Selston swimming star Molly Renshaw calls time on her career at 26

The triple European champion has called time on her elite swimming career, which spanned more than a decade and saw the Loughborough Performance Centre athlete earn multiple major medals and compete at two Olympic Games.

“It's really sad to let the sport go, but I think it's the right time for me,” she said.

“I have to be a little selfish and move on with my life. I never really dreamed of achieving this much in the sport - to have gone to two Olympics and numerous World Championships, European Championships and Commonwealth Games, it's just been an absolute dream. I'm now really excited for the next chapter of my life now, whatever that holds, something completely different and to be out of the water for a bit!”

Molly’s senior international debut came in Shanghai at the 2011 World Championships, when she competed in the 200m Breaststroke event, aged only 15 years old.

Although that breakthrough meet was followed up by her narrowly missing out on London 2012, she went on to claim her maiden senior international medals for Team England at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, winning 200m Breaststroke bronze and silver in the Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay.

Renshaw praised the team at the British Swimming Performance Centre, Loughborough as well as a host of other people in her support network.

“I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years. I have had the best support network I could ever have dreamed of at Loughborough,” she said.

“Obviously a massive thank you to Dave, my coach, he has coached me for the past six years, and to everyone else - whether that is physios, strength and conditioning, sports analysis team.

"Everyone has, in some kind of way, been a contribution to my career and my success, and I definitely wouldn't be where I am without them.

“I want to say a massive thank you to my family and friends. My family are the reason I am where I am today. I am so grateful that, over the past 10 years, I've had an amazing network and such amazing facilities.”​​​​​​​