Athens Olympic gold medal winner Luo Xuejuan [qq.com]

It is reported that Luo Xuejuan has planned to retire from swimming. The Zhejiang Sports Bureau is likely to hold a press conference to announce this.

Luo Xuejuan has not been in a good condition since 2006. She fainted while training last November. It is said that she has something wrong with her heart. Later, she received medical treatment in Hangzhou and Beijing, and has not returned to training.

In fact, athletes' retirement due to injuries and diseases is not rare. The 24-year-old Australian swimming superstar, the five-time Olympic gold medal winner Ian Thorpe announced his retirement at a press conference in Sydney just two months ago.

Recently, there have been many false reports about Luo's retirement. Her coach Zhang Yadong is very angry about that. When interviewed on January 24, Zhang said, "Luo Xuejuan has done a lot  for swimming in China. As an Olympic gold medal winner, she is the leading swimmer in China. This is an indisputable fact. Her retirement will affect China's performance in the 2008 Olympics, and lead to a change in our strategic goal."

(Source: qq.com / Translated by Women of China)