Quote

The decision to retire was quite an easy one for me because by that stage my knees were so badly gone. If I had been like Martina Navratilova and my body had let me I would have carried on playing a lot longer.

I retired because I had a knee injury, my cartilage was wearing out, it was painful and I couldn't put in the four hours of practice each day that I needed to.

In some ways the ACL tear was a blessing. I had hesitated to return to elite gymnastics after the 2008 Olympics. I told myself I had already accomplished so much, and the road was just going to get harder if I continued.

Up to nineteen seventy six when I quit gymnastics I was very, disappointed because I didn't have anything which is, live with. I didn't have a friend so I didn't have a coach anymore.

I loved gymnastics. I was eager to compete. I was hungry to go out there and be the best in the world, and I had that determination.

'm so fortunate to have done what I love to do for so long, but the day I retired was one of the best days of my life. Not because I was happy to get away from the sport, but because it was clear in my mind that I had done all I possibly could, and that it was time to go.

After 13 years of hard landings in gymnastics, one ski run had delivered the biggest injury of my career.

I worked hard in gymnastics since the time I was six years old until I retired at 23 years of age.

I didn't make enough money in my sport to retire.

I don't regret the decision to retire. My body was losing its edge. I was taking longer to recover from injuries. You have to get out at some point.