Canadian hurdler Perdita Felicien announces retirement at age 33

TORONTO – Canadian hurdler Perdita Felicien is retiring from competition.

The 33-year-old from Pickering, Ont., who made the announcement today at a Toronto elementary school, won a world title in 2003 as well as a silver medal in ’07.

She also holds the Canadian record of 12.46 seconds and was a gold medallist at the world indoor championships in 2004.

But her Olympic career was marred by disappointment.

She tripped over the first hurdle in the final at the Athens Games in 2004 and was unable to race four years later in Beijing due to a foot injury.

She was gunning for Olympic redemption in the summer of 2012 but failed to qualify for the London-bound team after false-starting in the final at the trials.

Prior to making her announcement, Felcien tweeted about how she was feeling.

“Today feels just like race day,” she said. “No appetite. Major butterflies. Nervous energy. Happy. :)”

Felicien is the second high-profile Canadian Olympian to call it quits this week. Triathlete Simon Whitfield officially announced his retirement on Wednesday.