Ned Denison, chairperson of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (@imshofame), announced Aurélie Muller of France as an Honor Swimmer in its Class of 2025.

After setting three championship records in the 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle at the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Brazil in 2006 as an emerging 16-year-old, Muller (c) then set off on her open water swimming career.

In her first major international event, the 17-year-old got on the podium, finishing third in her inaugural 15 km FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix in 2007 in Mexico. An astonishing 16 years later as a 33-year-old, she is still finishing in the top pack in professional marathon swims.

Along the way, Muller has won 18 championship medals over the course of her career: 18 gold + 7 silver + 3 bronze.

She has faced hardships and disappointments along the way, most famously, a disqualification on the last stroke of the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim in Rio de Janeiro that would have given her an Olympic medal, but she has always managed to retain her love for training and competing. Most recently, she was the protagonist of a documentary film about her journey, titled Refaire surface. The English translation of the film title means to “come back up” or “get back on top of things” – which Muller has done time and time again.

She is also an open water swimming commentator for French TV where she shares her vast array of insights and experiences with French audiences and fans.

“What I found so refreshing and admirable in Aurélie is how she bounces back,” says Steven Munatones. “Her passion burns so deeply for swimming. After her disqualification in the Rio de Janeiro Olympic marathon swim, she could have simply retired and felt sorry for herself. But she picked herself back up and entered the longest swim of her career, the 57 km Maratón Acuática Internacional Santa Fe – Coronda. This was not her speciality, but six months after receiving that red card in Copacabana beach, she found herself competing in the 57 km race down the Coronda River in Argentina, finishing on the podium in 9 hours 5 minutes.

Her recovery was unprecedented. That red card prompted her to compete in the 57 km race and later that same year, she won the FINA World Championship 10 km title in Hungary. She also earned a silver medal in the 5 km, took a gold in the 5 km team event, and finished 8th in the 25 km race. Then, she carried on and won the greatest prize money at the FINA 10K Marathon Swimming World Cup in Abu Dhabi.

She competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2016, but she was also very busy at the World Championships, always competing in multiple events from the 5 km solo and mixed team relay as well as the 10 km and 25 km races.

She is a special athlete with an English-language tattoo imprinted on her foot, “chase your dreams”.

That she has done and will continue doing.

Her career – both in the open water, in the pool, and on dryland on television and the big screen continues.

• In 2006, she had won both 400m and 1500m freestyle events at the European Junior Championships in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
• In 2006, she set three championship records in the 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle at the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Brazil in 2006 as a 16-year-old.
• She finished 3rd in the 15 km FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix in 2007 in Mexico at the age of 17.
• She finished 20th in the 10 km race at the 2007 FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup in Mexico.
• She finished 2nd in the 2008 FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup in the UAE at the age of 17.
• She finished 9th in the 2008 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships in the Sevilla, Spain at the age of 17, qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Olympic 10K Marathon Swim.
• She finished 21st in the 2008 Olympic 10K Marathon Swim in Beijing at the age of 18.
• She finished 41st in the 2009 FINA World Championships in Italy at the age of 19.
• She finished 8th in the 2009 FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup in the UAE at the age of 19.
• She finished 26th in the 2009 FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup in the UAE at the age of 19.
• She was disqualified in the 2009 FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup in Canada at the age of 20.
• She finished 6th in the 5 km 2009 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships in Canada at the age of 20.
• She finished 4th in the 5 km 2010 European Championships in Hungary at the age of 20.
• She finished 2nd in the 2010 FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup in the UAE at the age of 20.
• She finished 2nd in the 5 km at the 2011 FINA World Championships in Shanghai, China at the age of 21.
• She finished 6th in the 10 km at the 2011 FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup in Hong Kong at the age of 21.
• She finished 4th in the 10 km at the 2012 FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup in Mexico at the age of 21.
• In 2012, Muller missed qualifying for the 2012 London Olympic Games in the 800m freestyle.
• She finished 9th in the 5 km at the 2013 FINA World Championships in Barcelona at the age of 23.
• She finished 7th in the 5 km mixed team at the 2013 FINA World Championships in Barcelona at the age of 23.
• She finished 4th in the 2014 FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup in Argentina at the age of 23.
• She finished 15th in the 2014 FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup in Portugal at the age of 24.
• She finished 4th in the 2014 European Championships in Germany at the age of 24.
• She finished 6th in the 2014 European Championships in Germany at the age of 24.
• She won the 2015 FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup in France at the age of 24.
• She won the 10 km at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Russia at the age of 25, thereby qualifying first for the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
• She finished 11th in the 5 km mixed relay at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Russia at the age of 25.
• She finished 4th in the 25 km at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Russia at the age of 25.
• She won the 10 km at the 2015 LEN Open Water Cup in Portugal at the age of 25.
• She was named the 2015 Swimming World Magazine Female Open Water Swimmer of the Year and the 2015 LEN Open Water Swimmer of the Year.
• She won the 10 km at the 2016 FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup in the UAE at the age of 25.
• She tied Rachele Bruni for the gold medal in the 10 km marathon swim at the 2016 European Open Water Swimming Championships.
• She was disqualified in the 10 km at the 2016 Olympic 10K Marathon Swim in Rio de Janeiro at the age of 25 on the last arm stroke of the race.
• She finished 3rd in the 57 km at the 2017 FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix (57 km Maratón Acuática Internacional Santa Fe – Coronda) in 9 hours 5 minutes in Argentina at the age of 26.
• She won the 2017 FINA 10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup in the UAE at the age of 26.
• She won the 2017 FINA World Championships 10 km race in Lake Balaton, Hungary at the age of 27.
• She won the 5 km mixed relay at the 2017 FINA World Championships in Lake Balaton, Hungary at the age of 27 with David Aubry, Oceane Cassignol, and Marc-Antoine Olivier.
• She finished 2nd in the 5 km at the 2017 FINA World Championships in Lake Balaton, Hungary at the age of 27.
• She finished 8th in the 25 km at the 2017 FINA World Championships in Hungary at the age of 27 in 5 hours 28 minutes 25 seconds.
• She was named Swimming World Magazine’s Open Water Swimmer of the Year for 2017.
• She finished 3rd in the 10 km at the 2018 LEN Open Water Cup in Spain at the age of 28.
• She finished 5th in the 10 km at the 2018 FINA Marathon Swimming World Series in the UAE at the age of 28.
• She won the 5 km race at the Tahiti Swimming Experience in Tahiti on 5 December 2018.
• She finished 2nd in the 10 km 2019 LEN Open Water Cup in Eilat, Israel at the age of 28.
• She finished 5th in the 10 km 2019 FINA Marathon Swim World Series in Seychelles at the age of 28.
• She finished 4th in the 10 km 2019 LEN Open Water Cup in Lac du Causse, Brive, France at the age of 28.
• She finished 11th in the 10 km 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju, Korea at the age of 29.
• She finished 2nd in the 5 km 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju, Korea at the age of 29.
• She finished 6th in the 5 km mixed relay 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju, Korea at the age of 29.
• She finished 25th in the 10 km 2021 FINA Marathon Swim World Series in Qatar at the age of 30.
• She finished 8th in the 10 km 2021 LEN Open Water Cup in Italy at the age of 31.
• She finished 18th in the 10 km 2022 LEN Open Water Cup in Eilat, Israel at the age of 31.
• She finished 7th in the 10 km 2022 LEN Open Water Cup in Italy at the age of 31.
• She finished 4th in the 6 km mixed relay 2022 FINA World Championships in Lake Lupa, Budapest, Hungary at the age of 32.
• She finished 4th in the 10 km at the 2022 FINA World Championships in Lake Lupa, Budapest, Hungary at the age of 32.
• She finished 2nd in the 5 km at the 2022 FINA World Championships in Lake Lupa, Budapest, Hungary at the age of 32.
• She finished 18th in the 10 km at the 2022 FINA Marathon Swim World Series in France at the age of 32.
• She finished 5th in the 6 km mixed relay at the 2022 FINA Marathon Swim World Series in France at the age of 32.
• She won the 10 km at the 2022 LEN Open Water Cup in Belgrade, Serbia at the age of 32.
• She finished 6th the 5 km at the 2022 European Championships in Italy at the age of 32.
• She finished 3rd the 5 km mixed relay at the 2022 European Championships in Italy at the age of 32.
• She finished 9th the 10 km at the 2022 European Championships in Italy at the age of 32.
• She won the 6 km mixed relay at the 2022 FINA Marathon Swim World Series in Israel at the age of 32.
• On 1 April 2022, she finished 4th in the USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships 10 km in Fort Myers, Florida.
• She finished 4th in the 10 km at the 2022 FINA Marathon Swim World Series in Israel at the age of 32.
• On 3 April 2022, she won the USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships 5 km in Fort Myers, Florida.
• She finished 4th in the 10 km at the 2023 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Egypt at the age of 32.
• She finished 2nd in the 6 km mixed relay at the 2023 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Egypt at the age of 32.
• She finished 7th in the 10 km at the 2023 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Italy at the age of 32.
• She finished 6th in the 6 km mixed relay at the 2023 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Italy at the age of 32.
• She finished 7th in the 5 km at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan at the age of 33.
• She finished 5th in the 6 km mixed relay at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan at the age of 33.
• She finished 34th in the 6 km mixed relay at the 2023 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Portugal at the age of 33.
• She finished 4th in the 10 km at the 2024 LEN Cup in Israel at the age of 33.

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