Höfl-Riesch ends career
March 20, 2014
Speaking at a news conference in Munich on Thursday, Maria Höfl-Riesch announced she was hanging up her skis.
"It is the right decision although it is tough," Höfl-Riesch said.
"I put so much, everything, that I had into this year. I did everything to reach [my goal of winning an Olympics medal] one more time. My biggest dream was fulfilled once again," she said, adding that she wanted to end her career on a high note.
The three-time Olympic champion most recently took home gold and silver at the Games in Sochi for the super-combined and the super-g, respectively. At the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, the German skiier took home the super-combined and slalom gold, as well as two world titles and the 2011 overall World Cup.
The 29-year-old's hopes of continuing to dominate as one of the most successful German skiers in recent years were dashed roughly a week ago at the Alpine Skiing World Cup. After winning the gold in the women's downhill discipline, Höfl-Riesch sustained injuries to her left upper leg and left arm after losing control halfway down the slope and crashing into safety netting.
She had previouly suffered two anterior cruciate ligament tears in 2005.
kms/lw (SID, dpa)