Elise Christie: Speed skater out until January due to 'ill health'

Elise Christie has been open about her struggles with mental illness

Elise Christie will not compete until January and has posted an emotional statement about feeling like a "complete failure".

The British short track speed skater called 2018 "horrific" after a disappointing Winter Olympics.

Christie, 29, is aiming to compete in her fourth Games in 2022, but will miss four of this season's Speed Skating World Cup races.

"I am disappointed in my body for being this weak," she posted on Twitter.

Christie was open about her battle with anxiety and depression after the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.

She fell in the 500m final and 1,500m semi-finals and raced with an injured ankle in the 1,000m heats, where she was disqualified.

Christie added: "I am disappointed in myself for not being able to do more.

"I weaned off the medication, stopped self harming and really started to move forward, moved myself out of the 'darkness' but I've been met the other side of the darkness by probably the most challenging and deflating years of my life.

"And unfortunately due to ill health for the most part, I won't be racing until January 2020."

Christie is aiming to return for the World Cup short track meets in Dresden, Germany on 7-9 February, and Dordrecht, Netherlands on 14-16 February.

Elise Christie took to Twitter to share the news