From 3 to 5 December, World Aquatics hosted the inaugural “From Podiums to Possibilities” Athletes’ Career Summit, bringing together 18 elite athletes from all aquatic sports, including Olympic and World champions, for a three-day programme focused on career transition, personal development and life beyond competitive sport.
Moving on from elite sport can be challenging, as the structure, purpose and identity built over years of training do not disappear overnight. Recognising this, World Aquatics created a dedicated space to support athletes as they navigate the next stage of their careers, whether within aquatics or in new professional directions. The summit provided a safe environment for athletes to reflect openly, learn from peers and mentors, and explore new opportunities through panel discussions, breakout workshops and immersive activities. This included breakout sessions, panel discussions and a DiSC personality assessment led by World Aquatics HR Director Nicola Rogers, helping participants understand their behavioural strengths and how to leverage them in future roles.
Alongside Anthony Ervin, Olympic and World Swimming Champion, Master of Ceremony Ana Jelušić Black, a three-time Olympic Alpine skier, guided discussions, ensuring that the Summit balanced a celebration of achievements with practical support for what comes next.
Speakers and sessions
The summit brought together a group of distinguished speakers from sport, business and leadership including Coy Wire, former NFL safety and CNN sports anchor; Ivan Rakitić, former professional footballer, UEFA Foundation Trustee, and Technical Director at HNK Hajduk Split; Cameron van der Burgh, Olympic gold medallist swimmer and Hedge Fund Manager; Bill O’Brien, retired professional lacrosse player and entrepreneur; Claudio Gonzalez, Founder and CEO of EXCENSY Group, Mathias Padilla, Founder of AIM (EXCENSY Group) and Creative Director; Thomas Junod, Head of UEFA Academy; and Joël Pinson, UEFA Academy Programme and Management Expert.
Breakout sessions focused on Personal Branding, Building Your Network and Giving Back to Sport; Building Your Own Business; Exploring New Career Paths and Reimagining Identity, Values and Purpose Beyond Sport
The summit offered practical tools, mentorship and strategies to help athletes translate the skills developed in sport such as discipline, resilience and leadership into successful post-athletic careers.
Reflections from the Summit – participants
Swimmer and open water swimmer with over 30 major honours across Olympic, World and European Championships, Sharon van Rouwendaal, stated:
“I think the most beneficial thing to note was don’t do it all yourself … I would tell every athlete if there is another Summit where people want to help you for after your career, just do it.”
Three-time Olympian and trailblazing swimmer for Trinidad and Tobago Dylan Carter reflected:
“We have this culture in high performance where you have to be [totally focused] on your sport and that’s all you can do and … starting to think about your passions outside of the pool from an early age can be really beneficial.”
Spanish water polo legend Felipe Perrone shared:
“It was a great opportunity for us to discuss and to share our experiences and it was a super positive way to get together amongst all [aquatics] disciplines … talking with the other athletes and experts was amazing.”
Reflections from the Summit – speakers
Coy Wire noted;
“I’ve experienced firsthand what it’s like to transition from the field to a completely different career, and it can be challenging, but it’s also exciting. There’s so much opportunity, and the athletes I’ve spoken to during this summit are full of talent and insight that the world should hear, in whatever way they choose to share it.”
Ivan Rakitić commented;
“When you spend years in professional sport, it can feel like you live for the next competition, the next training session, the next challenge. Eventually, there comes a point when you have to ask yourself, ‘What’s next?’ It’s great to see World Aquatics supporting athletes through that journey … It’s been great to be a part of this!”
Bill O’Brien stated;
“Growing up balancing my Onondaga heritage with competitive sport taught me early that resilience is about knowing your purpose and staying true to it. Transitioning out of professional sport is never easy, but it’s also an opportunity to take what you’ve learned and apply it in new ways … At this summit, I hope I’ve given athletes some of the tools and perspectives I wish I had when I first retired.”
Cameron van der Burgh explained;
“Life after sport can feel uncertain, yet it’s also an opportunity to take the skills you’ve developed and apply them in ways that continue to challenge and fulfil you. As a former competitive swimmer, it’s especially rewarding to see World Aquatics supporting athletes so directly in this area … Fundamentally, once you’re part of the global aquatics community, that connection never goes away. That sense of belonging was strongly felt here at the summit.”
The “From Podiums to Possibilities” Summit represents an important moment in World Aquatics’ strategy to support athletes as they transition to life beyond the water. This step reflects the organisation’s understanding that the transition from elite sport is a critical stage in an athlete’s life. By offering mentorship, skill-building opportunities and a supportive network, World Aquatics is ensuring that athletes are equipped to navigate new challenges, build new careers they are inspired by and remain connected to the global aquatics community.