Kelly Holmes © Victor Sailer

Kelly Holmes has announced the end of her career on Tuesday during a press conference in London. The 35 year-old British middle distance runner had achieved a rare double at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004. She had won the 800 meters first and then added the gold at 1500m as well. “This has been a very tough decision to make—hanging up my spikes forever is a big step. But the time is right for me to move on and take up some of the amazing opportunities that have been presented to me”, Kelly Holmes said.

“I am now giving 100 percent to my new career and think I can help to get people, and more importantly kids, to get involved in activities and enjoy them.” Dame Kelly Holmes could now assume a global role as a senior ambassador with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Lamine Diack, the IAAF president, expressed his admiration of Holmes’s contribution to world athletics. “I think Kelly Holmes is one of the legends of our sport now,” said Diack deliberately waiting until her retirement before inviting her into what he considers a key ambassador role. He added: “What impressed the most about her was that she suffered so many years of disappointment and injury, and then, with her very last Olympic Games, comes out and wins two gold medals. That was just an amazing achievement and for me, represents the beauty of athletics. Her courage and determination never to quit exemplify what I believe is the spirit of athletics,” Lamine Diack said and added: “For this reason, now that she has retired, I really hope that Kelly will be one of the IAAF’s Ambassadors. She has all the qualities we look for in terms of a role model for the next generation of athletes.”