflect, try to rekindle some old relationships, spend more time with my family and see what life is really about.
"I'll be back don't you worry. My plan is to see if the saying 'distance makes the heart grow fonder' is true. I probably won't be able to stay away for long but it'll be at least until I bulk to 90kg.
"Thank you to everyone who's supported me throughout my career so far. As much as I think I'm immortal sometimes I would be nothing without the people around me.
"My family have been my emotional cornerstone and I'm sorry for some of the things I've dragged you through but I'm glad I've been able to represent my family name alongside the green and gold and make them proud as well."