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Olympic skier Alcott announces retirement

Chemmy Alcott ranked her 19th-place finish in Sochi above better results after coming back from a broken leg © Getty Images

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British downhill skier Chemmy Alcott will retire after the 2014 British Alpine Chanpionships following her fourth appearance at the Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Alcott, 31, finished 19th in the women's downhill at the recent Sochi Olympics, a performance she ranks above her 11th-place results in Turin and Vancouver after coming back from the broken leg suffered in 2013.

"It is with a heavy but happy and proud heart that I relinquish my role as a ski racer," she said. "This season, after breaking my leg in August, I knew it had to be all about the Olympics.

"Looking back to how I managed to turn around a 91st position at the Europa Cup to a 19th at the Olympics in a matter of weeks makes me immensely proud.

"I threw myself down the mountain in Sochi with a confidence I'd managed to create from nothing.

"On paper I've had better results but one of my proudest achievements was in Sochi."

Alcott produced five top-10 World Cup finishes during her career and will retire as the only Briton to have won a World Cup giant slalom run at Soelden in Sweden in 2008.

Having decided to retire from the sport in order to preserve her future on the slopes after a career punctuated by a series of serious injuries, Alcott is considering roles in coaching and commentating.

"I am not retiring from skiing and believe that I still have much to offer the sport," she added.

"It is my intention to take some time off over the summer, enjoy my forthcoming wedding to Dougie [Crawford] and return next season to the Alpine racing world to use my wealth of experience to help other athletes.

"It's been an amazing journey. It's been tough but I'm proud of everything and I've relished the challenge, despite having to overcome adversity," she added.

"I've a huge black book of experiences that I want to pass down to future ski racers."

The British Alpine Championships take place between 29 March and 7 April in Meribel, France.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd