Grant Hackett has won seven Olympic medals over more than a decade of swimming.
But at the recent Australian swimmer of the year awards he officially called an end to his time in the pool.
"I knew I was swimming really well, it's the best swimming I'd done in seven years this particular season, so that (continuing) did cross my mind," he said.
"My wife said to me I'll support you 110 per cent if that's what it takes and that's what you want to do.
"At one stage I questioned London, even though I thought that was a definite no-no."
According to ABC News:
"The decision to retire was made shortly after the Beijing Games in August, but Hackett says being in top form made it difficult for him to rule out competing in future events.
Hackett's rise to world dominance began when he knocked off Kieran Perkins at the pinnacle of 1500m swimming, and Perkins says while he is surprised, he can understand the decision.v Twenty-eight-year-old Hackett had already declared this year's Beijing Games would be his last Olympics, after his heartbreaking loss of a third consecutive 1,500 metres freestyle crown by less than a second."