JOANNA Rowsell-Shand shies away from the labels “brave” and “inspiration”, but is more proud of making a difference than her two Olympic gold medals.

The 28-year-old retired from her distinguished track career, which garnered Olympic team pursuit gold medals at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games, in March.

She did not anticipate the plaudits which came her way at London 2012, when her alopecia was evident to millions of television viewers wrapped up in Olympic fever.

Rowsell-Shand, who won four team pursuit world titles, plus the individual event in 2014, had already been in the spotlight but had not appreciated the scale of an Olympics and its impact.

She said: “I was really stunned at what the media saw as ‘brave’.

“The response to that was amazing, but at the same time, me, as a 23-year-old, I really wasn’t ready for that.

“I’d already competed at multiple World Championships, never having as much of a deal made. I assumed that was what it was going to be like at the Olympics.

“So I found it quite difficult to deal with. I didn’t quite get it so much.

“But now I get it a bit more. I’ve got involved a lot more in charities, like Alopecia UK.

“I didn’t really set out to be an inspiration to people. And if people see me as an inspiration I will be more proud of that than anything else.”

Rowsell-Shand has no regrets about deciding to retire and has begun a physiology degree at Manchester Metropolitan University.

“I’m really enjoying my new lifestyle. I don’t miss it at all. I really feel like I made the right decision.”