Benedikt Doll was active in biathlon for 27 years. Now he is ending his career. He announced this on Friday.
Former world champion Benedikt Doll will end his biathlon career after the season. The 33-year-old announced this via Instagram a few days after the end of the World Cup in Nove Mesto. At his last major event he won bronze in the Czech Republic, his second individual medal after the 2017 sprint title.
“I invested everything again and gave my best for myself and the team to get the most out of this season and at the World Championships in Nove Mesto,” said Doll. He now notices “that I now want to put my energy into new projects and spend more time with my family. I look back on an eventful time that I never want to miss.”
“Absolutely exceptional athlete”
Doll became the father of a son in the summer of 2022. The German Ski Association (DSV) is losing its next leading figure a year after Denise Herrmann-Wick.
“With Benni Doll, an absolutely exceptional athlete is leaving the biathlon stage. For many years, Benni was a reliable and great support and towards the end of his career he was also the ‘capitano’ of the entire team,” said DSV sports director Felix Bitterling: “In addition to his outstanding sporting skills He was always an opinion leader and leading figure throughout the World Cup.”
Doll made her World Cup debut in Khanty Mansiysk in 2012 at the age of 21 and then shaped an era in German biathlon together with greats like Arnd Peiffer, Erik Lesser and Simon Schempp. The amateur chef from the Black Forest won six World Cup races and was on the podium a total of 20 times. In addition to the World Cup successes, the highlights were the Olympic bronze medals in Pyeongchang in the pursuit and relay. In total he won eight medals at major events.
On his farewell tour, Doll will compete in the World Cups at Holmenkollen (February 29th to March 3rd), in Soldier Hollow in the USA (March 8th to 10th) and in Canmore, Canada (March 14th to 17th).