2017’s European Championship gold medallist gymnast Ellie Downie retires from the sport at age 23 to prioritise her mental health and happiness.
Ellie Downie is 2017 European gymnastics champion and the first British gymnast to win a significant all-around title. Downie, the younger sister of two-time European champion Becky Downie, initially gained notoriety during the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics as an excellent junior gymnast who won four medals. With a bronze in 2015, she became the first British lady to compete just at European Artistic Gymnastics Championships at the age of 15. She was a member of the squad that captured Britain’s first ever international team medal, a bronze, at the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships later that year. She once again created history by being the first British gymnast to win the all-around at a significant international tournament at the 2017 European Championships.
Retirement Announcement From Ellie Downie
She announced her retirement from gymnastics in a statement posted on social media, saying:
“With a heavy heart and a range of emotions, this is the day!”
“After a particularly challenging few years, I’ve decided to put my mental health and happiness first. To think this has been a hard call is a huge understatement”
Ellie Downie
“Gymnastics has always been a big part of my life, and I’m pleased of what I’ve been able to accomplish in the sport.” Competing and achieving medals for Great Britain has meant everything and more to Downie and she will miss it enormously she stated.
In 2020, Downie and her sister Becky, who has also been champion at the world championships, were vocal about the “toxic culture” in gymnastics and the “fear and mental torture” they experienced. In a statement following her sister’s retirement, Becky Downie said: “It honestly hurts my heart how it has come to an end for you. There will never be enough words or the correct ones to duplicate the scope of what you have achieved over your career.
Achievements of Ellie Downie
At the 2015 British Championships, Downie made her senior debut. Along with her sister, Becky Downie, she was nominated to the British team for the 2015 European Championships. She won silver on vault and uneven bars and bronze in the all-around competition. She did well in the European Championships qualifying rounds, earning spots in the finals of the individual all-around, vault, and uneven bars.
She participated in the overall final on April 17 and finished third with a score of 56.623, behind Giulia Steingruber of Switzerland and Maria Kharenkova of Russia, earning the very first single all-around medal for a female gymnast from the United Kingdom at the European Championships.
In April 2015, Downie received the Sky Sports Sportswoman of the Month award.
She received the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award on December 20. During her senior career, the 23-year-old earned 12 medals, including two bronze medals at the World Championships and six silver medals at the European Championships.
