Double Paralympic champion Georgie Hermitage forced to retire, aged 30

Champion: Georgie Hermitage
PA Archive/PA Images
Alex Young @alexwsyoung4 February 2020

Double Paralympic champion Georgie Hermitage has confirmed the "heartbreaking" decision to retire from para-athletics at the age of 30.

Hermitage, who has cerebral palsy, is the world record holder of the T37 400m world record, set three years ago at the London championships.

The 30-year-old retires as a world-time world champion, calling time on a career following two years of injury setbacks.

"It is a heartbreaking decision to retire but despite our best efforts, my body isn't recovering from injuries, which means I'm not able to train or compete to the level that's required," Hermitage said.

"Working with the British Athletics medical team, we have thrown the kitchen sink at trying to deal with the injuries, but they keep recurring.

"You can never say never, but I know this is the right decision at this point in my life."

Hermitage won gold in both the T37 400m individual and T35-38 4x100m relay events at the 2015 World Para Athletics Championships in Doha and also clinched individual silver in the 100m.

At the Rio Paralympics a year later she became a triple medallist, winning individual golds in the T37 100m and 400m and silver in the T35-38 4x100m relay.

Hermitage defended her T37 400m world title at the London Stadium in 2017 in a new world-record time of 1:00.29.

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