BRUSSELS — Belgian gymnast Nina Derwael, a former Olympic champion on the uneven bars, is retiring from the sport, her national federation said Tuesday.
The 25-year-old Derwael won the gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and has decided to call it quits after capturing two more titles at the European Championships in June.
“Winning double gold at the European Championships a month and a half ago was the last highlight of her long and extremely successful gymnastics career, and the perfect time for her to retire,” the federation said.
Derwael won multiple medals at major championships. She was crowned world champion on the uneven bars in 2018 and 2019.
“I have achieved everything I wanted to. I proved what I was capable of,” she said, adding that she no longer wants to put her body under extreme strain.
“Recently, I have increasingly found myself asking: ‘Hasn’t it been enough? Is it worth risking my body?’ Ultimately, I have to conclude that it has been enough,” she said.
