On this day in 2021: Elise Christie retires from short-track speed skating
The triple former world champion hung up her skates on December 14, 2021.
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Your support makes all the difference.Elise Christie announced her retirement from short-track speed skating two years ago after failing to qualify for a fourth Winter Olympics.
She famously crashed out of all three of her races in Pyeongchang in 2018 when she was a medal favourite and admitted “part of my heart will always be missing” having failed to crown her career with Olympic silverware.
Christie said on social media: “I will have a lot to say and I know a lot of people will have lots of questions, but now it’s time to announce my retirement from short track speed skating.
“Part of my heart will always be missing because I never achieved my end goal. But I leave this sport knowing it’s left in good hands, with skaters capable of doing what I didn’t.
“I changed this sport in this country, I defied odds, never made excuses for having less than my opponents, and I walk away with over 70 World Cup, European and World Championship medals.”
Christie’s eventful Olympic career began in 2010, and four years later in Sochi she reported receiving death threats from South Korean fans who judged her responsible for a crash involving favourite Park Seung-hi in the 500 metres final.
In 2017, Christie won three world titles in Rotterdam, becoming both the first British and European woman to do so. She also won four world silver and five bronze medals in total and 10 European titles.
In Pyeongchang, she crashed in the 500m final and also fell in the 1500m semi-final, requiring hospital treatment on an injured ankle.
She returned to the track for the 1000m but fell early in her heat, prompting a re-start, after which she crashed again and was subsequently disqualified.
After that disappointment, Christie decided to continue in a bid to qualify for Beijing but was hampered by an ankle injury and failed to reach the semi-finals in any qualification races.