Mick Hill, 1993 World bronze and 1998 European silver medallist at the men's Javelin, has announced his retirement after a brilliant career lasting almost a quarter of a century.
Hill, 39, who would have been British number one for almost the entire period but for the emergence of his great pal Steve Backley in 1990, was looking forward towards taking part in a fifth successive Olympic Games.
But the Yorkshireman, despite battling bravely against a knee injury in his left leg, called it a day after the recent Norwich Union London Grand Prix.
Hill, a former Commonwealth and European silver-medallist, admitted a final appearance on the World's greatest stage, in Athens, would have concluded his career in great style.
"It would have been great but isn't going to happen. Officially it's gone, fizzled out rather than retired. Obviously in London if I had thrown over 82 metres I could have gone to Athens. I've just got to come to terms with it. I'm very disappointed, especially after the winter's training that I put in."