Australian athletics champion and former Little Athlete Sally Pearson has officially announced her retirement from athletics effective immediately.
"I have decided to retire from my sport of athletics. It's been a long 16 years, but also a fun and exciting 16 years," Pearson said
"It's come to the point where I believe my body won't be able to cope with the demands and the intensity of training and competition for me to be at the best that I believe that I should be, to be able to bring home more world championships, more Olympic gold medals for you all.
"As you know I'm a very competitive athlete, and I'm a perfectionist as well. And I don't think I'll be able to deliver at that high demand that I demand of myself."
"I would like to thank my family, friends, I'd also like to thank my sponsors, Adidas in particular who have been there from the very beginning, they've been very supportive of my career," Pearson said.
"And lastly I'd like to thank you guys - the fans. You have been there from the very beginning also, supporting me through the highs and the lows elite sport.
"You all know how tough it's been for me in the last few years with ongoing injuries, with hamstrings and Achilles, and we all know they're not fun, so I'd like to thank you for your support, and hopefully your ongoing support for the next phase of my life and career.
"It's going to be an exciting one. I feel happy in this decision that I've made."
Pearson said she still has "love" for the grind of training in her sport, however she simply could not push her body any further to produce at the level she is accustomed.
"I've got two Olympic medals, one of them being gold, two world championship gold medals as well as a silver medal, two Commonwealth Games gold medals and a bronze medal form a relay from my very first one in 2006," Pearson, self-coached since 2013, said.
"I've also got two indoor medals, one of them being gold as well. So I have had a very successful career, one that I can be most proud of and leaving my sport happy.
"Still loving my sport, still loving the training, still loving competing, but my body has decided that it's time to let it go and move on in a new direction."
Pearson said she wanted her legacy to be her "resilience and hard work ethic", qualities that have been undoubtedly proven in her results.
Sally began in Little Athletics at the age of 11 at Helensvale Little Athletics Centre in Queensland. Primarily a sprinter and hurdler, she was also a capable long and high jumper, and won a swathe of Little Athletics and primary school titles. Over 16 years, Sally has had an amazing sporting career and was inducted into the Little Athletics Australia Roll of Excellence in 2013.
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