After 20 years of competitive swimming and 52 national titles Marcel Wouda has announced his retirement.

"When I started training again after the Olympics I knew it was over", he said. "My body doesn't want anymore, I always felt pain in my shoulders."

Wouda dominated Dutch swimming before Pieter van den Hoogenband showed up and his career highligt was winning the gold medal in the 200 IM at the World Championships in Perth 1998. He also holds the distinction of being a triple Olympic finalist in 1996 and 2000 while having represented the Netherlands at 3 Olympic Games in his career.

In Sydney at the Olympics he won a bronze medal as a member of the Dutch 4x200 freestyle relay and was 5th in the 200 IM.

He also has a combined total (both SC & LC) of 10 European Championship titles to his credit.

The world first took notice of Wouda in 1993 when he stunned the American swimmers by winning the NCAA-titles in 500 and 1650 freestyle. At that time he was coached by Jon Urbantchek.

Wouda will be involved in Dutch swimming as an advisor in KNZB (Dutch Swimming Federation) and the commercial team of Pieter van den Hoogenband and Inge de Bruijn.