Gotell, who won five medals, including two gold, at last year's Paralympics in Beijing, admitted that she may hang up her goggles after next year's IPC World Championships in Eindhoven to pursue other goals.

She said: "I’m not sure if [London] 2012 is in the works for me right now.

"I’m not sure I have it in me to push myself that hard again.

"I’m turning 24 in a few months and I know that’s still young, but there are other things I want to do.

"If I can make it work, I would love to be able to do it, but if I can’t, I’m sort of content knowing the [2010] World Championships could be the end."

Gotell, who is visually impaired, is currently studying at McMaster University and trains with longtime swim coach Andrew Cole.

She is due graduate in the spring with a psychology degree and after that may study sport massage therapy in Toronto.

Gotell made her Paralympic debut at Sydney in 2000 where she won a silver medal in the 100 metres breaststroke and bronze medals in the 50m freestyle and 200m individual medley.

Four years later in Athens she won gold in the 100m backstroke and bronze in the 50m and 100 freestyle and 200m individual medley.

Gotell was one of the stars of Beijing where she set personal bests times in every competition, winning gold in the 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley in world-record times, silver in the 100m freestyle and bronze in the 100m butterfly and 400m freestyle.