Holder of the big crystal globe, Norwegian biathlete Marte Olsbu Roeiseland announced on Tuesday that she was going to hang up her skis and rifle at the end of this season weighed down by health problems. “Biathlon will always be in my heart and it is therefore with emotion that I announce today that ‘Kollen’ (Holmenkollen) will be my last race in the World Cup”, said during a press conference the young 32-year-old woman, considered in her country as one of the best biathletes in history.
“It’s a weird feeling, it’s sad but also incredibly easy: I can’t wait to savor what life has to offer,” she said. A three-time Olympic champion, Roeiseland has had a difficult season after contracting the virus, shingles, last summer, which prevented her from preparing properly. She only put on skis in competition from January onwards.
15th overall
After winning the World Cup in 2022, the Norwegian today only occupies 15th place in the general classification, very far behind the Frenchwoman Julia Simon who is in the lead before the last stage this week in Oslo (Holmenkollen). “I don’t have the motivation it would take to train every day to be the best I can be,” she explained.
“And now that I don’t have that motivation anymore, I think it’s best that I hang up,” added the Arendal native. At the Beijing Olympics last year, Roeiseland crowned a prosperous season by winning three gold medals (two in individual, one in relay) and two bronze. And in 2020, at the Worlds in Antholz-Anterselva (Italy), she had achieved the unique feat of winning seven medals in the seven events where she was aligned. During her career, she won a total of 13 world championship golds.