Multiple global medallist, Stef Reid has announced her retirement from competitive athletics following a distinguished career which has seen her win medals at Paralympic Games, World and European Championships.

Reid has been an ever-present member of British teams since 2008 when she won the first of three career Paralympic medals; a bronze in Beijing (T44 200m), and silver medals at London 2012 and Rio 2016, both in the T44 long jump.

A world title in 2017 was one of the highlights of a successful athletics career when she won gold in front of a home crowd at the London Stadium. She was the first gold medallist of a hugely successful championships for the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team and set the tone for a famous 10 days of para athletics five years ago.

A European long jump gold in Swansea in 2014 was one of three European medals she achieved during her incredible career.

One of the pioneers of para sport in recent times, Reid has not only excelled on the track and in the field, but has broken new ground off it, in television presenting and punditry for various outlets, becoming a Dancing on Ice finalist earlier this year, delivering a TedTalk, being a model at London Fashion Week, and also completing an Executive Coach course.

Reid said, “It is with a very full heart that I’m announcing my retirement from athletics. Although retirement feels like entirely the wrong word – I think evolution fits much better! It doesn’t feel like an ending or a beginning, but more like a redirection.

“I have loved every moment of my career! I feel so lucky not only to have lived my childhood dream of being an athlete, but to have had the full roller coaster of experiences: from medals and world records to struggles and failure. Obviously, some experiences are more fun than others, but even when things weren’t going well, there was still nothing I would rather be doing!

“Away from the track, sport has led me to experiences I never dreamed of! Thank you, Aston Moore for being a coach who believes in positive distractions. From visiting a leprosy hospital in Nepal, to walking the London Fashion Week Catwalk, from MasterChef to Dancing on Ice, from TedTalks to acting to forging new careers in broadcasting and motivational speaking, to meeting some of the most incredible people and teammates from all over the world and all walks of life – including my husband.

“I am most thankful to the people who have supported me over the past 20 years. From learning to walk, to learning to sprint, to making the “crazy” decision in 2008 to pursue para athletics instead of medical school – and this at a time when few people even knew para sport existed! To my family and friends who have witnessed the journey from amputation to Paralympic stadiums. To British Athletics, UK Sport and ParalympicsGB – I would never have been able to access world class expertise or reach my full potential without you. To ProActive Prosthetics and Ossur who build the legs that let me live a life of adventure and possibility! And to everyone who has invested in me their time, their knowledge, and their encouragement.

“So, what’s next? I will never leave sport – I love it too much!  I’m still skating and I’m having some fun with triathlon.  I’m also really excited to grow my career as a broadcaster, motivational speaker, and executive coach. I’m up for anything and I’m excited to see how life evolves.”