Erik Lesser announced the end of his biathlon career on Thursday. In the meantime, the successful DSV ski hunter explained the reasons in detail – and explained why he went public at this point in time.
“The head has decided,” Erik Lesser explained in an interview with “Sky” the reason for his career end. Physically, according to the two-time world champion, his problems had increased, “but maybe there could have been a few more seasons”.
Lesser has long lacked the motivation to give everything for the winter season, even during the summer training phase. “If I’m not really there with 100 percent and no longer believe in my sporting success, then at the latest you have to pull the ripcord,” he confessed. In addition, “homesickness” has increased in recent years, according to the family man
Biathlon: Erik Lesser has been thinking about resigning for a long time
Lesser made the decision to put the skis aside after the current winter sports season some time ago: “The process began in 2020 after the World Championships in Antholz. The decision was ultimately made last summer, at the beginning of the preparation.”
The two-time Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics silver medalist, who was most recently without a podium in Beijing, admitted he used tactics in announcing his retirement.
“I can still remember Andrea Henkel’s last year (13/14 season, editor’s note), when she said before the season that it would be the last. Before every World Cup, she was asked how it’s the last time to be here, the last time to be there.”
Lesser wanted to “avoid” these questions, he said in the conversation from: “Now I’ll only get these questions for three World Cups.”
“You’re always quickly put in a corner”
The outgoing biathlon star added: “It’s always easy to get cornered when commenting. It doesn’t have to be mentioned every time that it’s my last year, that would belittle other achievements or bring other things to the fore that don’t belong there.”
On the other hand, Lesser “didn’t want to put his cards on the table too late” so as not to have to explain that he was looking forward to the World Cup at home. This will take place in February 2023 in his adopted home of Oberhof.