Triple Olympian-double champion rides last water polo wave

"Today is a bittersweet day as I officially retire from the sport of water polo. Eight-year-old me walked on to the Newport Harbor pool deck for the first time not knowing where the sport would take me and, 24 years later, I can confidently say it's taken me places and allowed me to experience things I never imagined possible," said Gilchrist.

"To the sport of water polo: Thank you for allowing me to love you as long as I have, and 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 team-mates, coaches, support staff, fans, my family: I can never thank you enough for making more than two decades in water polo truly incredible," she said.

"Kaleigh's water polo IQ and game sense is second to none. Seemingly always knowing where the ball needed to be, there were few that could match her vision in the pool. Combining that with a perfect mix of competitive spirit and light-heartedness, she has had a powerful impact on every athlete and staff member associated with our programme throughout her 11-year career with the national team," said USA head coach Adam Krikorian.

A dual-sport athlete almost her entire life, Gilchrist carved out a championship career in surfing. She won a national championship as a teenager and travelled the world with surfing icons. It wasn't until she arrived at the University of Southern California that water polo moved to the forefront. After winning an NCAA Championship with USC in 2013, Gilchrist was invited to train with the women's senior national team, but it had to wait because she had already booked a full surfing schedule.

One year later, she got her turn with Team USA, cementing herself as a key piece on one of the greatest teams to ever play the game. Her run with the red, white, and blue is extraordinary. After helping Team USA clinch a world championship title, the first of four she would win, Gilchrist made her Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro as the United States dominated the competition on the way to claiming the 2016 gold.

In 2017, her love for surfing called her back to the ocean, but it wasn't long before she capped up again to win World Cup gold in 2018. A second World Championship title followed in the summer of 2019.

Gwangju Tragedy

Then tragedy struck. Just hours after being awarded gold in South Korea, Gilchrist was seriously injured when a Gwangju nightclub collapsed. She underwent surgery and a gruelling rehab to return to competition more than four months later.

Although it required extra time to return to form, her perseverance was rewarded when she was named to the Tokyo Olympic roster after the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the Games for a year. Again, Team USA was on top of the world, earning another Olympic gold.

"I've personally learned to never doubt what she is capable of," Krikorian said. "She has defied the odds in so many ways. Her journey over the last five years in particular has been an awe-inspiring display of perseverance, discipline, and determination. Oftentimes putting in the work when no one was watching, she has been a leader of professionalism every step of the way. I know those skills will continue to shine brightly on to others and throughout the rest of her life."

Just when Gilchrist was confident that her water polo career had ended, she was lured back to the pool by her team-mates' and coaches' encouragement. More injuries and surgeries followed, but her relentless work ethic never ceased. She was part of two more World Championship-winning teams in 2022 and earlier this year in Doha, Qatar. She was then named to a third consecutive Olympic roster.

A winner at every level, Gilchrist won CIF and NCAA Championships, two Olympic gold medals, four World Championship titles, three World Cup crowns, and three Pan American Games tournaments.

A National Team exhibition match honouring Gilchrist will be announced at a later date. — courtesy USA Water Polo.