"One chapter ends, and another begins"-2x Olympic gold medalist Christian Taylor pens heartfelt note as he shares final jump of his illustrious career

2-time Olympic gold medalist Christian Taylor competed in his final competition at the Holloway Pro Classic at the University of Florida. After winning the gold medal in the long jump at the London and the Rio Olympics, Taylor could not appear in the next two consecutive Olympic games.

He pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics due to an Achilles injury and could not qualify for the Paris Olympics, finishing tenth in the men's long jump at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. A couple of weeks before the commencement of the Paris Olympics, Taylor took to Instagram to share the news of his retirement.

Christian Taylor made his final appearance at the Holloway Pro Classic in Florida and received a memorable send-off as his fans and loved ones surrounded the jumping pit while he made his final jump as a professional athlete.

Taylor took to Instagram to share a video of his final jump and penned a heartfelt message reflecting on his 17-year professional athlete journey. He thanked his fans for their unwavering support over the years, which helped him consistently push the limits.

"One chapter ends, and another begins. Thank you for making my career to what it was and for pushing me beyond what I thought was possible. Your support made that happen. (If you are reading this, I am talking to you.)," he wrote.

As he bid adieu to his career, Taylor remained optimistic as he looked forward to the next chapter of his life.

Christian Taylor on his struggles with injuries

Christian Taylor at the Diamond League Adidas Grand Prix. New York - Source: Getty

Christian Taylor pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics due to an injury. He spoke to Olympics.com about struggling with injuries and missing the quadrennial games to focus on rehab at home.

“To lose that - that was really, really tough for me. And I did struggle for, I'd say, three to four months before I really just accepted the fact that it was over. I watched the Games, I watched the triple jump final. I watched the qualification round. I was actually in rehab at the time this happened, just watching the livestream. Just saying 'this is what I'm working towards'. But it was still months after that, I finally accepted it was over.," he said.

“It felt like depression. It felt like, you know, you have this lack of motivation, this fogginess, this lack of urgency,” explained Taylor. “Sometimes you almost want to pull people in this pit with you, like 'feel bad for me also,” he added.

Despite the setback, Taylor considered it to be an important part of his career, as it was the first time he had the opportunity to relax and reflect on his journey.