Sarah Storey, a 19-time Paralympic gold medalist, announced Thursday that she is stepping away from international competition — closing the door on what would have been a run at the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics.
The 48-year-old retires as the most accomplished British Paralympian in history, having earned 30 medals across nine Paralympic Games. Her career began in the pool as a swimmer before she transitioned to cycling, where she continued to dominate on the world stage.
“I am so privileged to have spent 35 years as an international athlete,” Storey said in a prepared statement.
“I genuinely pinch myself that my childhood dream of being an athlete for as long as I possibly could has led to nine Paralympic Games and opportunities across so many sporting events,” she added.
Storey captured five Paralympic gold medals in swimming before going on to claim 14 additional golds in cycling, cementing her place among the all-time greats of Paralympic competition.
Notably, Storey made clear that her retirement is not the result of any physical decline. She expressed confidence that she could have competed — and won — in Los Angeles.
“Physically, I fully believe that I could be on that start line in Los Angeles, confident of defending my two titles from Paris,” she said.
Instead, she explained that she feels she can make a greater difference outside of competition. “However, I believe I can now be a more positive influence leveraging new roles and opportunities that allow me to fight for Para sport, and the coverage that it deserves,” Storey said.
