Steve Parry, one of only two British swimming medallists in Athens and the pullbuoy swimmer of the year for 2004, today announces his retirement from swimming. The decision, which comes on the eve of Britain’s trials for the world championships, was hastened by a recent back operation which had ruled Parry out of that meet.
The temptation to continue to Melbourne’s Commonwealth Games early next year was there, but ironically it was the success in Athens that was the clincher, with the Liverpudlian opting to go out at the top of his game.
“I’ve trained long and hard to realise my dream of winning an Olympic medal and, now I have achieved my goal, I feel it is right and proper to retire from the sport I love at the very top” he said. “I want to savour that most memorable moment of my career.”
Parry was a virtual ever-present on the British team over the past ten years, taking medals at European, Commonwealth and Olympic level and setting numerous Commonwealth records in his trademark 200m butterfly. It was that event which gave him his only senior international title, when he defeated friend and long time rival James Hickman at the 2002 European Short Course Championships in Riesa, Germany.