Scotland’s Eilidh Doyle announces her retirement from athletics at age 34.
The Scot gave birth to her first child, son Campbell, in January 2020 and had planned to return to the track.
However, she has now chosen to “step away happy in the knowledge that this is the right time for me to go”.
Doyle’s host of honours include a bronze medal in the 4x400m relay at Rio 2016 and being crowned European 400m hurdles champion in 2014.
Announcing her retirementexternal-link on social media, she wrote: “I remember so clearly being nine years old and joining Pitreavie Athletics Club as a bit of fun. Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined where the sport would take me over the next 25 years.
“Not all of it has been easy but my love for athletics has always been constant and still remains so to this day.
“I take with me so many amazing memories but, most importantly, I step away happy in the knowledge that this is the right time for me to go. I’m not saying it was an easy decision to make, but it was the right one and I am grateful I got to choose when it happened.
“The sport has brought me so much more than just medals. I have made lifelong friends, experienced incredible atmospheres, made history and even met my husband because of it.
“I do find it fitting that my last international competition was winning a silver medal in front of a home crowd in Glasgow.”
Doyle was a World Indoor bronze medallist over 400m in 2018 and has a European Indoor silver medal in the same event from 2013.
She has three 400m hurdles silver medals from the Commonwealth Games in 2010, 2014 and 2018 and was chosen to captain Scotland in front of a home crowd at Glasgow 2014.
Her other 4x400m relay successes with Great Britain include three World Championships medals (two silver, one bronze), three European medals (one gold, two bronze), one World Indoor bronze and three more European Indoor podium finishes (one gold, two silver).
Mark Pollard, Scottish Athletics’ head of performance, thanked Doyle for a “massive contribution” to the sport.
“She’s a classic example of a youngster coming through the club system at Pitreavie AAC and then stepping up the levels and making it to the top of her sport,” said Pollard.
“A huge feature of Eilidh’s career has been her ability to maximise her talent thanks to hard work and dedication.
“We would very much hope she won’t be lost to the sport. Eilidh already has some background roles – with Scottish Athletics and Athletics Trust Scotland – and I am certain in the coming months we will explore other possibilities.
“She has so much experience and knowledge to pass on and we would love to tap into that to help the next generation follow in her footsteps.’