WORLD Championship silver medallist Rebecca Chin has decided to retire from international rowing to pursue other interests outside of the sport.

The Deganwy rower came through British Rowing’s World Class Start talent ID programme at Agecroft Rowing Club while studying in Manchester.

She represented GB at two World Rowing U23 Championships before winning silver at her first senior World Championships in 2015, racing in the women’s four.

In 2017, she won World Cup silver and bronze in the women’s eight and raced in the four and the eight in the first two races of the 2018 season.

She said: “I’ve enjoyed my time with the GB Rowing Team but after a lot of thought have decided it is the right time to bring this chapter of my life to a close. I’m really proud to have made it into the national squad and I’m now excited to move on to the next stage of my life.

“Rowing has given me so much since I took it up in 2008, from lifelong friends and memories to the chance to travel the world. But it’s also taken its toll; I’ve been dealing with more back injuries this last year which, in part, has meant I’m not able to enjoy the sport as much as I did. The medical team have given me great support in overcoming my injuries, but I now want to look after my body for the future.

“My next move will be to follow my passion to work with animals and train to become a veterinary nurse, which is something I’ll be working towards in the coming years.

“There are so many people to thank for their support over the years, including my family and friends, teammates, coaches and support staff at British Rowing, as well as the National Lottery for the funding that has allowed me to train and compete full time.

“I wish everyone the best for the rest of the season and I’ll be cheering for you on the road to Tokyo 2020.”