winter sports
Biathlete Hinz ends career
Biathlete Vanessa Hinz ends her career after more than ten years in the A squad. photo
© Hendrik Schmidt/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
Vanessa Hinz puts an end to biathlon. This winter she did not make it to the World Cup because of injuries.
Three-time relay world champion Vanessa Hinz ends her biathlon career.
The 30-year-old from SC Schliersee was in the A squad for more than ten years, but has recently had to struggle with injuries and health setbacks. This is one of the reasons why she was unable to qualify for the home world championships in Oberhof, which begin next Wednesday.
“Even in the summer, even before the injuries started, it was clear to me that I was going into my last season. My body and my head showed me that competitive sports should be over at the age of 31. I’m absolutely ready for the next phase of life,” said Hinz, who celebrated her birthday at the end of March, in a statement from the association.
Hinz celebrated her greatest individual success with silver at the 2020 World Championships in Antholz, and overall she won gold at the World Championships three times and silver at the World Championships four times. She also won bronze in the relay at the Olympic Games in Beijing last year.
After the Summer World Championships in Ruhpolding at the end of August, Hinz complained of back problems, fell ill afterwards, tore the lateral ligament in his left foot and also contracted tendonitis in his right hand. She failed to qualify for the World Cup team at the start of the season and competed in the second tier IBU Cup.
When she was scheduled to play in the World Cup, she caught a cold. She was still in action at the European Championships in Lenzerheide, now she ended her career. “I am ending my career feeling happy that I was able to experience so many beautiful moments with other great athletes during this time,” said Hinz.