FIVE-TIME Paralympic medal winner Maria Lyle is looking forward to starting the next chapter of her life after retiring from professional athletics.

The sprinter was propelled into the spotlight when she was just 12 years old, posting a world record time at the Birmingham Games.

Two years later, she competed in her first European Championships before going on to represent Great Britain at the World Championships the following year and then Scotland at the Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast in 2018.

However, the success came at a cost for Lyle, of Dunbar, who previously spoke about the challenges she faced in relation to her mental health.

Now, the 24-year-old has been diagnosed with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) on the back of her experiences over the last decade and has opted to hang up her racing spikes just 55 days before the Paralympic Games in France this summer.

On social media, she said: “I am a person with feelings and won’t be defined by the position I come in a race or the time on the clock.”

And she told Courier Sport: “I was always going to retire this year.

“I had always planned to retire, maybe after Paris, but I have just really been struggling a bit with my mental health.”

Image: Luc Percival/World Para Athletics

Lyle, who has spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, won bronze in both the T35 100m and 200m at Rio in 2016 before becoming part of the 4x100 relay – T35-38 – team that took home silver.

Five years later at the Covid-19 pandemic delayed Tokyo Paralympics, she added to her medal haul with bronze medals again in the T35 100m and 200m.

However, she has opted against competing in a third Paralympics.

The former Dunbar Grammar School pupil said: “I think I had lots of different thoughts.

“First of all, Tokyo was my second Paralympics and I had such an amazing time.

“I have got nothing but positive memories going there with my team-mates and my coach Jamie Bowie, who was an integral part of it.

“I know I was struggling this year and I would not want to look back and remember my last Paralympics as being really negative.

“I wanted to leave on a positive note and on my own terms.”

World Para Athletics Championships took place in Japan in May, with athletes from across the world in attendance in the last major championships before the Paralympic Games get under way on August 28.

Lyle said: “I was aiming to go to a third Paralympics.

“That is why I moved to Loughborough and I was taking the time in April and thinking: ‘Am I ready to say goodbye to the sport and how would I feel seeing my team-mates go compete and my rivals in the races?’

“We had the World Championships in May, which is not the usual time of the championships but, due to Covid, it was moved.

“Britain did not take a big team and I was not going to go anyway – it was people looking for qualification times.

“I remember watching girls in my race and girls I was on the podium with last year.

“I was watching the race and at no point to me did I wish I was there.

“I remember what it is like standing on the start line and it was horrible. I still enjoy watching athletics on the television and my experience has a lot of positives.

“I have made lots of friends, travelled the world, I have made a living out of it and got a flat but at the cost of my mental health in certain ways.”

Lyle stressed that exercise would still be a key part of her life but was looking forward to life away from the track as well.

She said: “I have got a job basically working within an office reception, managing meeting rooms.

“It is the daily running of the business and I am really enjoying that administration side of it.

“It might sound dull to people but I enjoy that and I have not had that for a long time.”

Since the announcement was made, Lyle has been flooded with well wishes.

Scotland’s former First Minister Jack McConnell said: “Powerful message, Maria. I am pleased you are taking control and you can move on with so much pride. It was inspiring to support you and I am sure you will continue to shine.”

Katharine Merry, a bronze medal winner at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, said: “I remember when you burst onto the scene... wow, I thought! So talented and you achieved so much. Be proud of it all. Good luck with the next chapter. Stay well and happy and always look back and smile on a fab career.”

While Mark Munro, former CEO of Scottish Athletics, said: “Congratulations Maria Lyle and all those that have supported you on route.

“What a career! I remember watching a young Dunbar PS 12-year-old that went on to take the sprints world by storm, awesome and great family as well.”

Councillor Norman Hampshire, who represents Lyle’s home town of Dunbar, wished her well in retirement.

The leader of East Lothian Council said: “She has been a great ambassador for sport and obviously for young people in our community.

“It shows that if you have got enough determination, you can deliver whatever you want.

“She has been fantastic in her career.”