He broke both legs 11 months before the 2008 Olympic Games and then accomplished the unthinkable: he came back and competed for Canada.
In 2004, Kyle Shewfelt made Canadian history with a gold medal performance in the floor exercise at the Athens Games, capturing Canada's first-ever Olympic medal in artistic gymnastics.
Now, the 27-year-old Calgary native and three-time Olympian, is calling it a career, announcing his retirement Thursday on his blog.
"After much thought and consideration, I have come to the decision that it’s time to hang up the grips, put away the stinky gym shoes, remove the singlet, take my hands out of the chalk bucket and start embarking on new journeys," he wrote.
"Today is a bittersweet day. I am really overwhelmed with feelings of nostalgia, excitement, sadness and anticipation."
Shewfelt is a three-time world championship bronze medallist, four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, and three-time World Cup Finals silver medallist.
More to come
