Dear Rhythmic Gymnastics, Ever since I can remember, you have always been my first love and true passion. You were my entire childhood and my safe space, the thing I always turned to for comfort and escape. You are everything that I am and everything that I am proud to be today. The life lessons that I have journeyed through have moulded me into the resilient and determined young women that I am and decision to say goodbye to you does not come lightly and it is something that I have been dreading the past few months. I owe my coach and second mother @nina_ervedosa everything. Thank you for bringing me up and teaching me everything I needed to know on and off the carpet from forcing me to use my right hand and not my left to teaching me to never stop smiling and pushing till the end. It has always been the two of us against the world and I can only thank you for standing strong with me even when I wanted to fall. Thank you to @tsvetina_misheva my second coach and choreographer, for helping me showcase my love and emotion onto the floor and pushing me to my every limit ! I would not of achieved what I have without both of you! Thank you to my physio @tracy.lea.grant for being my life saver no matter what. To my parents, thank you for giving me the opportunity to compete on the world floor and for supporting me emotionally, physically and financially throughout my sporting career. Thank you rhythmic gymnastics, you have opened my eyes and filled me with love, happiness and pain. Lastly hank you God for always holding my hand, I wouldn't have been able to do it without you. I regret nothing and I leave the sport with a light heart knowing that I put myself first to start my new passion in the legal world in London with the love of my life. I can proudly say that I have been on the national team since 2012 representing South Africa at many international competitions including The 2014 Youth Olympic Games, six African Championships, three World Championships, and The 2022 World Games. With that it is time to say goodbye to this beautiful sport after 19 years. One door closes and another door opens. All my love xx Shannon