Four-time Paralympian Aileen McGlynn has announced her retirement from track cycling at the age of 49.
The Scot won three gold, three silver and one bronze Paralympic medals, stretching back to Athens 2004.
She won silver and bronze tandem medals at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games last summer, her final competition.
“I feel like I’ve achieved everything I wanted to. I’ve been doing this for 20 years and at some point you’ve got to do other things,” said McGlynn.
“The opportunity to come back and do a really good time in Tokyo and win a silver medal… I could have finished my career at that point. But it all came together really well in Birmingham and it was a great way to finish.”
The Commonwealth tandem sprint silver and tandem 1km time-trial bronze added to a long list of achievements for the former Glenmarnock Wheeler, including being awarded an MBE in 2006 and an OBE three years later.
She won silver in the kilo and bronze in the individual pursuit at the London 2012 Games but lost her British Cycling team place the following year.
However, she then won Scotland’s first silver medal at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games with tandem sprint pilot Louise Haston, then added another silver in the 1km time trial.
After a break from the sport, she teamed up with former pilot Helen Scott to take silver in the kilo at the Tokyo Paralympic Games with a personal best time at the age of 48.
“I’m pretty pleased and proud of what I’ve achieved,” added McGlynn. “I’m particularly pleased that I’ve carried on to the age of 49 and broken down barriers in terms of age.
“I came back faster, stronger and with better power numbers in 2021 in Tokyo, so I’ve proved myself, I’ve proved my longevity.”
