The 32-year-old revealed he had wanted to retire after Tokyo 2020 but his plans were thrown into disarray following the postponement of the Games to 2021. 

"I'd always had ambitions to retire after Tokyo 2020," he said, as reported by Newshub.

"But with the date pushed out another year, it really gave me a chance to figure out if it was something I could be committed to doing for another year. 

"I understand and I know what it takes to be your very best in this sport and I know the commitment and the dedication and sacrifice that's required to get what I wanted to get out of Tokyo.

"I was going there for a result rather than an experience, it wasn't in me anymore and it became pretty clear that if I wanted to do it I needed to do it properly, because I wanted to go there for a result, it was all about that, and there comes a time where you just have to move on, and now is the right time for me, I'm happy with that."

Tokyo 2020 is now set to take place from July 23 to August 8 2021 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. 

It would have been Sissons's third Olympic Games after London 2012 and Rio 2016.  

During his career, he also earned two International Triathlon Union World Cup wins and a mixed team relay bronze medal at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. 

Sissons admitted he would have liked to have won an Olympic gold medal but was happy with what he had achieved. 

"I would have loved to have won a gold medal, everyone wants to win a gold medal, but if medals were given out for experiences, then I've won gold," he said.

"But it's been a really awesome time obviously, it's an experience I'll never forget and never regret but yeah, this year has just given me time to process what I wanted to do outside of sport in the future."