The Scottish star announces her retirement from the sport
Lynsey Sharp, the former European 800m champion and Olympic finalist, has decided to hang up her spikes and retire from professional athletics. The 33-year-old Scot made the announcement on her social media accounts, saying she has “given it everything I’m willing to give; mentally, physically and financially”.
Sharp, who has broken the two-minute barrier 35 times in her career, said she was proud of her achievements and thanked her family, coaches, teammates and fans for their support. She also expressed her gratitude to the sport for giving her “so many opportunities and experiences”.
Sharp’s career highlights include winning the 800m gold medal at the 2012 European Championships in Helsinki, and the silver medal at the 2014 edition in Zurich. She also finished sixth in the 800m final at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and represented Great Britain at three World Championships and two Commonwealth Games.
A comeback story cut short by the pandemic
Sharp’s retirement comes after a challenging period in her life, both personally and professionally. In 2019, she underwent surgery to remove cancerous cells, and in 2021, she gave birth to her son, Oscar, with her partner and fellow Olympian Andrew Butchart.
She made a remarkable comeback to the track in 2023, after more than three years away from competition. She ran her season’s best of 2:03.59 in Copenhagen in June, and competed at the British Milers Club meet in Belfast in July, where she finished third in her race.
However, she missed out on qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics, and the global pandemic also disrupted her plans to continue racing in Europe. She said she was “gutted” to miss the opportunity to compete at the highest level again, but added that she was “at peace” with her decision to retire.
A role model and an inspiration for many
Sharp’s retirement has been met with an outpouring of tributes and messages from her fellow athletes, coaches and fans. Many praised her for her courage, resilience and determination, and for being a role model and an inspiration for many young runners.
Among those who congratulated her on her career were her former rivals Caster Semenya and Francine Niyonsaba, who have been barred from competing in the 800m due to the controversial testosterone rules imposed by World Athletics. They both expressed their respect and admiration for Sharp, and wished her well for the future.
Sharp said she was looking forward to spending more time with her family, and exploring new opportunities and challenges. She also said she would remain involved in the sport in some capacity, and hoped to inspire the next generation of athletes.
