The 50-year-old from Hertfordshire took up the sport professionally in 2009, three years after being diagnosed with a visual impairment which classed her as legally blind

She was tipped to be a strong medal contender at this summer's Paralympics after she claimed a bronze medal at the 2010 World Championships and a silver medal 2011 International Blind Sport Federation (IBSA) World Games.

However, the mother-of-two will miss out on the chance to go to London 2012 after the new sight classification procedures rendered her ineligible to compete at the competition.

The same ruling meant that she was also ineligible to compete at the 2011 European Championships at the end of last year but Reid admitted that she had enjoyed chasing her dream.

"I am so sad that I might not be able to see this through to the end, but I do not regret any of it," she said.

"I have had the most incredible two years and achieved things that I would never have thought possible."

Reid went some way to remedying her Paralympic disappointment by claiming a bronze medal alongside potential Olympians at the recent Senior British Closed Championships in Sheffield in what she said was her last competition before retiring.

It was a fitting end for her as she claimed the bronze medal in the +78kg category in what was a repeat of the feat she managed 25 years ago in 1987.

"It was very difficult and very tiring, but I'm delighted to win a medal," she said.

"I was absolutely exhausted coming off the mat, but I was determined to fight at the event.

"I wanted to retire on my terms and it was important for me to compete again.

"The opposition was very tough including the winner and Olympic squad member Sarah Adlington (pictured) who I wish very well for the future."

British Judo's performance programme manager Dave Sanders admitted it was sad to see Reid retire from the sport before getting the chance to compete at London 2012 and expressed his surprise at the fact that the move to change the sight classification rule change had come so close to London 2012.

"We are all very shocked and disappointed at the outcome of Lesley's classification," he said.

"The testing procedures, equipment and parameters have all changed and this is the first time any judo player has been tested in this way.

"Whilst I agree sight classification needs to be more robust and equal, I am quite surprised to see such significant changes ten months out from the Paralympic Games – and without prior notification."

Ben Quilter is set to be Britain's strongest London 2012 Paralympic medal hope in judo as the 30-year-old from Brighton is the reigning world and European champion in the -60kg category.

Sam Ingram is another major Paralympic medal prospect in judo after becoming the European champion in the -90kg category last year but Reid will now miss out on joining the pair and being the only visually impaired woman on the GB Paralympics judo team at London 2012.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
November 2011: Lesley Reid out of Visually Impaired European Championships
April 2011: Reid takes silver at 2011 IBSA World Games in Turkey