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Former Olympic and world champion Laure Manaudou has announced her retirement from swimming to enjoy life outside competitive sport.

"It's decided, I'm stopping," Manaudou, who has not swum this year, told French daily Le Parisien. "Since January, I learned how to look after myself. I'm enjoying the life I couldn't have before.

It's silly but taking time to make up or comb my hair are things I could hardly do when I swam twice a day.

"It wasn't an impulsive decision. I realised at this moment that swimming was no longer a pleasure for me.

"There is also the pressure from the media. Whatever I do, they're always spying on me."

Manaudou won the 400 metres freestyle gold medal at the age of 17 at the Athens Olympics in 2004 as well as winning silver in the 800m freestyle and bronze in the 100m backstroke.

The 22-year-old also won world titles for the 400m freestyle in both Montreal and Melbourne as well as the 200m gold in Melbourne.

But, despite setting world records in both the 200m and 400m, Manaudou struggled with her personal life and split from her long-time coach, Philippe Lucas, before an ugly breakup with boyfriend, Italian swimmer Luca Marin, saw her splashed over the gossip magazines and the internet.

Manaudou then attempted a comeback at the 2008 Beijing Olympics but could only finish eighth in the 400m, after holding the lead at the 200m mark, and seventh in the 100m backstroke. She also failed to qualify for the 200m backstroke, falling at the semi-finals stage.

In January 2009, the Frenchwoman announced she would be taking a break from the sport, saying she had lost the will to compete at the highest level, before following her latest boyfriend, French swimmer Frederick Bousquet, to his training base in the United States.

"The hunger hasn't come back," Manaudou said. "Today I have other interests. I just know that when I get up in the morning I don't feel like going to swim.

"I have all the titles. I have all that I wanted, even more than I dreamed of. I have plenty of time to think about my future."

Pippa Davis / Reuters