AFTER more than a decade competing as a professional athlete, quarter-miler Stephenie-Ann McPherson says she will be retiring from athletics after the Olympic Games in Paris next month.

McPherson, 35, a five-time World Athletics Championships 400-mere medallist, said in an exclusive interview with the Jamaica Observer that the time has come for her to hang up her spikes and focus on her education.

“I don’t think I am going to continue next year; I think this year could be my last,” she said. “I have already made my decision about what I am going to do. I didn’t discuss it with my coach but he knows I started a physiotherapist course in the United States and plan to finish that course.”

McPherson is coached by Stephen Francis at the MVP Track and Field Club.

McPherson, who will be entering her second of a four-year physiotherapy degree at Florida International University, said her classes begin in August and that this could affect her ability to compete in several meets she had planned for next month.

“School starts in August, so I don’t know how that will go for the meets I have in August and for the Olympics because I really want to finish school,” she said. “I have practicals to do — and with practicals, you can’t miss them.”

McPherson, who will be competing in her third Olympic Games as member of Jamaica’s 4x400m relay team, narrowly missed out on securing an individual spot on the team after she finished fourth in the final of the event in 51.28 seconds at the JAAA/Puma National Senior Championships last Sunday.

She was edged out of the third automatic spot by Junelle Bromfield who clocked 51.24s to earn her first-ever Olympic Games berth. The event was won by national record holder Nickisha Pryce in 50.01s, with Stacey-Ann Williams taking second in 50.56s.

McPherson boasts a bronze medal from the 2013 World Championships in Moscow and secured gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in the one-lap event. She was also a member of Jamaica’s victorious 4x400m relay team at the 2015 World Championships at which they famously defeated the United States.

With a personal best time of 49.34s outdoors, McPherson holds the national indoor record in the event with a time of 50.79s.

Reflecting on her career, McPherson expressed gratitude for her achievements in the sport.

“I am very pleased with the way my career panned out because I only missed out one major championship, which was last year when I hurt my leg,” she said. “I got to the last two months of training but it couldn’t take me through to the final. I mean, I made a lot of teams, I got a lot of medals, and made a lot of finals, and I am grateful for that.

“A lot of people don’t reach this far. And to be honest, I believe I am one of the athletes who made the most finals overall. I am going into the physiotherapy world so I would be able to help other injured athletes.”

McPherson, a three-time national 400m champion, won a bronze medal in the 400m at the World Indoor Championships in 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia.

MCPHERSON.. a lot of people don’t reach this far. And to be honest, I believe I am one of the athletes who made the most finals overall (Photo: Collin Reid)