Italy’s Olympic gold medallist Josefa Idem has announced her retirement from Canoeing. Idem is the first woman to compete in eight Olympic Games and has won 5 Olympic medals.

The West German born 48 year-old leaves the sport as one the greatest athlete to have graced the sport. Her retirement comes a little less than a month after another sporting great, Tony Estanguet (FRA), called time on his competitive career.

Idem who began her sport career at the age of 13, remained one of Italy’s top athletes through her career and has won more than 35 medals in a career that spanned over 20 years.

Idem last competed at the London 2012 Olympic Games (aged 47) where she made the Final but failed to medal. She however won gold at the Sydney Games (2000) and prior to competing for Italy competed for her home country of West Germany when at the age of 20 she won her first Olympic medal, bronze, at the Munich Games (1984). It was after these Games that she moved to Italy in 1989 where she met her new coach and future husband, Guglielmo Guerrini, and changed her citizenship.

After giving birth to her second son, Idem sought to defend the Olympic title she had won in Sydney but instead won a silver medal. Counting her medals won at Olympic Games and at World Championships, Idem won 6 gold, 8 silver and 7 bronze medals.

Mother of two sons, she continues to train for 4 hours every day. She also champions issues related to women’s rights, social equality and multiple sclerosis and its cures.

Idem continues to write for a daily sports paper and has served six years as a councilor of sport in Italy.

A motivational speaker, she regularly visits universities with her husband to motivate and inspire young students to take up sports.

Her autobiography is entitled "Controcorrente" or Counter Current.