Australia’s track cycling queen Anna Meares announced her retirement yesterday, two months after grabbing her sixth Olympic medal to cap a career defined by courage and sacrifice.

The twice Olympic champion, who won 11 world titles and bore her nation’s flag at Rio, mulled bowing out at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in her home state of Queensland but said the physical toll extracted by 22 years of competition had helped make up her mind.

Meares revealed she had taken six cortisone injections in her spine just to get to Rio where she struggled in the defence of her sprint title but took the keirin bronze.

“Having had to change tack for six months leading into it and to achieve the things I have, I feel satisfied and happy to step aside from the sport and try something new and different,” the 33-year-old told Australian broadcaster Channel Nine.

“I have been able to achieve so many wonderful things, more than most. I am the most successful for women in my sport in the field.”