Olympic champ Trickett retires

Triple Olympic champion Libby Trickett retired from competitive swimming at the age of 24 yesterday, giving up her chance of competing at the 2012 London Games.

Trickett's retirement had been signalled after she took a break from training following this year's World Championships in Rome, where she failed to win a gold medal.

"I sincerely believe I left at a great point for me," Trickett told reporters in Sydney.

"I don't feel like I was getting slower and don't feel like I was getting any less competitive at all.

"I'm retiring on my own terms. I'm not being forced to."

The Australian, who had won a silver and two bronze medals in Rome and refused to use the new polyurethane swimsuits that will be outlawed from next year, considered quitting immediately following the championships.

She decided, however, to take some time away from the pool to make a considered decision before giving up the chance to win Olympic gold in her favourite 100 metres freestyle in London.

Trickett won three Olympic gold medals, one at Athens in 2004 and two more at Beijing last year, as well as eight world championship gold medals, including a record five titles in Melbourne in 2007.