Olympic great Matthew has no regrets

Matthew Pinsent today insisted he felt neither sadness nor regret as he brought the curtain down on one of the most illustrious sporting careers British sport has witnessed.

Finally giving substance to what has been the worst-kept secret in rowing these past few days, he explained at his Henley base that he simply could not endure the rigours of one more Olympic campaign in a bid to equal Sir Steve Redgrave's five golds.

"Chasing records is a bad reason for continuing, really bad," said the man who won 10 world titles and four Olympic golds.

"I know it's supposed to be a feeling of sadness that surrounds retirement but I feel anything but sad. I am so proud of what I, and we, have achieved in the last 15 years in the team and perhaps for the first time I can look back without complacency.

"You might think there was one defining moment that tilted the scales in favour of retirement but there truly was not. I also knew that the chances of Athens being my last Games were high and so it proved. I was never going to speak publicly until I was secure in my decision and today I am."

The 34-year-old admitted that he had felt completely different about the prospect of returning to the sport this time after Athens than he had after his Sydney triumph four years earlier.