ROWING: Olympian Winckless announces retirement

Twice former world champion and 2004 Olympic medallist Sarah Winckless has announced her retirement from rowing.

The 35-year-old Marlow rower has become a popular figure in the sport and has competed with and against the best rowing has to offer.

However, unlike her Olympic teammate and fellow Marlow rower Katherine Grainger, Winckless has decided not to stay on for London 2012.

"I've had a wonderful time in the sport," she said. "I'm really proud of what I have achieved but I know in my heart that now is the time to go.

"I have put my life and soul into my sport and I've had some great highs because of it. Staying on for the London Olympic Games would have been a big attraction, but I hope to be able to stay in the sport and contribute in other ways."

GB Rowing performance director David Tanner paid tribute to Winckless, saying: "Sarah has played a huge part in the emergence of GB Women's rowing as a world force in the past ten years and can look
back with great pride on her Olympic medal in Athens and two world titles in 2005 and 2006."

Winckless took up rowing at Cambridge University before making her GB senior debut at the world championships in a women's eight in 1998, finishing eighth. She went on to take fourth place in the women's quadruple scull in 2002 and was 0.3 seconds off a medal in fourth place in the same boat in 2003.

In 2004, Winckless teamed up in a double scull with Elise Laverick and the duo produced a strong world cup season before going on to win Olympic bronze in Athens.

Winckless, who has worked part-time throughout much of her rowing career, has been a strong squad member often representing the needs of her fellow athletes as an athletes' representative. She was part of the BOA's committee which designed the 2008 Olympic kit to be more athlete friendly. Winckless has also been a charity campaigner to raise awareness and funds for those affected by Huntington's Disease.