Olympian Chu Hoang Dieu Linh has said goodbye to sport, according to the Taekwondo Department of the Viet Nam Sports Administration.

Head of the department Vu Xuan Thanh confirmed that the 18-year-old athlete no longer wished to pursue the martial art and instead focus on her academic studies.

The decision has been blamed on her failure in the first round of the London Olympics in August.

Linh's decision would be a big loss for both Ha Noi and the national teams as she was a top athlete who received huge support in preparation for big events, according to coach Ho Anh Tuan.

Tuan said despite her loss in London, Linh would still have an important role to play for Viet Nam at the Rio Olympics in 2016.-VNS