Winter sports: Austria’s Lena Wechner announces end of career

Emotional message

Ski runner announces retirement at 25

The wave of resignations in the Austrian ski team continues. The next athlete ends her career.

After well-known departures such as Mirjam Puchner and Christina Ager, the next Austrian ski racer has drawn a line under her sporting career. Lena Wechner announced her withdrawal from the Ski World Cup on Tuesday. “This sport has been my passion, my everyday life and a big part of my life for so long,” wrote the 25-year-old on Instagram. “Letting him go isn’t easy, but I feel the time has come for a new chapter.”

Wechner also shared a series of pictures that starts with photos of her childhood and shows her career again. “For this little Lena there was only one goal. One wish. One dream,” she commented. Wechner gave everything, “every day, every decision and every sacrifice was dedicated to this one goal.” Skiing was her life.

The speed specialist made her debut in the World Cup in 2023, competed in a total of 28 races for Austria and finished in the top 20 twice. “Maybe I didn’t achieve all the dreams I had as a little girl. But skiing gave me something much more valuable: it made me the person I am today,” said Wechner.

Sport “taught her to fight, to endure setbacks and to always get up and gave her discipline, passion, unforgettable moments and friendships for life.” That’s why it’s not easy for her to resign. Sporting setbacks or physical complaints were not the trigger for her early end to her career at the age of 25, she explained to the Swiss “Krone”.

For the time being, Wechner left it open exactly what her professional future will look like away from the ski slopes. She concluded her emotional message with the words: “Today my journey as a ski racer ends. What remains are memories, experiences and people that will accompany me throughout my life.”