Ireland’s Double Olympian Swimmer Melanie Nocher is Dipping her Toe in New Waters

Life After London 2012 - The Last Word

Press Release Wednesday 19th December
Melanie Nocher retiring as an elite athlete

After 14 years of competing at the highest standards Melanie Nocher is calling it a day and retiring from elite international swimming.

Her career highlights include qualifying for both the Olympics in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, a bronze medal at the European Short Course Championships 2012 and being Irish National Champion six times before she was nineteen.

Melanie states " I will always be involved with swimming at some level but I am now ready to move on to other challenges."

"I would like to say a huge thank-you to everyone who has helped me along the way. I can promise I will remember everyone who has helped me.

I would like to thank Swim Ulster and Swim Ireland for all the coaching and support they have provided in and out of the pool. Thank you also to the Irish sports council and Sport Council Northern Ireland for financially helping me, ensuring I could live as an elite athlete to train full time and compete at my best.

Thank you to Loughborough University and my management team Silver Hatch Sports who has been a massive influence in my career since 2008.

Thank you to all my training partners and coaches throughout the years of my swimming career.

I would also like to say a big thank-you to all my sponsors who has supported me either financially or with products.

I am walking away from swimming a better all round person and have enjoyed every minute of it and made many many friends along the way."

Swimming: Nocher quits to pursue 'new challenge'

Irish star Melanie Nocher has decided to hang up her goggles and move into the world of media and fashion.

The European bronze medallist has announced her retirement from the sport after a fine career in which the 24-year-old competed at two Olympic Games and two Commonwealth Games, as well as numerous European Championships.

Despite qualifying for London 2012, having competed four years earlier in the Beijing Games, Nocher was not able to perform to her absolute peak due to illness, and that hit her hard.

The seeds of her future in television were sown shortly afterwards as Nocher was employed by Setanta to be part of their Paralympics coverage.

"I really loved the work I did with Setanta, it was a great experience and they have told me that they would love to have me back," said the Holywood, Co Down native.

"My agent will be working on things for me now and more television work is something that I am aiming at; maybe there could be some work with Sky Sports, Setanta or somebody else.

"And I'm also looking at doing some sports modelling. I've done a bit of that already during my swimming career and it is something that I have always enjoyed. Read full article