After an international career spanning no less than fifteen years Swedish high jumper Kajsa Bergqvist, 31, the 2005 World champion has today announced that her athletics career has come to an end.

“Not in any way was this a sudden decision,” said the current World Indoor record holder, “but rather the logical outcome of a process going on for about a year. Through 2007 I could not find the same enthusiasm for training and competing as I have always had before.”

After my last meet of the summer – Weltklasse in Zurich – I therefore decided to...