2018 Commonwealth 50br Champion Sarah Vasey Announces Her Retirement; Pays Tribute to Mel Marshall

Sarah Vasey: Photo Courtesy: British Swimming

Sarah Vasey has called time on her career in which she won European and Commonwealth golds.

It follows her British teammate Stephen Milne‘s announcement that he too was stepping away from the pool.

Vasey made her British debut at the 2017 World Championships, coming sixth in the 50br and eighth over 100m.

A year later, she sprinted to the 50m Commonwealth title with Team England on the Gold Coast, before making her European debut at Glasgow 2018.

She won gold as part of the British women’s medley relay at the European Championships in Budapest, months before Tokyo where she made her Olympic debut, where the quartet finished ninth.

She therein completed the full house of Olympic, World Championship, European and Commonwealth appearances.

Vasey told British Swimming:

“I’ve had a lot of change in the past year, and that has changed my perspective on things. I was thinking about the next phase of my life, and then getting a knee injury, it’s a barrier I just wasn’t willing to jump over at this stage, with the surgery and rehab to get back to fitness.

“I have achieved everything I thought I was capable of and more. I would be undergoing surgery and then having six weeks of recovery, and it was all a bit too much after having achieved everything I wanted to.

“The highlight of my career for me has to be competing in a semi-final at the Olympic Games. It’s weird, because when you’re in the bubble of it, you don’t really realise what you’ve done – and then it’s only afterwards, when you take a step back and take a look at everything you’ve done that you actually realise, and I’m really proud of myself.

“If you’d told 10-year-old me that I’d have done all that I have, I’d never have believed you!”

A seven-time British Championship medallist, Vasey has spent the bulk of her senior career working with Mel Marshall, firstly at the City of Derby and, since 2016, at British Swimming’s Loughborough Performance Centre.

The 26-year-old paid tribute to Marshall and all those who were instrumental in her career, saying:

“I’ve honestly loved every minute of it. The teams are what make it, there are so many great people in British Swimming. I feel so lucky to have met so many of them and to have had so many good memories with them.

“I can honestly say I wouldn’t be anywhere without Mel. She has been such a massive support for me, in and out of the pool.

“She is one of the best coaches out there and I know I can call her my friend now too.”

British Swimming performance director Chris Spice said:

“Sarah has played her part on British Swimming teams for the last five years, both individually and as an important part of medley relay efforts too – including helping our women’s 4x100m medley relay team claim the European title last year during a superb meet for our swimmers.

“Her constant commitment in training and all her preparations have allowed her to represent Great Britain at all senior levels, and her presence in our teams will be missed.

“We wish her all the best for whatever comes next for her.”

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