Germany’s most successful active biathlete ends her career. After this season Denise Herrmann-Wick is over.
“After 16 years of cross-country skiing and seven years of biathlon, it’s time to start a new chapter. I look forward to the adventures that life has in store for me now.”said the 34-year-old on Instagram on Tuesday.
Olympic champion and twice world champion
The Saxon has had numerous successes in the course of her career. Among other things, she became Olympic champion in singles in Beijing in 2022, in 2019 she won world championship gold in the pursuit and in 2023 at her home world championship in Oberhof also gold in the sprint.
The German Ski Association (DSV) loses another flagship after Magdalena Neuner, who resigned in 2011 at the age of only 24, and Laura Dahlmeier, who had no motivation in 2019 at the age of 25.
“Our Mommy”
The importance of Herrmann-Wick for the German team was underlined by the young Sophia Schneider at the home World Cup. she be “our mommy. And if mommy is fine, we’re all fine”.
Herrmann-Wick was active in cross-country skiing until 2016 – and with success. In 2014 she won the bronze medal in the cross-country relay at the Sochi Winter Olympics.
Ban and Achievements
Herrmann-Wick, who lives in Ruhpolding with her husband, is the second prominent biathlete to announce her retirement in the days leading up to the season finale in Oslo. Also on Tuesday, Marte Olsbu Röiseland announced that he would stop after the season.
Born in 1988, Herrmann-Wick took part in cross-country skiing competitions at the age of eight and attended the ski high school in Oberwiesenthal. In 2007 she was banned for a year for a doping offense – she had taken a cough syrup with the banned active ingredient clenbuterol.
High point at the end of the career
Herrmann-Wick saved the highlight of her career for last. At the home World Championships in Oberhof, she won the first race, the sprint. Afterwards she was not only in the stadium, but also on the Medal Plaza celebrated by thousands in Oberhof. “Walking through the spectators to the medal ceremony is unbelievable – a feeling you can’t get enough of.”
Herrmann-Wick also won two silver medals in the pursuit and in the relay. “Dealing with the pressure and the expectations and delivering at their last or penultimate World Cup really impressed me deeply“Said sports show expert Arnd Peiffer. As we now know, it was actually her last World Cup.
14 World Cup years together were “an honour”, said the DSV: “When dreams come true, it’s time to say goodbye!” Record world champion Marte Olsbu Röiseland, who also announced her departure on Tuesday, commented on her colleague’s post with three red hearts. .