The 43-year-old American appeared at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano and then graced the Games again 16 years later at Sochi 2014.

Brown, a nine-time national champion who won two silver medals at World Championship level, most recently skipped the US team to a sixth placed finish at this year's Worlds.

"My goal has always been to contend for medals on a world stage," said Brown.

"Trying to find the balance between my competitive expectations, my full-time career and my desire to spend more time with my young family has become too challenging.

"What I will treasure most about my competitive years is the relationships that have resulted.

“I have been challenged and inspired by my team-mates and fellow curlers over the years and am thankful to have experienced competition on the highest level with them by my side.

“I am very lucky to have finished out my competitive women’s run with three amazing women who have been both my friends and competitors over the last 25 years."

This season, Brown and her team of fellow Olympians - Allison Pottinger, Nicole Joraanstad and Natalie Nicholson - advanced to the play-offs of every World Curling Tour event the team competed in and finished the season ranked number 14 in the world.

The team will now not be competing together next season.