British long jumper Shara Proctor, who won world silver at Beijing 2015, has retired at the age of 33.
Proctor set the current British record of 7.07m on her way to silver in Beijing, but missed out on last year’s Olympics in Tokyo.
“This is a decision I have been thinking through for some time, and it is one I am blessed to feel truly happy and content with,” she said.
“I am happy now to finish, it is the perfect decision and time for me now.”
She said she was “so very happy” to have represented Great Britain after switching from competing for her native Anguilla in 2011.
The British overseas Territory does not have an Olympic team, with Anguilla’s athletes instead representing Great Britain on the biggest stage.
“In becoming part of the team I found a family, friends to compete with, train with, have breakfast with at championships!” she said.
“There has always been great camaraderie and the way they came together, I will always cherish those times.”
Proctor finished sixth at London 2012 after winning a World Indoor bronze earlier in the year.
She also picked up third-place finishes in the Commonwealth Games and European Championships in 2018.
Her nationality switch, and additions to the British team such as hurdler Tiffany Porter and long jumper Yamile Aldama, prompted a debate as to whether rules on representation were too lax.
“I was coined a plastic Brit along with other newcomers on the team,”Proctor told Loop Caribbean News last yearof some of the media commentary around her switch.
“They didn’t see us as British because we didn’t have the British accent, I don’t look British. I mean I’m black.
“There were other athletes who joined the team, who weren’t black, but they weren’t taunting them so I think it was also a race thing.”
– BBC News
