When the crowd falls silent: what comes after Olympic glory? 

Transitioning from a highly structured life as an international athlete to retirement is often long and challenging. Two  former Olympians reflect on their experience  

Kellie Harrington, at her homecoming on Kilkenny St Dublin. Photo Julien Behal,

FOR Kellie Harrington, retirement seemed as sweet as bagging an Olympic medal. Within minutes of securing boxing gold at the Paris Games, she announced she was signing off. But for another Olympic star, it took much longer to ease into a different phase after a life in sport.

David Gillick has been garlanded far and wide for his expert athletics commentary on RTÉ and, in particular, for his empathetic trackside interviews. But then, he knows the travails of the Olympic athlete. His efforts in Beijing 2008 didn’t quite reach the heights of his indoor 400m career, but the Ballinteer native still had the miles in his legs, only retiring in 2013. But, he says, the process of finding a new life took him three years, almost a full Olympic cycle.