Nicholl to step down as head of UK Sport

She has been part of the organisation for 10 Olympic and Paralympic Games helping run elite sports from athletics and rowing to short-track speed skating and skeleton.

During Nicholl's 20 year involvement, she oversaw a home London 2012 Olympics where Great Britain took home 65 Olympic and 120 Paralympic medals, with even greater success four years later in Rio.

Performances at the Winter Games from Sochi in 2014 and PyeongChang in 2018 have also witnessed historic medal success.

Nicholl said: "It’s been a huge privilege to work with so many committed and talented athletes, coaches, leaders, partners and colleagues during my time at UK Sport.

"I have shared a very special journey with everyone that has been part of our very successful high performance system over the past 20 years.

"Our athletes are undoubtedly among the very best prepared and supported in the world and I am confident that we can continue to build on the successes of recent Games.

"Tokyo 2020 performance is on track and preparation for the Games environment in Japan is being expertly led and supported by the BOA and BPA.

"This really is the best job in sport and I have enjoyed every minute of it."

Nicholl joined UK Sport in 1999, two years after it was founded by Royal Charter as a response to the Atlanta 1996 Olympics Games, where Team GB won just one gold medal and finished 26th in the medals table.

She became CEO in 2010 having previously held roles as director of elite sport and chief operating officer.

In her time with UK Sport there were 863 medals won by British athletes at the summer and winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The 66-year-old also helped bring the World Athletics Championships, two Tour de France Grand departs’ and stages, and numerous other premier sporting events to the UK.

Dame Katherine Grainger, chairwoman of UK Sport, praised Nicholl for the transformation she has helped oversee in elite sport in the UK.

She said: "She is an incredible leader, principled and consistent whilst also being able to seek compromise and collaboration.

"The spirit of resilience and good humour has seen Liz through countless challenges and her infectious enthusiasm has only increased over the past 20 years."

Sir Hugh Robertson, chairman of the British Olympic Association, added: "The word outstanding is over used but it, genuinely, applies to Liz."

Sportsbeat 2018