In a move few anticipated, an Olympic champion gymnast has drawn the curtain on her gymnastics career— and it has sent quiet tremors through the sport’s global community. Just weeks after securing two gold medals at the European Championships in Leipzig, the 25-year-old Belgian confirmed she would not return to elite competition. Her final performance, polished, poised, and seemingly effortless, now marks not only a peak but a farewell. The timing, so soon after one of her strongest outings, has left followers of the sport surprised, if not disoriented.

So, who are we talking about? Well, it’s none other than Nina Derwael. Derwael’s retirement was confirmed on Tuesday by both her management agency, Golazo, and the Belgian Gymnastics Federation. She departs the international stage with an Olympic title on uneven bars, secured in Tokyo in 2021, as well as four World Championship medals in the same event. Two of them are gold. Her European double in Leipzig, on bars and beam, now serves as an unplanned epilogue to a career defined by discipline and a rare degree of technical elegance. She will be formally honored next month at the Memorial Van Damme athletics meet in Brussels, where her contributions to Belgian sport will be recognized once again, this time in the past tense.

The decision itself, however, arrived with little warning. From the outside, there were no signs of fatigue or diminished form. Her own words carried a note of closure, yet offered no drama. “I’ve reached what I wanted and was able to reach,” she said, ahead of a Wednesday press conference where she is expected to elaborate further. “Until today, I always went to the gym with a lot of joy, because I loved it so much and because I had perspective. Leipzig was such a goal, though I didn’t expect gold. That final routine was based purely on experience.” She added, “It made me realise it can’t get better. If I want to play a role at a World Championship or Olympic Games again, I’d have to push my body even harder and longer, and I no longer want to take that risk… My conclusion: it’s been enough. It has been beautiful. Even very beautiful.” Her words were frank, unadorned, and pointed, conveying both a personal peace and a professional full stop.

Inside Gymnastics echoed the collective astonishment. She posted a tribute on Instagram that read, “Olympic and World Champion, Nina Derwael of Belgium has retired from Elite gymnastics! Throughout her career, Derwael won four World Championship medals on uneven bars, including two golds. She also won Olympic gold on uneven bars at the Olympic Games in 2020. Most recently, she won gold on bars and beam at the 2025 European Championships. After the success at Europeans, Derwael has decided to retire. What an incredible career!” The response from fans has been swift and bewildered, with many struggling to reconcile the timing of the announcement with the brilliance of her final routines. Though athletes often step away in silence, few do so from such a position of command. Derwael, it seems, chose to leave at her best. Calmly, cleanly, and completely on her terms. However, following the update, fans could not hide their shock online. 

Nina Derwael stuns the gymnastics world with sudden retirement at her peak.

As soon as the news gained traction, fans flocked to the comments section. The timing of Derwael’s decision, just weeks after a golden performance on bars and beam in Leipzig, left many expressing disbelief. One fan’s tribute echoed the mood online: “What an incredible career!” Yet the abruptness magnified the impact, validating a fan’s pained reaction, as they added, “NOO!!! She had a wonderful career, but it’s sad to see her go.”

For followers expecting a Paris 2024 swan song, Derwael’s quiet withdrawal defied the narrative arc of elite careers. As one Instagram user posted, “I wish she would continue 😢”, a sentiment underscored by the fact that her final routine wasn’t a struggle, but a masterclass. Her exit, seemingly premature, stung more than most.

Another fan’s comment, “Wishing her the best always!!! She’s soooo good!!!” captured the admiration for Derwael’s enduring excellence. Her Leipzig routine, performed with poise and polish, was emblematic of a gymnast still operating at the top. Fans recognized that her departure wasn’t due to decline. It was a choice made at the peak.

“Beautiful career, dear Nina❤️” stands as a heartfelt acknowledgment of Derwael’s legacy. From Olympic gold in Tokyo to back-to-back World titles, and now a European double, the 25-year-old scripted a career few could rival. Her words, “It has been beautiful. Even very beautiful,” mirror the sentiment shared by those celebrating her journey.

One user, taking a more analytical tone, commented: “Kinda shocking given she just won Euros on bars and beam, but I do see that her bar routine was becoming continuously hard to construct given all the changes in the code.” This insight aligns with Derwael’s reflection about the physical toll and evolving demands. Her mastery of a discipline in flux made her exit both surprising and understandable. Thus, with things still looking a bit unclear, it remains to be seen what new updates Derwael provides on Wednesday.