Sawt Falasteen - Italy's ex-world champion gymnast Ferrari announces retirement

"My gymnastic's career ends here," Ferrari, who missed the recent Paris Games with a calf injury, said on social media.

"I've realised every dream that the six-year-old girl who told her parents 'I want to do gymnastics' could have imagined."

Ferrari became the first Italian woman to win an individual Olympic medal in artistic gymnastics when she claimed silver for floor exercise at the delayed 2020 Games in Tokyo.

The 33-year-old is a one-time world champion, winning all-round gold in 2006 when still a teenager, and claimed four more worlds medals.

Ferrari was also crowned European champion four times over the course of her career, which peaked in 2021 when she took Olympic silver in Japan in the floor exercise.

She became the Italian gymnastics team's first Olympic medallist since 1928 by finishing second behind American Jade Carey.

M.AbuKhalil--SF-PST