Steadman expecting to retire from Para-triathlon
Steadman took bronze in the women's PTS5 Para-triathlon in Paris on Monday
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Three-time Paralympic medallist Lauren Steadman says she expects this year鈥檚 summer games in Paris to be her last.
The Tokyo Paralympic champion, who has suffered from long Covid, took a two-year break from triathlon after winning gold three years ago.
鈥淚 do think that this was my last summer games, what it took for me mentally to get here... I鈥檝e had a very similar journey to Adam Peaty. I could have done more, you can always do more as an athlete, but I did what I could with my current state of mind," Steadman told 大象传媒 Radio Manchester.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a good time to bow out when you鈥檙e actually happy and have enjoyed something, so I love triathlon, I love riding my bike, but perhaps not to the performance standard that I鈥檓 normally at.鈥
Peterborough-born Steadman made her Paralympic debut in 2008 as a Para-swimmer in Beijing and transitioned to Para-triathlon in 2016.
She won Para-triathlon bronze on Monday at the Paris Games.
鈥淭he thing is as athletes we鈥檙e so tunnel-vision focused, I didn鈥檛 prepare myself for what I鈥檇 feel like after. I wasn鈥檛 sure if I was going to return, from a mental perspective I found it really hard to navigate," she said.
鈥淵ou have to be realistic, I had to be smarter. Hand on heart, didn鈥檛 think I鈥檇 be able to bring home a medal, I did my best with the circumstances.
鈥淚t was very odd going into a race knowing I was only at 70% of my capacity because I鈥檓 still not very well.
鈥淚鈥檝e really learned from the last three years more about who I am away from the sport.
鈥淵ou have to dedicate everything to being the best version of yourself once every four years.鈥
The 31-year-old will now continue her PhD into looking at the mental health of athletes which she started during her break from the sport at the University of Portsmouth.
鈥淚鈥檓 getting to the point where I鈥檇 really like to find someone, I鈥檇 really like a family. Simple things that other people have, that when you鈥檙e an athlete they are not so easy," she said.
Steadman, who appeared on 大象传媒 TV show Strictly Come Dancing in 2018, also has hopes to qualify for the 2026 Milan Winter Paralympic Games in cross-country skiing.