Livingston-born short track speed skater Elise Christie has announced her retirement from the sport.
The 31-year-old made the decision just a fortnight after suggesting an ankle injury had put paid to her hopes of competing at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
Christie, who spent most of her glittering career based in Nottingham, racked up over 70 medals at world and European competitions but suffered agonising disappointment at consecutive Winter Olympics.
In 2014 in Sochi, Russia she was disqualified from all three events before suffering two disqualifications and a crash four years later.
The highlight of Christie’s illustrious career arguably arrived at the World Championships in 2017.
There, she became the first British and European woman to win the overall gold as well as adding the 1000m and 1500m titles.
In an emotional social media post, the former St Margaret’s Academy pupil said she ‘changed the sport in this country’ before saying ‘I’m sorry I let you all down’.
She also hinted at a new role within sport as she calls time on her career.
She said: “I’ve been putting this off.
“I will have a lot to say and I know a lot of people with have a lot of questions… but for now it’s time to announce my retirement from short track speed skating.
“This won’t be the last you’ll see of me in sport, but I’m taking a new venture down a different path.
“Part of my heart will always be missing because I never achieved my end goal. But I leave this sport knowing it’s left in good hands, with skaters capable of doing what I didn’t.
“I changed this sport in this country, I defied odds, never made excuses for having less than my opponents, and I walk away with over 70 World Cup/European and world championship medals, and a fourth place at the Olympics...Only three of those medals are in team events. I also broke a world record.”
She added: “I am not a decorated Olympian but I am a decorated athlete.
“I’m sorry I let you all down, and I’m so thankful to so many people...especially UK Sport who stuck by me my entire career.
“For now I’ll be focusing on helping the rest of the team and getting into coaching...I won’t reveal for now my sporting plans for 2026, but the Olympic medal dream isn’t over.
Lots of love everyone.”
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