PARAGUAYAN OLYMPIC swimmer stroke social media sensation Luana Alonso has announced her retirement aged 20 after a defeat at Paris 2024.
The star, who has 309,000 followers on Instagram, made the shock announcement on her account after competing in the first heat of the 100m women’s butterfly.
Alonso, who attends college in America, finished in sixth.
She was 0.24 seconds behind Georgia’s Ana Nizharadze, which meant that she narrowly missed out on qualifying for the semi-final.
That led to her posting after the race: “It’s official now! I’m retiring from swimming, thank you all so much for the support! Sorry Paraguay, I only have to thank you!”
Following the race, she told Claro Sports that she was “happy” to end her pro career at the Olympics.
Alonso said: “I am very emotional because it was my last race. I am retiring from swimming.
“I have been swimming for so long, 18 years, and I have so many feelings.
“Unfortunately, I made the decision to stop and I am happy that my last race will be at the Olympic Games.”
She posted a photo of herself alongside tennis legend Rafael Nadal earlier in the week, with the Spaniard teaming up with Carlos Alcaraz to beat Argentina in the men’s doubles.
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Fans were quick to react to the Alonso news, although she did state that she had made her mind up ages ago.
Addressing questions about why she had chosen yesterday to retire, she added: “People, my decision was made a long time ago! It wasn’t because of the games!
“So nothing, I just have to thank everyone who always supported me.”
And on missing out on qualifying, Alonso added: “It didn’t happen the way I wanted it to.
“I sincerely apologise to Paraguay, but I did what I could, despite several things that happened to me before.
“So, I’m happy and also to retire here with a full stadium and finally have the Olympic Games.”
Alonso competed at the Tokyo 2020 games aged 17.
She followed that up with appearances at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary and at the South American Games in Asuncion, Paraguay in 2022.
Alonso also swims for the Dallas Mustangs and attends the Southern Methodist University near Dallas, Texas.
Nearly 15,000 residents – around 10,500 of which are athletes – will be cramming into the Olympic village between July 26 and August 11.
To ensure the athletes feel at home, a number of provisions have been made by organisers.
One of these is the stocking of some 300,000 condoms, in theory enough for around two every day during the run of the Games.
A number of Olympic athletes have opened the door on their steamy lives behind-the-scenes when in camp, including huge sex orgies and parties.
London 2012 had claimed the title of “the raunchiest Games ever”, but the 150,000 condoms ordered paled in comparison to the 450,000 ordered for the Rio Games four years later.
Condoms have been laid on by organisers at every game since Seoul 1988, when it they were used to spread awareness of HIV and AIDS.
Even with an intimacy ban at Tokyo 2020 due to Covid-19, some 150,000 johnnies were handed out.
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