[candyfloss2000]

Lol.

[jra]

And. What is she going to do now.

[Sammi_Roberts]

Adverts, marketing, Sports presenter. Why not.

[rbdcay]

Originally Posted by jra

And. What is she going to do now.

Could be a coach for the next Olympic team I suspect.

[Glyn W]

Originally Posted by jra

And. What is she going to do now.

Strictly Come Dancing.

[annette kurten]

from what? whoever she is, why shouldn`t she?

[TrollHunter]

She's retired from swimming, not from working. She's no longer in her prime so doesn't consider herself able to compete at the highest level. Not sure what your 'lol' is really about?

[candyfloss2000]

Originally Posted by TrollHunter

She's retired from swimming, not from working. She's no longer in her prime so doesn't consider herself able to compete at the highest level. Not sure what your 'lol' is really about?

in your prime before 23? Suggests you were never in your prime if you manage two olympics and then retire. Strikes me as strange. Micheal Phelps kept going for longer and actually kept winning. It just strikes me as a cop out.

[treme]

She'll have some porpoiseful career no doubt.

[annette kurten]

Originally Posted by candyfloss2000

in your prime before 23? Suggests you were never in your prime if you manage two olympics and then retire. Strikes me as strange. Micheal Phelps kept going for longer and actually kept winning. It just strikes me as a cop out.

cop out of what?

[elliecat]

Originally Posted by candyfloss2000

in your prime before 23? Suggests you were never in your prime if you manage two olympics and then retire. Strikes me as strange. Micheal Phelps kept going for longer and actually kept winning. It just strikes me as a cop out.

I think the same. I think she actually thought after Beijing that she was going to get Gold in London and when she only managed Bronze she realised she wasn't up to the same standards as the USA or Chinese swimmers and has quit to save face.

[candyfloss2000]

Originally Posted by elliecat

I think the same. I think she actually thought after Beijing that she was going to get Gold in London and when she only managed Bronze she realised she wasn't up to the same standards as the USA or Chinese swimmers and has quit to save face.

sad but true

[Frood]

Originally Posted by candyfloss2000

in your prime before 23? Suggests you were never in your prime if you manage two olympics and then retire. Strikes me as strange. Micheal Phelps kept going for longer and actually kept winning. It just strikes me as a cop out.

In most cases female swimmers reach the top earlier and fade earlier.

And anyone calling it a 'cop out' has, I suspect, absolutely no concept of the effort and dedication (to add to exceptional ability) required to compete in top level sport.

Well done Rebecca, and good luck in the future.

[Gordon Clown]

If she has the money to retire, good for her.

I wish I could retire at 23.

[KidMoe]

Originally Posted by elliecat

I think the same. I think she actually thought after Beijing that she was going to get Gold in London and when she only managed Bronze she realised she wasn't up to the same standards as the USA or Chinese swimmers and has quit to save face.

I think you probably don't know what you are talking about.

[Spider Rico]

Swimming is an incredibly tough, gruelling sport. If she feels she can't compete at the very top any more, that's her choice. Ian Thorpe retired when he had just turned 24, so there's no shame in it.

[lemoncurd]

She must have a good pension scheme!

[elliecat]

Originally Posted by Frood

In most cases female swimmers reach the top earlier and fade earlier.

And anyone calling it a 'cop out' has, I suspect, absolutely no concept of the effort and dedication (to add to exceptional ability) required to compete in top level sport.

Well done Rebecca, and good luck in the future.

Sharron Davies was a competitive swimmer for much longer than Rebecca Addlington. Addlington in my opinion is not as good as everyone makes out.

[TeeGee]

Two gold medals is two more than most competitors can even dream about. She is retiring from competitive swimming not life. Anyone for instance recall Duncan Goodhew...?

[premixxed]

I peaked at eighteen too.

Is it physical? Or too much too fast (financially)

Shoot me down but she seemed more interested in shoes over swimming after Beijing.

Katie Ledecky will leave the real legacy.

Two golds though, brilliant, should have been more.

Think I'll look at Frankie Boyles tweets as to why she has retired.

I don't want the news spoon fed to me.

[TrollHunter]

Originally Posted by elliecat

I think the same. I think she actually thought after Beijing that she was going to get Gold in London and when she only managed Bronze she realised she wasn't up to the same standards as the USA or Chinese swimmers and has quit to save face.

Aka, is past her prime. She can't compete with the elite any more so rather than carry on investing a huge amount of time and effort being an also ran, retire as an Olympic medal winner rather than fail to achieve the levels reached at her peak.

Better to go out on top (albeit with a bronze rather than a gold) than desperately trying to cling onto past glories.

Alternatively she could try training harder, use a different coach, tweak her diet to try and be competitive on the world stage again, but perhaps she's already done that and realised her best isn't good enough any more.

I'd love to have been in her situation - be able to retire at only 23 being a World and Olympic champion.

I wish her success in whatever she chooses to do with the rest of her life.

[Spider Rico]

Originally Posted by elliecat

Sharron Davies was a competitive swimmer for much longer than Rebecca Addlington. Addlington in my opinion is not as good as everyone makes out.

How many Olympic gold medals did Sharron Davies win?

Rebecca won 2 at the same games. Not bad, if you ask me

[Frood]

Originally Posted by elliecat

Sharron Davies was a competitive swimmer for much longer than Rebecca Addlington. Addlington in my opinion is not as good as everyone makes out.

Davies retired in 1980 (aged 18) - then had a brief comeback a few years later.

Adlington broke one of the great world records - and still holds it. She's every but as good as experts reckon.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Originally Posted by candyfloss2000

in your prime before 23? Suggests you were never in your prime if you manage two olympics and then retire. Strikes me as strange. Micheal Phelps kept going for longer and actually kept winning. It just strikes me as a cop out.

Perhaps she'd like to 'have a life' - she's got to 23 without ever having one.

[OhWhenTheSaints]

I thought this said "dies" when I first looked at it!