Wendy Houvenaghel has announced that she is retiring from cycling after injury forced her to pull out of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The 39-year-old, who won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, sustained a back injury in training which meant that she had to withdraw from Northern Ireland's team.

"The past decade of my life has been dedicated to professional cycling and it has, for the most part, been extremely rewarding," Houvenaghel is quoted as saying by BBC Sport.

"I have always dedicated myself 100% to my role as a natural professional sports person and I am immensely proud of my consistently high achievements from the beginning."

She added: "It is disappointing to have to withdraw from competition at the Commonwealth Games. However, I would like to wish my Northern Irish teammates every success with their performances in Glasgow."

The Cornwall-based athlete represented England at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, before winning silver for Northern Ireland four years later in Delhi.