Five Scottish Olympians with new medal-winning careers

Get set for a career change

Olympians follow a different career path to most of us. From a young age, they dedicate their life to sport and earn a living through prize money, funding and sponsorships. Of course, some Olympians pursue their sport on a part-time basis and hold down another job.

Either way, when an athlete decides to stop competing, they often choose to start a new career. Lots of them move into an entirely different career, unrelated to sport. And you can do the same! Like former Olympians, you may feel it’s just time for something new. No matter what job you do, you’ll have developed lots of skills that can help you get into a new role.

If you’re watching the Paris 2024 Olympics and considering a full-time career as an athlete right now – it’s a good idea to plan what you’ll do afterwards. Just look at Laura Muir! The Olympic silver medallist finished her veterinary training before going into full-time athletics.

Laura Bartlett

With 107 international caps and a bronze medal from the London 2012 Olympics, Laura Bartlett is one of Scotland’s best ever hockey players. In 2013, at the age of 24, Laura announced her retirement from the sport. She’d achieved a lot in a short space of time – competing in three Olympic Games and winning the British Olympic Association’s Athlete of the Year Award.

But it was time for something new. Speaking to Scottish Hockey in 2013, she said: “I made the decision to step away from hockey and focus on a career outside the sport. I want to put my efforts into building a career.” Since then, Laura has built a strong career in human resources (HR). She’s currently the Head of HR at XTX Markets.

Michael Jamieson

Image courtesy of Ian McNicol/Team Scotland

Many athletes go into sports coaching once they stop competing. Former swimmer Michael Jamieson has shown how seamlessly Olympians can dive into coaching. The Glaswegian, who specialised in breaststroke, won a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympics.

Michael retired from swimming in 2016. But he put his world-class skills to good use and set up his own swimming academy. With bases across Scotland, Michael uses his passion for swimming to teach more than 1,300 students every week.

David Florence

After a long and successful career, David Florence retired from slalom canoeing in 2022. This came after the man from Edinburgh won an Olympic silver medal in 2008, 2012 and 2016. It was time for David to leave the choppy waters behind and start a career in asset management with Blackrock.

Between 2001 and 2005, David studied for a degree in mathematics and physics. This meant he could pick up a career in finance or science once he climbed out of his canoe for good. Speaking to Press and Journal, David said: “It was a good time to move on to a career that’s going to have a bit more longevity."

Steph Cook OBE

Image courtesy of Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne (UIPM)

Steph Cook fell in love with modern pentathlon while studying medicine at university. The Irvine-born athlete initially combined pentathlon events with nightshifts as a junior doctor. But in 1998, Steph took 20 months out to pursue pentathlon on a full-time basis. A gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 along with world and European titles justified her decision.

At 29 years old, Steph retired from pentathlon and restarted her career as a doctor. Now, she’s a qualified surgeon who specialises in vascular surgery. Steph paused her career to see how far she could take her hobby. It paid off for her, and it could work for you too. You never know where a career break to focus on your hobby could take you!

Shirley Robertson OBE

As a sailor, Shirley Robertson won Olympic gold medals in 2000 and 2004. In doing so, she became the first British woman to win an Olympic medal at consecutive Games. After her Olympic wins and many other accolades on the water, Shirley set sail on a new career.

Since 2006, the Dundonian has worked as a sports broadcaster. She’s held commentary and presenting roles for platforms such as BBC and BT Sport. Shirley took her expertise of sailing and applied it to a new, yet related, area of work. Perhaps you could shift to a different part of the industry you specialise in?