February 11, 2015 10.37 am This story is over 109 months old

Lincoln Olympian Sophie Allen retires from competitive swimming

Lincolnshire swimmer retires: An Olympic Lincoln swimmer has announced her retirement.

A championship swimmer from Lincoln, who competed in the London Olympics, has announced her decision to retire.

Sophie Allen, 22, swam in the 2012 Olympics in the 200m individual medley, and won a silver medal in the same event during the 2012 European Aquatics Championships.

The Lincoln Vulcans swimmer also competed in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and was a finalist in the World Championships in Barcelona in 2013.

In a statement to her Twitter followers, she explained that having hip surgery for a second time was a major factor in her decision to retire.

Sophie is the second high-profile athlete from Lincolnshire to announcement their retirement within the space of a couple of months.

Jade Etherington, GB’s most successful Winter Paralympian, retired from competitive skiing in November to concentrate on teacher training.

Jade won one bronze and three silver medals at the Sochi Winter Paralympics last year and was given an open-top bus parade through the city in April.