Bermuda's top gymnast Laura Murphy has decided to quit the sport next year.

The 18-year-old is studying for her A-levels in England and will give up international gymnastics when she goes to university next September.

Last month, Murphy and Christina White made history when they became the first Bermudians to take part in the world gymnastics championships.

Murphy finished 150th in the field of 300, while the 15-year-old White was 163rd, at the competition in Tanjin, China.

It completed an impressive year for Murphy, who in August became the first Bermudian gymnast to qualify for an individual final at a major games.

Her success came at the Pan-Am Games in Winnipeg, Canada, where she scored a personal best score of 32.230 over the four disciplines of bar, beam, floor and vault -- good enough to reach the Individual All-around final.

Given the short career of top gymnasts, it is not unusual that Murphy should decide to quit at 18.

She said: "I am going to university next September and I want to concentrate on that, so I will definitely have retired from gymnastics by then.

"The sport has been good to me because I got to do a lot of things most people don't get to do and I've travelled to some great places.'' The world championships, where Bermuda did not compete as a team but entered Murphy and White as individuals, had been one such outstanding experience.

"It was amazing to be competing against the best in the world, gymnasts we had only seen on TV before,'' said Murphy.

"It was a little intimidating at first, but we soon got used to it.'' Murphy felt she had improved enormously this year thanks to expert guidance from former UK national team coach Colin Still at Wrekin College in Shropshire, where she is studying.

"Training is easier when you have someone like that to look up to,'' said Murphy. "And the facilities in England are much better than what we have in Bermuda.'' Murphy expected her swansong to come at the British Team Championships next March.

Laura Murphy: pictured in action at the World Gymnastics Championships in China last month. The 18-year-old says she will quit the sport next year.