Danvers retires

The 34-year-old battled Achilles and hamstring injuries to earn selection and take to the start line at the Beijing Olympics four years ago where she won an impressive bronze in the 400m hurdles.

She was one of just four British track and field athletes to medal in China – Christine Ohuruogu’s 400m gold and Phillips Idowu and Germaine Mason’s triple jump and high jump silvers the others.

However history won’t be repeating itself with Danvers conceding she won’t be able to shrug off further problems with her Achilles in time for the summer and announcing her retirement.

Danvers hasn’t raced competitively in almost two years – her last outing coming in France on June 30 2010 – while she managed just six races in 2009 before being forced to pull out of the World Championships that year with a hamstring injury.

And it is with regret that Danvers has chosen to end it all.

“It’s extremely disappointing not to be able to put myself into contention for selection for London 2012. Based on my training at different stages my coach and I believed we had a genuine chance of making it. But the setbacks have been too many to overcome,” she said.

“Since winning Olympic bronze in Beijing I have made so many sacrifices to fulfil my dream of competing in London. Making the decision to relocate back to the UK meant leaving my seven-year-old son behind in America, which is the hardest thing in the world to do.

“But we genuinely believed I could step onto that podium again and with the support of my family, Malcolm Arnold, UKA, the medical team and the National Lottery, I’ve done everything possible to try and achieve that. Sadly my body has had enough.”

Her disappointed is shared by her coach Malcolm Arnold and UKA Head Coach Charles van Commenee, who believes Danvers would have stood a good chance of reaching the podium in London if fit.

“We don’t have too many current Olympic medallists in our team and in an ideal world they would all be with us in London. Tasha knows what it takes to be competitive and make the podium, which would have been a huge advantage,” said van Commenee.

“Retirement is a hard decision for any athlete, but when the decision is taken out of your hands so close to an Olympic Games it must be even tougher. I wish Tasha all the very best.”