KIEV, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine's Yana Klochkova, winner of four swimming Olympic gold medals, announced her retirement from competitive sport on Thursday.

    "It wasn't easy for me to make this decision," Klochkova told reporters.

    Klochkova won gold in the 200 meters individual medley and 400m individual medley at the 2000 Games in Sydney and repeated the feat four years later in Athens. She also picked up a silver in the 800 freestyle in Sydney.

    "But I'm sure you will agree that competition is very tough throughout the world. The results at the last Olympic Games speak for themselves," she said.

    "I believe that there is life beyond sport, and that it, too will be interesting, though perhaps a little different. I achieved all I could. Now I want to be a success in ordinary life too," she added.

    She made way for her younger teammates for last year's Games in Beijing.

    Klochkova also said she would continue to work with a foundation set up last year to develop and popularize swimming in Ukraine.