British swimmer Rebecca Adlington has announced that she will no longer compete in the sport following the London 2012 Games.

The 23-year-old, who clinched two gold medals at the Beijing Games in 2008, has been expected to bow out of the sport since she failed to match her efforts in London last summer by claiming two bronze.

"I hate the word retire," Adlington said in a press conference. "I love swimming but as a competitive element and elite athlete I won't compete anymore. I'll always be swimming even when I am 90 years old.

"I have achieved everything I wanted to. Some people want to milk it all they can. I've always said I wanted to finish on a high, despite my love of the sport."

Adlington previously claimed that she was 'insulted' by British Swimming when the athletes were criticised for not reaching their targets at London 2012.

The double Olympic champion's decision comes the day after her long-time coach Bill Furniss was appointed as British Swimming's head coach.