Three-time Olympic medalist Dominik Windisch has announced the end of his biathlon career.
“I thought about it carefully. I’ve been carrying the thought around all year. The preparation for the season actually went well. The winter was associated with many difficulties – also because of the Corona issue,” said Windisch on a separate page convened online press conference.
“From January, the season got better from a sporting point of view,” added the Italian. “The highlight of this winter was definitely fifth place in the Olympic mass start.”
After that, the thought of the end of his career matured, according to Windisch. “Even though I wasn’t sure whether I shouldn’t stick with it for another year. After many discussions with my family and the coaches, I finally decided to resign after this season – also because I didn’t have any new goals. “
He “always gave everything,” said the 32-year-old. “Now I want to finish well in Oslo and start planning my future from April.”
Biathlon: numerous successes for Dominik Windisch
Windisch was a permanent member of the Italian A squad from the 2011/2012 season and has matured into a crowd favourite. In 2019 he surprisingly won gold in the mass start at the Biathlon World Championships in Östersund.
He also won the bronze medal in the mixed relay. In 2020 at the home World Championships he ran to silver together with Lisa Vittozzi, Dorothea Wierer and Lukas Hofer.
Windisch also won bronze three times at the Winter Olympics, 2014 in Sochi also in the mixed relay and 2018 in Pyeongchang in the sprint and in the mixed relay. In addition, a relay bronze medal from the Junior World Championships in Ruhpolding in 2008 as well as a total of five World Cup victories (two in individual races) and twelve further podium finishes (two in individual races) are in his CV.