Dame Laura Kenny has announced her retirement from professional cycling at the age of 31.

The 31-year-old is Great Britain's most successful female Olympian, winning five gold medals since her first in London 2012.

At her home Games, Kenny won the women's omnium and played her part in the team pursuit, and she replicated the feat in Rio de Janeiro four years later.

Kenny's appearance in Tokyo was delayed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but a team pursuit silver was followed by a fifth gold alongside Katie Archibald in the inaugural Madison event.

Although there are now just five moments before the next Games in Paris, Kenny has decided to abort her plans to represent Team GB in France and call a halt to a glittering career.

© Reuters

Speaking in an interview with BBC Breakfast, Kenny said: "It's been in my head a little while, the sacrifices of leaving the children and your family at home are really quite big and it really is a big decision to make.

"More and more, I was struggling to do that. More people asking me what races was I doing, what training camps was I going on - I didn't want to go ultimately and that's what it came down to.

"I knew the minute I was getting those feelings. Once I said to Jase (husband and former cyclist, Sir Jason Kenny), 'I don't think I want to ride a bike any more', I started to feel relief."

As well as her success at the Olympics, Kenny won seven golds among 15 medals earned at various World Championships, as well as 14 European golds and two at the Commonwealth Games.