LEGENDARY IRISH PARALYMPIAN Jason Smyth has announced his retirement at the age of 35.
The Derry native is hanging up his spikes after a glittering undefeated career that spanned across three decades, included four Paralympic Games appearances — Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021 — and no shortage of gold medals.
Smyth bows out as a multiple Paralympic and world champion, having never lost a competitive Para Athletics event throughout his entire journey and deservedly earned the title of “Fastest Paralympian on the Planet”.
He’s unquestionably one of the greatest athletes this country has ever produced.
Today we say goodbye to a Paralympic legend…
— Paralympics Ireland (@ParalympicsIRE) March 29, 2023
8 Paralympic Gold Medals
8 World Championship Gold Medals
6 European Championship Gold Medals
1 World Indoor Championship Gold Medal
Undefeated.#ThankYouJason pic.twitter.com/3fPe5yjCJf
Amazingly, Smyth won gold medals in every event in which he competed on the big stage and his haul includes six at the Paralympic Games across the 100m and 200m, eight at the World Championships, six at the European Championships and one from the 60m at the World Indoor Championships.
Smyth — who has less than 10% vision due to an eye condition known as Stargardt’s Disease — is the current European, World and Paralympic champion and world record holder in the event he helped to redefine, the T13 100m.
He also competed in non-Paralympic athletics, winning two Athletics Ireland National Championships in the 100m and representing Ireland at two European Championships and one Championships.
🌟 Undefeated Jason Smyth Retires To Take Management Role At Paralympics Ireland 🌟
— Athletics NI (@AthleticsNI) March 29, 2023
Iconic Irish Paralympian Jason Smyth has today announced his retirement from Para Athletics.
Read more here: https://t.co/WLIbdNwFaF@ParalympicsIRE @irishathletics pic.twitter.com/lU16zFkshy
Time to say goodbye… pic.twitter.com/5OxNwCvwW6
— Jason Smyth MBE (@smyth_jason) March 29, 2023
The first-ever Paralympian to compete in those events, Smyth also represented Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games in 2014. He’s the third fastest 100m sprinter in Irish history with 10.22 seconds, and the fastest in Norther Irish history.
He will now undertake the role of Strategy Manager at Paralympics Ireland.
“I think now is the right time for me to step away from competitive Paralympic Sport,” Smyth said as he announced his retirement. “I lived and fulfilled the dream and now I hope to support the next generation of para-athletes on their journey.
“I have loved my time with Team Ireland and I have had many incredible memories that I will really treasure from my time as an athlete. There are so many people that have helped me along the way from my coaches, support staff, to my teammates, partners and my competitors. I would especially like to pay tribute to my incredible and very patient family, especially my wife, Elise and my daughters Evie and Lottie.
“I now look forward to joining my new teammates at Paralympics Ireland. I feel that I have a lot to offer thanks to my experiences as an athlete and as someone that has been in the Paralympic and Disability sporting environment since my youth. I can’t wait to start this new stage of my career and giving back to the sport that has meant so much to me.”
Farewell to a legend 👟
— Tourism-Culture-Arts-Gaeltacht-Sport-Media (@DeptCulturelRL) March 29, 2023
Ministers @cathmartingreen & @ThomasByrneTD have paid tribute to Jason Smyth on his retirement.
The fastest #Paralympian on the planet achieved 6 gold medals and represented Ireland at 4 Paralympic Games.
ℹ️ https://t.co/WtdmshzStr pic.twitter.com/2bWVaXNw8G
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