Keri-anne Payne: Olympic medallist and two-time world champion retires
- Published
Keri-anne Payne won silver at the 2008 Olympic Games
Keri-anne Payne, a two-time open water world champion and Olympic silver medallist, has retired.
Payne, 29, was born in South Africa but represented Great Britain for over 12 years, having made her debut in 2004.
The long-distance specialist won silver in the 10km open water event at the 2008 Olympics and secured world titles over the distance in 2009 and 2011.
Payne said swimming had given her "life-defining experiences" and "joy in taking on incredible challenges".
She said: "I've loved being part of the huge transformation in open water swimming.
"In 2008 I had to explain what my event was. Four years later I walked out in front of 30,000 fans for my race at the London 2012 Olympic Games."
Payne, who finished fourth in London and eighth at Rio 2016, will now focus on a business venture with her husband David Carry, also a former Great Britain swimmer.