Eilidh Doyle content to retire from athletics on her own terms

In a statement released through social media on Wednesday, Eilidh confirmed that her 25 years as a competitive athlete would be coming to an end.

The 34-year-old double Olympian, who started out her career as a nine-year-old at Pitreavie AC in Dunfermline, said that “never in her wildest dreams” would the sport take her to the places she’s been in the years since.

She reached the very peak of the sport as part of Scottish and Great British squads, collecting 17 major international medals.

There were three silver medals in the 400m hurdles in three consecutive Commonwealth Games.

The last of those came in Australia where Eilidh was the Scottish flag-bearer for Gold Coast 2018.

As part of GB and NI sides, she was crowned European champion in the 400m hurdles in Zurich in 2014.

Eilidh was also British team captain for London 2017 as well as competing in the Olympics at London 2012 and Rio in 2016, where she won 4x400m bronze.

The list of achievements go on, but the athlete believes now is the right time to bring a halt to a terrific career.

She said: “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.”

Head of performance at Scottishathletics, Mark Pollard, who has known Eilidh for 20 years, was amongst those heaping praise on the track star.

"It is fitting and hugely appropriate that as Eilidh retires from competitive athletics we say a huge thank you,” he said.

“I offer that from both the national governing body but also I am sure on behalf of the wider sport in Scotland

"It is safe to say Eilidh has made a massive contribution to our sport.

"This has been shown via her medals for Team Scotland as well as GB & NI, countless international circuit appearances and British Championship medals.”