Athletics will forever have Eilidh Doyle’s heart, according to the Olympic medallist, after she announced her retirement from the sport which has given her “so many amazing memories”.
The 34-year-old Scot was part of Team GB’s bronze medal-winning 4x400m relay team at the Rio Olympics in 2016, having also represented Great Britain at London 2012.
Scottish record holder for the 400m hurdles and indoor 400m, Doyle was also European 400m hurdles champion in 2014 and a three-time Commonwealth silver medallist.
But having given birth to her first child, Campbell, in January 2020, she has now chosen to hang up her spikes in order to spend more time with her husband and their young son.
“I remember so clearly being nine years old and joining Pitreavie Athletics Club as a bit of fun,” she said. “Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined where the sport would take me over the next 25 years.
“Not all of it has been easy but my love for athletics has always been constant and still remains so to this day. Athletics has all my heart, focus and love but today I announce my retirement as a competitive athlete.
“I take with me so many amazing memories but, most importantly, I step away happy in the knowledge that this is the right time for me to go.
“I’m not saying it was an easy decision to make, but it was the right one and I am grateful I got to choose when it happened. The sport has brought me so much more than just medals.
“I have made lifelong friends, experienced incredible atmospheres, made history and even met my husband because of it. Now we have our wee boy, Campbell, and so much more to look forward to as a family.”
In addition to her Olympic bronze, Doyle’s relay honours also include World Championship silver medals in 2013 and 2017 while she was a solo world indoor bronze medallist over 400m in 2018.
Her last major medal came on home soil at the 2019 European Athletics Indoor Championships where she was part of the silver-medal winning team in the women’s 4x400m relay.
“I do find it fitting however that my last international competition was winning a silver medal in front of a home crowd in Glasgow,” she added. "Athletics will always hold a special place in my heart and now I get to enjoy it from the other side as a fan.
“I have so many people I need to thank, who have been part of my journey, and over the next couple of weeks I hope to be able to thank you all personally.
“To everyone who has supported me and cheered me on over the years, I am so grateful to you all. I would like to give special thanks however to those who were there at the very beginning and introduced me to the sport I love, my mum, my dad, my big sisters and my big brother.
“Finally, I say thank you to Brian, not only for being my coach, my soft tissue therapist, for looking after the dog when I was travelling the world and, more recently, for looking after Campbell to let me train, but for being my supporter, challenger and for showing me how easy it was to pursue my dreams.
“What an adventure it has been and now I look forward to the next one, whatever it may be.”