BEIJING ¨C Five-time Olympic gold medalist Wu Minxia, China¡¯s most successful female diver, announced her retirement on Thursday due to her ¡°physical condition.¡±
¡°Now, though reluctantly, it¡¯s time to leave,¡± the 31-year-old said on her official Weibo account.
¡°The story of Chinese diving didn¡¯t start with me and it won¡¯t end with me.¡±
Wu¡¯s 3-meter synchronized springboard gold, with partner Shi Tingmao, at the Rio de Janeiro Games in August made her the oldest woman to win an Olympic diving gold medal.
Winner of a record seven diving medals from four Olympics, Wu had already said the 2016 Rio Games would likely be her last. She revealed that a nasty leg injury in May had made her contemplate giving up even before she went to Brazil.
¡°I am really sorry, but my physical condition does not allow me to continue training,¡± Wu told China¡¯s national broadcaster CCTV during a live stream.
¡°I really feared the coming of today.¡±
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