Melanie Nocher, who competed for Ireland at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, has announced her retirement from international competition.

The Northern Ireland woman won bronze at the 2011 European Short Course Championships. The 24-year old announced her decision on her website, explaining it was time to ‘move on to other challenges’.

She thanked, among others, Swim Ulster, Swim Ireland, the Irish Sports Council and Sport Council Northern Ireland for their support.

The 200 metre backstroke specialist won a host of Irish titles but her career ended on a disappointing note when a stomach bug compromised her ambitions at the London Olympics. She was five seconds outside her personal best, in marked contrast to her fifth place in the European Long course championships two months earlier.