Don't call me a "retired athlete."

I don’t believe in the expression “retired athlete.” Yes, I’ve stepped away. But to say that I “ended my career” seems unfair. No! My career is eternal. It is true that I no longer can be found in meets, competitions or training sessions. But who can erase the history I put so much effort into building? 

My last official competition was in February. At first, a slight sense of despair took over. It was expected, of course. Suddenly, without much prior notice, the tough and strict routine I followed from a very young age was broken. An athlete’s life is peculiar: at 39, I was retired. Sure, I made the official decision, but in fact, my body had already made it.

We all must stop one day.

I'm not complaining. On the contrary: Athletics has given me everything that I now have, and I have given it my body and soul. It was all worth it. I left my parents’ home at the age of 15 to share housing with 20 other girls, and I still remember my dresser at the time, made with wooden crates. I remember all the things I didn’t do or have, the harsh trainings, the busy weekends, the absence of my family, the inner and outer pressure. 

And I wouldn’t be able to utter a word of complaint, even if I wanted to. All I have to do is take a quick look at my résumé. I’ve won a gold medal at the Olympics. I hold the Brazilian and South American long jump record and won the event in three Pan-American Games. I also hold the South American record in the 100 meters with hurdles. I once held the South American record in triple jumping. Throughout my career, I’ve twice led the long jump world ranking. The Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB, Comitê Olímpico do Brasil) has twice awarded me with its Athlete of the Year award. 

Happiness, pride, sadness, self-fulfillment... Many emotions surround an athlete’s career. I was even subjected to shame when I was suspended for two years after being caught in a doping test, because of a mistake I did not make. An athlete reaches her top condition when she is able to combine her best physical performance with the best possible emotional and psychological preparation.

The pinnacle of my career was in 2008, when I won the long jump gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. I was 32, and I was really at my best. The mind-body balance was just perfect. 

The way I see it, my whole career was an amazing celebration. Of course I miss competitions, but I really enjoy the freedom of being able to go out at night and on the weekends. And, honestly, I think I deserve it.

Now, a new adventure presents itself: I’ll be a sports commentator for Globo TV during #Rio2016. My goal will be to try and convey to the audience a little bit of how it feels like to be part of an Olympic team. I'll try to share with them what is going on in the athletes’ hearts and minds. It won’t be this tricky for me, since I'll be talking about athletics, my own sport, and people I know. I know I'll enjoy the opportunity to speak about the lives of our athletes. It is my great pleasure to be a part of this other kind of team.

This post was translated from Portuguese by LinkedIn. You can read the original here. The author cannot respond to comments in English but welcomes a conversation among readers.