Two-time world champion "still wanted to go to the home World Cup": Now German will soon be a mother and end her career

Created: 2022-09-07 05:46

By: Andreas Knobloch

Franziska Hildebrand ends her career.

The biathlon world champion becomes a mom.

© Harald Deubert via www.imago-images.de

The dream of the home World Cup in Oberhof has burst.

But for biathlon world champion Franziska Hildebrand, another comes true.

Oberhof - It was almost a season to forget for Franziska Hildebrand.

The biathlete got in better and better shape shortly before the winter sports highlight, the Olympic Games in Beijing, and was about to meet the norm for the trip to Beijing, but then the shock followed: the competition in Antholz in January 2022 was the deadline already at.

For Hildebrand the “dream was over”.

"I had wrongly assumed that this race counted towards the nomination," she wrote sadly on Instagram at the time.

But now Hildebrand can laugh, because she has a much nicer message to announce that she doesn't have to "falsely accept" anything about.

The former biathlon world champion is about to become a mother and therefore ends her sports career, although she still set herself sporting challenges.

"I had a dream, I had a goal and I had a plan on the way to Oberhof ... and then life got in the way," said the 35-year-old on social media, under a picture in which she is beaming from ear to ear .

The home World Cup is cancelled.

"Now I'm looking forward to the new adventures that await me as a mother next year."

Biathlon World Champion Franziska Hildebrand becomes a mom: "I had a dream..."

At the beginning of 2023 it will be ready.

She was "happy that this is the reason why my time in competitive sports is ending," she said in a statement from the association.

"I was able to experience beautiful and exciting years in biathlon, I'm grateful for all the experiences over so many years," she said.

Biathlon sports director Bitterling: "Reason for end of career the best there is"

Franziska Hildebrand was an integral part of the German national biathlon team for over 15 years.

At the World Championships in Kontiolahti 2015 and Hochfilzen 2017, she was world champion with the relay.

Twice she was the fifth best German ski hunter in the overall World Cup.

At the end of last season, Maren Hammerschmidt also ended her career.

"First of all, we're happy for Franzi - the reason for her career end is the best there is," explained Felix Bitterling as Sports Director Biathlon and described Hildebrand as a "role model for many young athletes".

She has proven "what can be achieved with constant and goal-oriented work".

Former colleagues also congratulated the expectant mother.

For example, Vanessa Hinz announced in her Instagram story: "All the best for your future and your new challenge." Michael Rösch, now working as a Eurosport expert, also left his congratulations.