Team GB's retiring heroes from London 2012

Sir Chris Hoy has become the latest athlete to call time on his career

New champions: Victoria Pendleton (AP)

Six-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy today announced his retirement from competitive cycling, becoming the latest British star of London 2012 to quit sport.

Here, we take a look at five others...

VICTORIA PENDLETON (double Olympic cycling champion)

The Queen of the Track announced long before London 2012 that it would be her swansong and had a long goodbye. Just as in the rest of her career, the home Games featured drama, tears and success, with gold in the women's keirin.

REBECCA ADLINGTON (double Olympic swimming champion)

Aged 19, the Mansfield swimmer became the first British female to win Olympic gold in 48 years, since Anita Lonsbrough, and celebrated with McDonald's and Jimmy Choos. She claimed two bronze medals in defence of her titles in London before quitting.

TIM BRABANTS (Olympic kayak champion)

Won his first Olympic medal in Sydney, but continued on until Beijing, where he won gold in the K1 1000metres. The powerful physician has now hung up his paddle to concentrate on medicine.

PETER NORFOLK (Paralympic wheelchair tennis champion)

The 'Quadfather' won the Quad singles title in Athens and Beijing and was Britain's flagbearer at the London 2012 opening ceremony only to miss out on a singles medal. He finished with doubles silver, alongside Andy Lapthorne, for his fifth Paralympic medal.

DAVID CLARKE (Paralympic five-a-side football player)

Prolific goalscorer Clarke, captain of Britain's blind and visually impaired five-a-side team, quit after his third Games and 128 goals in 144 international appearances.