European and World champion swimmer Molly Renshaw has announced her retirement from the sport.

The British breaststroke specialist made her international debut at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai and although she narrowly missed out on London 2012 she went on to compete at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“It’s really sad to let the sport go, but I think it’s the right time for me,” she told British Swimming.

“I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years because I’m so grateful to have had an amazing network, such amazing facilities and friends.”

Renshaw’s first major international honours came at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, where she won 200m breaststroke bronze and silver as part of the women’s 4x100m medley relay team in Scotland.

Later that year she attained her first European podium – 200 breaststroke silver – at Berlin 2014.

She secured World short course gold in 2016, as well as bronze at the Abu Dhabi edition in 2021. Also that year she claimed two long course titles at the LEN European Aquatics Championships in Budapest.

Renshaw secured Commonwealth bronze with the English women’s 4x100m medley relay team at Birmingham, in what turned out to be her last medal in the sport.

After missing out on individual honours there though – and at the 2022 World Championships – the swimmer decided to take skip Roma 2022 and reassess her future.

“I never really dreamed of achieving this much in the sport,” she admits.

“To have gone to two Olympics and numerous World Championships, European Championships and Commonwealth Games, it’s just been an absolute dream,” she added.

“I’m now really excited for the next chapter of my life now, whatever that holds, something completely different and to be out of the water for a bit!”