As of: March 18, 2024, 11:41 a.m
By: Marcel Schwenk
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The mass start in Canmore was biathlon ace Benedikt Doll's last race.
He is already celebrated in the finish area and the images get under your skin.
Canmore - Anyone who watched the men's mass start in Canmore until the end on Sunday evening (March 17th) must have had goosebumps sitting in front of the TV.
Biathlon star Benedikt Doll said an emotional farewell at the last World Cup race
For the German biathlete Benedikt Doll it was the last race of his successful career.
The farewell was accordingly - and was absolutely fair to a winner of six World Cup medals.
In purely sporting terms, things didn't go well for Doll with 27th place, but the result quickly became irrelevant.
As he crossed the finish line, the 33-year-old was greeted by the DSV team with a banner that read “Thank you & all the best, Benni,” and a shower of confetti poured over the 2017 sprint world champion. Doll smiled and wiped it several times Eyes.
Biathlete Benedikt Doll competed in his last World Cup race in Canmore.
Things got emotional when we crossed the finish line.
© Screenshot Instagram.com @dsv_biathlon;
Bildbyran / Imago Images
Biathlon Ass Doll about the final race: “I enjoyed the last few meters for myself”
Afterwards there were plenty of hugs, and not just from our own camp.
Johannes Thingnes Bö was the first non-German well-wisher, followed by Johannes Dale-Skjevdal, Lukas Hofer and Sebastian Samuelsson, among others.
A sip of champagne was also a must.
“I said I wanted to fight again and not make it an exhibition competition.
But it really set me up,” said Doll in the ZDF interview after the race, before going into more detail about the final minutes on the cross-country ski trail: “At the end I let the boys go and the energy was gone.
I enjoyed the last few meters for myself.”
DSV says goodbye to “leader” Benedikt Doll: “We will miss you”
Biathlon sports director Felix Bitterling also emphasized how important Doll was to the entire team: “Benni was of course always one of my main contacts in the athletes’ area.
I think it takes more to be a leader than just being a good athlete.
First and foremost character.
Benni is a monster when it comes to that.”
The DSV also said goodbye to the Titisee-Neustädter native on its
page and posted a short clip of the finish and the celebrations.
“We are not crying, you are crying.
A really big guy leaves the stage – our Capitano.
We will miss you, Benni,” it is written.
After 323 World Cup races, eight victories, two Olympic bronze medals and six World Cup medals, one of the most successful German winter sports careers in recent memory is now coming to an end.
Now he has time to spend with his family and Doll will also study sustainable energy systems.
But on Sunday we celebrated first.
(masc)