Australia's greatest modern-day track and field athlete Sally Pearson has announced her retirement, acknowledging that her body can take no more punishment.
Pearson, 32, won gold in the 100m hurdles at the 2012 London Olympics and is a two-time world champion.
She had hoped to end her career in spectacular style next year at the Tokyo Olympics, but has now announced she will hang up her spikes.
While most people will remember Pearson for her London Olympics hurdles victory, the star herself said she believes that her victory at the World Championships in the same city five years' later is the one that will define her career.
Sally Pearson (c) says her body is just not up to it any more after years of injury battles. Source: AAP
Having just bought a new house on the Gold Coast with her husband, Pearson has plenty going on in her life - without now having to worry about overcoming multiple injuries and qualifying for next year's Tokyo Olympics.
After her attempt to represent Australia at an Olympics for a third time came to a frustrating end, she pointed to renovations keeping her busy for the next few weeks.
But that will only last so long.
"Just fixing up our house but I'm bored already, I'm a very goal orientated person. I would love to be involved in the sport in four or five year's time," she said.
When you've been crowned Olympic Champion, and World Champion twice, it's no surprise Pearson will miss competing in the sport.
Sally Pearson. Source: AAP
The Queenslander was born in Sydney in 1986 but was spotted at a Little Athletics carnival in Townsville when she was 12.
Two years later she won the under-20 Women's 100m at the Australian National titles as a 14-year-old.
And a star was born.
Although she started as a sprinter, she hit the headlines at the 2006 Commonwealth Games where she reached the 100m hurdles final.
Just two years later she was celebrating a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics.
But Pearson said that coming back from two years of injuries - that included breaking her wrist - to win the World title for the second time in 2017 was her greatest achievement.
"Coming back from that and having to coach myself to get there was a huge step for me and something I took a lot of pride in," she said.
In addition to her World and Olympic successes, Pearson also won two Commonwealth Games titles.
After a career that spanned 16 years, fellow Olympic sprinter Matt Shirvington said Pearson's name will be remembered with the very best Australian athletes of all time - alongside Cathy Freeman and Betty Cuthbert.
"There have been few that have delivered the level of competitiveness like Sally Pearson," he said.
SALLY PEARSON HIGHLIGHTS
2012 Olympic 100m hurdles gold medallist
2011 and 2017 world 100m hurdles champion
2010 and 2014 Commonwealth 100m hurdles champion
2012 world indoor 60m hurdles champion
2011 IAAF World Female Athlete of the Year
- with additional reporting from AAP
