CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) Matthew Brittain, a member of South Africa's surprise gold medal-winning lightweight four at last year's Olympics, says he has had to retire at 26 because of a back injury.
Brittain says he had taken most of this year off to let an old problem with bulging discs in his back heal, but tests in September and this month showed "it's not right."
Brittain, James Thompson, John Smith and Sizwe Ndlovu shocked favored crews from Britain and Australia to win at the games last August, South Africa's first Olympic title in rowing.
Brittain tells The Associated Press on Wednesday he remembers making a decision to "give everything I had" at the London Games because "you may only get one chance at the Olympics."