April Ross is saying goodbye to seaside volleyball after practically twenty years.
The 42-year-old athlete, who not too long ago married firefighter Josh Riley on Saturday, Sept. 14, introduced her retirement in an emotional Instagram post on Monday, Oct. 14.
“It’s with a really fulfilled and grateful coronary heart, and likewise some tears, that I’m asserting my retirement (after the top of this @avpbeach League season),” she wrote. “18 years, 16 seasons, 4 quads 😳 I’m glad I can say I lived it to the fullest and that it was an absolute BLAST. On the identical time, I’m in disbelief it’s (nearly) over, it feels prefer it glided by in a heartbeat.”
Since making her skilled debut in 2006, Ross has earned three Olympic medals to her identify, together with her 2012 silver medal win with Jennifer Kessy, her bronze medal from the 2016 Rio Olympics, which she competed in with Kerri Walsh Jennings, and a gold medal from the 2020 Olympic Video games (which have been held in 2021 as a result of COVID pandemic) with Alix Klineman.
Ross and Klineman at the moment compete within the Affiliation of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) League. In accordance with the group’s website, the duo has gained two Manhattan Seashore Open titles and 11 different AVP victories.
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Ross famous in her submit that whereas there “have been numerous ups 🙌🏼 and some downs” in her profession, she would have by no means imagined “choosing up seaside volleyball at 26 would result in all this.”
“It feels each straightforward and arduous for me to step away from taking part in,” she continued. “After all of the arduous work I put into gearing up for this season after giving beginning and making an enormous push to be prepared for The League, I do know I may maintain taking part in.
“However I’ve the overwhelming feeling that I’ve finished all I must do as an athlete. My motivation has been glad, and it’s time to chase different passions,” the seaside volleyball participant wrote, noting that she “can’t think about touring to tournaments and spending that a lot time away” from her household anymore.”
Ross and Riley welcomed son Ross Riley final October.
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The Olympian ended her submit by thanking her friends and her followers.
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“THANK YOU to all of you who’ve supported and cheered me on alongside the way in which, it has been so enjoyable sharing my journey with you 💛 I hope you’ll maintain following alongside for what’s subsequent! 🤗,” she wrote.
