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Wiltshire Olympic hero Kate French has announced her retirement from modern pentathlon.
French, who was born in Kent but is now based in Wiltshire, won Olympic gold in the event at the 2021 Tokyo Games.
She also won five world championship medals and six European gold medals during her career.
Alongside his Olympic triumph, French won the World Cup title in 2021 on his way to ranking number one in the world.
After an 18-month break from the sport, the 33-year-old returned to competition last summer at the Paris Games, but had to withdraw on the final day due to illness.
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In an Instagram post, French said: “After 17 incredible years, it’s time to say goodbye to life as a professional athlete.
“This sport has taught me so much, and I leave with a heart full of happiness and a head full of wonderful memories.
“There were a lot of ups and downs, but it was an incredible journey and honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing.”
After joining the British Pathway program in 2007, French was part of the team that won the world junior title in 2010 before winning his first senior world gold medal in the team squad in 2013.
She finished fifth in her first Olympics at Rio 2016, then struck gold in Tokyo five years later, becoming the first British woman to win the Olympic title since Steph Cook in 2000.
French swam a personal best in the 200m freestyle on her way to winning gold and set a new Olympic record for the highest points total in the laser race as she finished more than 15 seconds behind advances on his nearest opponent.
She took a break from the sport after becoming an Olympic champion and only competed twice in 2022, before returning in 2023 to prepare for the Paris Games.
French was awarded an MBE in the 2022 New Year Honors List for his services to modern pentathlon.
Jamie Cooke, Pentathlon GB performance manager, said: “On a performance side, Kate has dominated the sport, and on a personal side, she continues to inspire as she has.”
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