Sally Conway says now is the perfect time to step away from judo, as the Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallist announced her immediate retirement from the sport.
One of just two British female judoka – along with Sharon Rendle – to medal at the Olympic Games, World Championship, European Championship and Commonwealth Games, Conway retires as a legend of the sport.
Having first stepped on to a judo mat as a six-year-old, she started training full-time at 16 and, having won silver at the World Junior Championships back in 2006, went on to climb the podium in every major event at some point during her career.
She won bronze representing Scotland at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, earned the same colour medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and 2019 World Championships, as well as taking silver at the 2018 Europeans in Tel Aviv.
Competing in the women’s -70kg category in Rio, Conway beat Tunisia’s Houda Miled, Gévrise Émane of France and Israeli judoka Linda Bolder to qualify for the semi-finals.
There, she was defeated by Yuri Alvear of Colombia but bounced back to edge out Bernadette Graf of Austria and secure a memorable Olympic bronze medal.
Had the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games happened as scheduled last year, Conway insists she would have competed but the 12-month delay has made the 34-year-old reconsider and she believes now is the perfect time to start the next chapter of her life.
“I always said to myself ‘I will know when the times comes, and I am ready to stop’ regardless of results and performances,” explained Conway.
“I wanted to know and feel when the right time to stop was. My heart now tells me that it is the right time for me to take a step back from competing.
“I think had Tokyo 2020 gone ahead as planned last year, I 100% would have competed. The last year has given me a lot time to take a step back and reflect on the future and some may question the timing with Tokyo less than six months away, but in my heart I feel like now is the right time to take that step back.
“I am so happy with what I have achieved within the sport and how my career has gone. I feel that is it for me now and I’m ready to close this chapter and see what the future holds.
“I read my retirement statement to my family last week and we all got quite emotional but it was very much happy tears as we remembered all the good times and what we have been through.”
Also a regular winner on the Grand Prix, World Cup and Grand Slam circuit, Conway retires more than 26 years after she first tried the sport in her hometown of Bristol.
British Judo head coach Kate Howey said she “will miss the constant smile and happy aura” brought to the environment by Conway, who plans to take some time to consider the next step in her journey.
“Going forward I am keeping my options open. I would like to try coaching and pass on my experience to young athletes coming through,” added Conway.
“I also plan to do sports massage, and I also enjoy public speaking. I am just going to see what opportunities arise and see what I enjoy doing, I am really looking forward to seeing what the future holds.
“I have learnt so much through judo and being an elite athlete that I know I have a good foundation on which to build upon in the future."