In 2010, two-time Olympic biathlon champion Magdalena Neuner surprisingly decided not to start the relay at the Vancouver Games. Now the 34-year-old revealed the piquant reasons for her withdrawal.
“It was difficult in our biathlon team back then. There were athletes who didn’t have a medal, I already had three. I was encouraged to let others go first,” Neuner complained to the magazine.Beijing.22” and added: “I felt that I had no support.”
The biathlon record world champion would have liked to start herself, as she emphasized: “This decision was not made entirely by me.”
Instead, Neuner was made to feel unwanted in the season. “And I knew the season was about fighting together. And when that spirit isn’t there, it’s difficult,” said the TV pundit, who is currently on hiatus after giving birth to her third child.
To this day, Neuner does not regret the decision: “From the moment I felt that I was missing the support of the team, it would have been very difficult for me to have a really good competition. I would have always had that in the back of my mind.”
Martina Beck started for Neuner back then. The relay took the bronze medal.
Neuner retired in spring 2012 at the age of just 25 after a total of twelve world titles and three overall World Cup victories. There was always speculation about a possible comeback, but that never happened.
Neuner believes Doll is capable of a biathlon coup
At the Olympic Games in Beijing, Neuner has particular confidence in Benedikt Doll, who won the mass start at the last World Cup in Antholz, and is also counting on the relay.
“It looks a bit difficult for the women, so I’m really excited about Franziska Preuss, whether she was able to pull herself together again after her corona infection and her foot injury,” said Neuner recently on “SWR Sport”.