CAITLIN McClatchey, Scotland's double Commonwealth Games gold medalist, has announced her retirement from competitive swimming with immediate effect.
McClatchey made her Olympic debut in Athens at the age of 19, helping Team GB to fifth in the Freestyle Relay. One year later she won Bronze at the World Championships in Montreal and then won double Gold in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006. She is currently studying for a Masters degree in Performance Psychology at Edinburgh University.
"I have had a fantastic career and I am extremely proud of my achievements," she said. "To compete in finals at all three Olympic Games, and to win multiple World championship medals has been a dream come true. The last few years have been particularly special competing in both a home Olympics and home Commonwealth Games."
McClatchey made her first appearance for the Scottish Swimming Youth Team at the age of 14 and rarely looked back since. A member of Northampton Swimming Club, Loughborough Swimming and most recently the University of Edinburgh Swim Team, she paid tribute to everyone who has supported her. "Without the development pathway and early encouragement I would never have gone on to become a world medalist," she said. "Since then Scottish Swimming and Sportscotland have continued to support me throughout my career and I would like to say a huge thank you.
"I would like to thank the support staff of physiotherapists, S&C coaches and sport scientists that has helped me to become the best athlete I could be," she added. "I have also made some great friends and met some wonderful people along the way, especially my former coach Ian Armiger. I'd like to thank everyone who was involved in my career, including my current coach, Chris Jones, my University of Edinburgh and Scottish Swimming team-mates, without whose help and support I would not be where I am today. I am looking forward to supporting the next generation of British swimmers and watching them achieve incredible things at the Rio Olympics next year."
Ally Whike, the performance Director at Scottish Swimming, said: "Caitlin has been a fantastic ambassador for Scottish Swimming for over 10 years and one of Scotland's finest ever female athletes," he said. "She is a great role model for other young, aspiring athletes with an impressive career record, including three consecutive Olympic Games and three consecutive Commonwealth Games. Melbourne [2006 Commonwealth Games) was a real standout moment for her and epitomises her as an athlete, standing up and performing on the big occasions when it really counts. To bring home Scotland's first gold medal and in doing so beating the home favourite was a great moment to witness. We look forward to working with Caitlin in the future and for her to share her knowledge and experience with our upcoming swimmers and we wish her all the very best as she starts on the next exciting chapter in her life."
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