Olympian Caitlin McClatchey retires from pool

A DOUBLE gold medallist at the memorable 2006 Commonwealth Games and a three-time Olympian, Caitlin McClatchey has finally brought down the curtain on her hugely successful career.

Caitlin McClatchey competed in three Commonwealth Games and three Olympics and won multiple major medals. Picture: Adam Pretty/Getty

Announcing her retirement on the eve of the Scottish National Championships at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, the Scot, who will be 30 in November, stated: “I have had a fantastic career and I am extremely proud of my achievements.”

McClatchey, the niece of World Championship medalist Alan McClatchey, made her Olympic debut in Athens at the age of 19.

One year later she won bronze at the World Championships in Montreal and then the double gold in the 200m and 400m freestyle when the Scots upset the usually dominant Australians at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006,

Last year, McClatchey completed her hat-trick of Commonwealth Games, fulfilling a goal to compete in front of a Scottish crowd in Glasgow.

McClatchey, who spent most of her career swimming out of Loughborough, moved north after the London 2012 Olympics to study for a Masters degree in Performance Psychology and she joined the successful Edinburgh University swim team.

“To compete in finals at all three Olympic Games, and to win multiple major championship medals has been a dream come true,” the swimmer continued.

“The last few years have been particularly special competing in both a home Olympics and home Commonwealth Games. I have been very lucky.

“The biggest thank you is to my friends and family, especially my late father Professor John McClatchey, who was my greatest supporter and always believed in me.”

Ally Whike, performance director at Scottish Swimming, heaped praise on a wonderfully committed and talented individual. “Caitlin has been a fantastic ambassador for Scottish Swimming for over ten years and one of Scotland’s finest ever female athletes,” he noted.

McClatchey started her career as a member of Northampton Swimming Club, then moved on to Loughborough Swimming and most recently the University of Edinburgh.

She added: “I have made some great friends and met some wonderful people along the way, especially my former coach Ian Armiger. I’d like to thank everyone who was involved in my career, including my current coach, Chris Jones.

“I am looking forward to supporting the next generation of British swimmers and watching them achieve incredible things at the Rio Olympics next year.”