Jack Carlin Bows Out: British Track Cycling Star Retires at 28
Jack Carlin, one of Britain’s most decorated track cyclists and a four-time Olympic quarterfinalist, has officially announced his withdrawal from competitive cycling at just 28.
The decision marks the end of a remarkable career defined by speed, perfection, and adaptability.
The Scottish rider, who earned tableware and citation orders across the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games, verified his withdrawal during a sincere press conference this week.
The choice, he said, stemmed from a harsh reality, his body simply won’t allow him to perform at his absolute stylish again.
“Looking back at my career, you can win or lose things by thousands of a second, and if I wasn’t going to give that 100%, which I don’t feel I have to give, I don’t think it’s worth doing.
Super Jack
Congratulations Jack Carlin on an incredible career and good luck in whatever is coming next! pic.twitter.com/NJQg9YU9cr
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) October 15, 2025
I think I’d be doing myself a disservice, the people around me a disservice, and also the jersey a disservice,” Carlin told reporters.
The Glasgow-born athlete suffered a serious hip injury during a crash at the Paris Olympics in 2024, a reversal that would eventually reshape his future. Since that moment, he hasn’t returned to the track competitively.
And now, after months of reflection, he’s chosen to step away, not with regret, but with gratitude.
“If I were to look back and say to 18-year-old Jack, ‘Listen, you’re going to walk away in 10 years with four Olympic medals around your neck…’ I think I would have bit your hand off for that.”
For Carlin, the love for cycling began beforehand, but not in the way many would anticipate. At just 14, he broke both ankles while playing football, an accident that steered him towards two buses rather than two thrills.
What started with mountain biking soon turned to track cycling after the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome opened near Glasgow in 2012. That moment changed everything.
His fidelity and grim drive snappily placed him among Britain’s nobility. Carlin went on to claim three World Championship tableware orders and established himself as one of the fastest sprinters of his generation.
Yet, injuries can be cruel companions in elite sport. The margins are razor-thin. In track cycling, it really can come down to a thousandth of a second, something Carlin understood better than most.
“What else is there to chase when I don’t have 100% of me to give to it anymore?” he reflected during his announcement.
His decision leaves a void in British cycling, but his impact, both on and off the track, will linger. A role model for younger athletes, Carlin’s story is one of perseverance, humility, and knowing when to say “enough.”
Though retirement comes earlier than fans hoped, Carlin’s legacy in British sport is firmly cemented. A true competitor, a gentleman of the track, and now, a man ready to start a new chapter.
