Aussie cyclist Anna Meares has announced her retirement from the sport. Meares has revealed some details of her difficult journey to Rio, where she was Australia's opening ceremony flag-bearer. She remains the only Australian athlete in any Olympic sport to win medals in individual events at four separate Olympic Games.
"Obviously a lot of people have been wondering where I'm going to go to post-Rio and with some time and reflection I've actually decided that I'm going to retire," Meares said in an interview with Chanel Nine.
Meares said she considered riding in the upcoming Gold Coast Commonwealth Games but decided not to push through injury to get there in 2018.
"Having looked back and seeing all the things that I have achieved and having assessed some of the injuries that I've had to manage heading into Rio -- most people aren't aware, you know, just to get to Rio I had six cortisone injection through my spine, had to train strapped for the six months leading into it," she said.
"And to achieve the things that I have, I feel satisfied and happy to step aside from the sport and try something new and different."
Meares should indeed be satisfied with her spectacular cycling career. But we'll let her tell you about her achievements:
Just wow.
The 33-year-old won bronze in the keirin event at the Rio Games, cementing her place in the history books. She has won six Olympic medals over her career, two of them gold, and smashed eight world records.
Meares became a symbol of courage when she recovered from a broken neck, sustained in an accident in Los Angeles in 2008, to win a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics in the same year.
Meares plans to stay involved with the sport as a mentor to young cyclists.