Tired Szabo ends season

Szabo had a poor season in 2003

Olympic 5,000m champion Gabriela Szabo has surprised the athletics world by ending her entire 2004 season.

The shock decision means Szabo will not compete at next month's World Indoor event or this summer's Olympics.

Szabo, who failed to finish an indoor 5,000m in Birmingham last week, said she is exhausted after 10 years at the top of world athletics.

"(At Birmingham) the feeling was not good and I realised I needed a longer period of rest," she said.

Szabo took an extended break after finishing a disappointing 11th at last summer's World Championships in Paris.

"I felt burnt out and over-trained after the World Championships," said Szabo. "The doctor advised me to take a long rest, so I took two and a half months off from training."

I hope to come back to the top level in the future Gabriela Szabo

"I then started training again and after a training camp at altitude I returned to Europe one week before the meeting in Birmingham."

But Szabo's failure to rediscover her best form in Birmingham has prompted her to end her season.

"This means that I will not compete in the Olympic Games," she said.

"I hope to come back to the top level in the future."

Szabo has enjoyed a glittering career on the track, winning a host of medals at 1500m, 3,000m and 5,000m.

Her haul includes three World Championships golds, four golds at the World Indoors and an Olympic gold in 2000.