WILTSHIRE sprinter Danny Talbot has decided to hang up his spikes and retire from international competition.

The former St Augustine’s School student from Trowbridge, who rose from being the best in west Wiltshire to World Champion relay gold medallist in London in 2017, announced the decision this week.

Talbot is hoping to stay in the sport as he contemplates his options, whether in coaching or sports agency work, but he is certain that while still only 30 his competitive days as a world class 200m sprinter are now behind him.

“It wasn’t because of my ankle injury as I took the summer off and had started training again towards the end of September,” said Talbot.

“But when I started back I realised I had let a lot of things slip and my motivation was no longer there. I wasn’t eating properly or doing all the stretching that I used to do.

“I was just not doing those things to the standard that I used to. Yes, I could have got by and competed again but I have never been one to just get by.

“I always wanted to push myself to the limit and get the maximum out of everything but I just wasn’t doing that any longer.

“The more I thought about it I realised I was no longer getting the enjoyment out of the sport. It was feeling more just like a job and it became clear it was the right time to move on and accept I have had my career.”

And what a career. I first met Talbot in 2007 when as a teenager he won the inter-boys’ 200m at the South West Schools’ Championships, and later that season he reached the semi finals of the English Championships.

Did any of us then dare imagine that this personable young man would ten years later be crowned a world champion on home soil and be the proud winner of countless medals, including two European Championships bronzes in 2012 and 2016 plus appearances at two Olympic Games?

“When I first won that West Wilts Schools’ title I would never have believed I would have achieved half of what I did,” admitted Talbot.

“Trowbridge was not renown for producing sprinters but I had great support from my parents and my teachers Mr Pitcher and Mr Gordon, who gave me the belief to chase my dream and not be afraid to fail.

“Since then I have travelled the world, competed in some amazing stadiums in front of thousands of people and won some medals, which fills me with a lot of pride. I have no regrets and wouldn’t change anything in my career.”