 Karen Legg won five medals in the 2002 Commonwealth Games |
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Karen Legg has announced she will retire from swimming after the Dorset County Championships this weekend. She enjoyed a seven-year international career, winning five medals in Manchester in 2002, including one gold.
The 26-year-old had a disappointing Olympics in Athens and admitted training was getting harder.
"If you are not happy with what you're doing, you have to do something about it," she said.
"I took four months off after Athens, then decided to give it one more go to try to get to the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne next year.
"I've trained hard since the new year, and done some good times and tried to enjoy it, but in my heart I knew it wasn't like it used to be and that I didn't have the drive I had years ago," she said.
Legg also won two medals at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in 1998 and giving it all up will be difficult for her.
"I'm really upset about it.
"It's going to leave a big gap in my life, like getting a divorce or ending a relationship," she said.
"But even if I went to Melbourne, I can't see myself beating what I did in Manchester."
MMIX
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