Over a week when Kim Clijsters called time (again) on a superwoman career, and record-breaking Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova called in sick, we find out a US Olympian is secretly a call girl

The three-time Olympic middle-distance runner from the United States admitted on Thursday that she has led a secret life for the past year as a Las Vegas escort.

The news was made public in a report on The Smoking Gun website and Favor-Hamilton, 44, confirmed some of the details with the release of a statement in a series of Twitter messages.

"I realize I have made highly irrational choices and I take full responsibility for them. I am not a victim here and knew what I was doing," Favor-Hamilton said in postings on a Twitter account linked to her website.

"I was drawn to escorting in large part because it provided many coping mechanisms for me when I was going through a very challenging time with my marriage and my life. It provided an escape from a life that I was struggling in. It was a double life.

"I do not expect people to understand, but the reasons for doing this made sense to me at the time and were very much related to depression.

"As crazy as I know it seems, I never thought I would be exposed, therefore never hurting anybody.

"I have been seeking the help of a psychologist for the past few weeks and will continue to do so after I have put things together.

"I cannot emphasize enough how sorry I am to anyone I have hurt as a result of my actions and greatly appreciate the support from family and those closest to me. I fully intend to make amends and get back to being a good mother, wife, daughter, and friend."

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(Above) Favor-Hamilton sits on the track after a DNF in her heat of the 1500-metre semi-final at the World Championships in Edmonton August 5, 2001.