Matthias Mayer, Austrian three-time Olympic champion alpine skier, ended his career as an elite athlete with immediate effect.
The 32-year-old excellence announced his decision to the ORF television channel on Thursday between the World Cup races taking place in Bormio.
"I've been thinking a lot in the past few days, and I have to say, for me, the time has come to finish. This was my last World Cup appearance, that was enough for me," declared Mayer, who made sports history in February at the Beijing Winter Olympics after consecutive won gold medals in three pentathlon events. At the 2014 Sochi Games, he triumphed in the downhill, four years later in Pyeongchang in the super-giant slalom, and in Beijing he proved to be the best in the same event. In addition to these, Mayer can also boast 11 World Championship victories.
He did not win this season, but he was able to stand on the podium twice.
"I started the year well, I'm satisfied, but it was simply enough," said Mayer, who thanked the Austrian federation and its supporters, saying "everyone did a great job."
"I'm excited to see how things continue," added the fast numbers specialist.
(Source: Source: sportrajongo.hu, mti/Photo: pixabay)