The Tamworth-raised athlete contested three Olympics, six world championships and played a record 446 games over a dazzling 19-year international career.

With her place in the sport's pantheon of greats long ago assured, she has reflected on a gold-plated career in which Olympic gold never materialised: silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics and bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics potent consolation prizes.

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"I've been struggling to find the words, as my time has also come to an end in my favourite uniform," the 39-year-old said in the Facebook post.

"Watching the Olympics and other athletes compete over these last two weeks has me feeling all kinds of emotions - pride, envy, admiration, frustration, love and happiness."

She added: "I'd be lying if I said I was satisfied with my Olympic experience this time. I wanted more."

Australia, she said, "didn't hit our potential", which was "a hard pill to swallow when you dedicate your whole heart to it".

However, she is "proud of our journey" and "proud of every single athlete that was involved in our entire Olympic campaign".

She said she was a "different" athlete and person to the Stacey Porter who existed 20 years ago.

She believes her evolution as an international athlete was perpetual because she was never satisfied. She urged people to "never stop learning" and "making sure you're being the person you want people to look up to".

"It was always important for me to be a person before [being] an athlete."

Porter, who plays for the Brisbane Panthers, thanked her family for always showing her "nothing but support".

She added: "Thank you from the bottom of my heart to every single person who reached out before, during and after the event [Tokyo 2020]. I've been immensely overwhelmed with the support and well wishes.

"The stands were empty in Tokyo but our hearts were full."

Porter's dizzying softball trajectory " started as a dream", and she always wanted to "represent my country and my people with pride".

Mission accomplished.

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