Sarah Stevenson retires from Taekwondo

I've known in my heart it's what I have wanted to do for a while.

But I held off in case I missed competition and wanted to go back.

I felt this way after Beijing 2008 and thought 'I am going to stop.'

When I did, I missed it so I didn't want to make the same mistake again.

However, this time I didn't miss it and I am glad I don't have to fight again. I have done enough and didn't want to put my body through anymore.

I've had a very tough couple of years, losing my mum and dad, and then suffering my knee injury last year.

But there have been plenty of highs and plenty of firsts.

Becoming senior world champion at 18 was a stepping stone for our sport to enable us to start getting funding.

Winning the first Olympic medal for taekwondo in Beijing was another big one.

And then to top it off, becoming world champion again in 2011 through such traumatic circumstances, was very special.

I am excited to finally say I am retiring but it doesn't mean I have lost my love for the sport.

I haven't lost my determination to be the best and to win. So, I am delighted I have been accepted onto the coaching team so I can help put that into the athletes we have now and the next generation.