Kaleigh Gilchristtwo-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion, has announced her retirement from the United States women’s national water polo team. The three-time Olympian, originally from Newport Beach, California, will end her illustrious career after the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

“Today is a bittersweet day as I officially retire from the sport of water polo. When I first stepped onto the pool deck at Newport Harbor as an eight-year-old, I didn’t know where the sport would take me, and 24 years later, I can safely say it has taken me places and allowed me to experience things I never thought possible,” Gilchrist said. “To the sport of water polo: thank you for letting me love you for so long, and for loving me in moments when I didn’t love you back. You allowed me to be a part of something so much bigger than myself. To my teammates, coaches, support staff, fans, my family: I can never thank you enough for making more than two decades of water polo truly incredible,” she added. Gilchrist shared more about her retirement in this Instagram post today.

“Kaleigh’s water polo IQ and game sense are unmatched. She always seemed to know where to put the ball, and there were few who could hold a candle to her in the pool. Combined with a perfect blend of competitive spirit and lightheartedness, she had a strong influence on every athlete and staff member associated with our program during her 11-year career with the national team,” said the US head coach. Adam Krikorian.

Gilchrist has been an athlete in both sports for most of her life and has had a master’s career in surfing, winning a national championship as a teenager and traveling the world with surfing icons. It wasn’t until she got to the University of Southern California that water polo came to the fore. After winning an NCAA championship with USC in 2013, Gilchrist was invited to train with the national women’s team, but that had to wait as she already had a busy surfing schedule.

A year later, it was her turn to make the U.S. team, establishing herself as a key figure on one of the best teams to ever play surfing. Her run with the red, white and blue is extraordinary. After helping the U.S. team to the world championship title, the first of four they would win, Gilchrist made her Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro as the U.S. dominated the competition and took gold in 2016. In 2017, her love of surfing drew her back to the ocean, but it wasn’t long before she was competing again, taking world championship gold in 2018. A second world title followed in the summer of 2019. Then fate struck. Just hours after winning gold in South Korea, Gilchrist was seriously injured in the collapse of a nightclub in Gwangju. She underwent surgery and grueling rehab before being able to compete again more than four months later. Although it took her a little longer to get back into shape, her perseverance was rewarded when she was named to the Tokyo Olympic roster after the games were postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Once again, Team USA was at the top of the world rankings and once again took home Olympic gold.

“Personally, I have learned to never doubt her abilities,” Krikorian added. “She has overcome adversity in many ways. Her journey over the past five years in particular has been an impressive display of perseverance, discipline and determination. She has often worked even when no one was watching and has been a leader with professionalism every step of the way. I know these skills will continue to shine on others and for the rest of her life.”

Just when Gilchrist was sure her water polo career was over, she was lured back into the pool by the encouragement of her teammates and coaches. More injuries and surgeries followed, but her tireless work ethic never waned. She was part of two more World Championship teams in 2022 and earlier this year in Doha, Qatar. Then she was named to the Olympic squad for the third year in a row.

Gilchrist was a winner at every level, winning CIF and NCAA championships, two Olympic gold medals, four world championship titles, three World Cup victories and three Pan American Games tournaments.

A national team exhibition match in honor of Gilchrist will be announced at a later date.

About USA Water Polo
USA Water Polo, Inc. is the national governing body for water polo in the Americas and oversees our U.S. Olympic program as well as 20 championship events each year, such as the Junior Olympics and the Masters National Championships. With more than 50,000 members, USAWP is also the sanctioning authority for more than 500 member clubs and more than 400 tournaments across the country. USAWP is committed to developing the sport throughout the United States, promoting grassroots growth and providing a national system of affiliated clubs, certified coaches and officials.